Cloud application inventory management appears to gain popularity over the traditional licensed solution due to its flexibility since users can access inventory data from any device as long as they have access to internet connectivity. Understanding how to manage and track your inventory is important to operate a business. While the intricate IT solution was not accessible to small businesses, today, the cloud application inventory has democratized inventory administration for all.
It is no longer a question of whether to shift some data and workloads to the cloud in the recent past. For many organizations and brands, it’s a matter of how comprehensively to migrate the information technology infrastructure to cloud services and the number of cloud providers required to attain the company’s goals. Irrespective of the mix of cloud services, the organization needs to ensure that things do not degenerate into confusion. Here are the top practices for cloud application inventory.
Table of Contents
Establish a Firm Team and Governance Program
Cloud implementation usually benefits from the governance and management structure that thoroughly covers process, security, workflows when evaluating service selection. Among the fundamental members of the team should entail an executive leader who manages all the cloud-associated activities and is accountable for the achievement of the cloud policy.
Furthermore, team members should collaborate closely with other cloud providers to ensure the company needs and changes are observed in requirement related to the application, security, storage, and related aspect of IT. At least an individual should be responsible for ongoing teamwork with cloud providers to address the necessities.
Strong governance is required due to potential risks, including cost overruns, privacy, security breaches, and compliance issues. In respect to adhering to the service contracted with providers, organizations must establish metrics that warrant cloud-related costs are not kept in control and the appropriate access and security mechanism is rightly placed.
Take a Full Inventory of Enterprise Applications
Before deploying cloud application inventory, companies should employ a thorough examination of the existing application to attain a sense of what and if any application is needed to stay in the organization either due to the critical nature of the applications since they are not accessible from a dependable cloud provider. Additionally, the examination should comprise taking inventory of the enterprise application portfolio, evaluating the application technology pile, and how the application is suitable with the general objective of the business and the company value the application usually brings. Perhaps, the examination may demonstrate that some applications are no longer required and can be eliminated.
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Investing in the Appropriate Cloud Management Tools
Given the speedy growth of the cloud service and the tendency for companies to employ several clouds, it is evident that the market has emerged for cloud management tools. The latest technologies include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning which provide better management and maintenance services. According to an IDC survey, over the next two years, it is expected that approximately 67 percent of company decisions will prioritize analytics, reporting, monitoring and automation, and self-services due to new capabilities for cloud application inventory and governance.
Acquiring the Appropriate Skills
Information Technology is considered the most in-demand role associated with the cloud. These comprise cloud architects, security specialists, and cloud engineers. Your cloud provider needs to have certified engineers managing the operation and those who understand the entire structure and provider supportive and forward-looking IT approvals.
Enterprise vault migration to Office 365 provides seamless auditing support and enables companies to move delicate data with assurance. Apart from having the top tools in place, companies must attain the skills necessary to accomplish and sustain increasingly challenging cloud environments. So, employing people with extensive experience working with the cloud application inventory is beneficial to an organization.
Adapt Prevailing Cybersecurity Programs
Organizations have been investing in many cybersecurity tools and services for years, intending to protect information resources from threats. However, most of these efforts tend to defend the on-premises system and may not account for vulnerabilities and risks associated with the cloud. In addition, although public cloud services providers usually account for protecting their servers, network, and storage system, it does not imply that customers are safe from intruders by ensuring they have their security mechanism. Therefore, organizations need to prioritize the cybersecurity of the cloud application inventory.
Conclusion
Cloud application inventory gives you the ability to grow with your enterprise, as discussed easily. Creating teamwork and governance ensures accountability and the company’s needs are addressed. Assessing the cloud application tools lets the team and service provider know which tool needs to be eliminated. As mentioned, appropriate skills are also important.
