Business Context

Large scale Telecom Service Providers now embarking a journey onto cloud. The series of blogs would try to cover fundamentals of any BSS/OSS application migration.

This blog would discuss high level scope items (Org scope, IT strategy, stakeholders) and hints about what to look for in those items.

 

Org Scope Items Findings
Is Cloud focused on the needs of a particular agency, division, operating unit, or is it an Enterprise Cloud Computing Strategy? <<Hint>> Analyze high level cloud strategy scope.
Is this aligned towards a green field project or a migration project or both. Cover or analyze application portfolio both for greenfield or brownfield applications. (Based on high level scope) for example

a. BSS application to be on cloud.

b. Integration from cloud to On-premise for OSS apps (Fulfillment).

c. SaaS applications.

d. Other IT apps in future.

 

Stakeholder

Scope Items Findings
Who are stakeholders for the cloud strategy <<Identifying stakeholders early in cloud adoption later pays off during strategic decision buy-in, who is paying >> If possible build a RACI.

 

Business Requirement

Scope Items Findings
high level business context Find the business context and major motivations to move to cloud. This may be cost saving, operational efficiency, global reach.
Business Strategy (External Factors) Understand external factors like new business opportunity. For example

  1. <<XXX>>need to build smart presence in the B2B market.
  2.  Ease of business with partner ecosystem.
  3.  Overall business dynamics is moving towards digital and data based solutions rather than voice based solutions.
Business Strategy (Internal Factors) Understand internal factors like reducing operational cost, bring agility etc.  For example

1. Reduce capex / opex for supporting internal IT

2. Agility & time to market

3. Reduce on-premise datacenter footprint.

4. Cloud First Strategy

 

 

IT Strategy

Scope Items Findings
Current IT Landscape Understanding As-Is IT landscape goes a long way. For example

1. <<XXX>> is currently having 2 DCs

2. Most infrastructure services are fulfilled from On-Premise DCs ( Due to services that are heavily dependent on N/W components) for their business partners .
Current Application Landscape Understanding application scope gives you a solid start. For example

1. The applications in scope for cloud migration are all greenfield.

2. Hence ‘Not Necessary’ to understand current application landscape
IT Strategic Roadmap Understanding current strategic initiatives would help finding the synergies and saving cost. For example

Currently there are multiple strategies running as part of IT roadmap that may impact cloud strategy

1. On-Premise SDDC (Software Defined Data Centre)

2. Private Cloud Implementation

3. B2B API Gateway for Partner Integration

4. OSS Apps ( Re- architecture)

5. BSS Apps on public cloud

 

 

Risk & Compliance

Scope Items Findings
Risk Management Understanding Risk and managing Risk using software or just by maintaining a Risk Log. For example

1. There is a new initiative running in parallel for managing risks at Dawiyat.

2. For public cloud <<XXX>>> would consider any risk management tool or framework.
Compliance Identifying regional compliance early in the game, help you overcome any surprises later. For example

1. <<XXX>>> is subject to <<<YYY>> regional compliance regulation.

2. Following areas are covered under regulation

Information security

Data protection

Customer protection
Risk & Compliance Strategic road map Roadmap is where one needs to add cloud related risk and compliance requirements. For example

1. <<XXX>> is currently setting up SOC (Security Operation Centre)

2. Cloud strategy should consider integration with SOC for Security Related events and information on cloud.

3. Cloud strategy should consider any implications for SaaS providers as well.