As cloud computing concepts quickly take hold during the pandemic, the cloud is bustling while enterprises have concerns. Enterprises without exception have begun to reconsider their work and operation methods. Many enterprises have found that their cloud strategies need adjustment, while those who have never formulated a cloud strategy face enormous pressure and urgently need a viable strategy.

So what is a cloud strategy?

Gartner's definition of cloud strategy is as follows: "A cloud strategy is a concise view of the role of cloud in the organization. It is a living document designed to bridge between high-level enterprise strategy and cloud implementation/adoption/migration plans." Unlike cloud adoption or migration plans, cloud strategy is more about exploring and defining the role cloud computing should play in the organization. A cloud strategy is not a plan to migrate everything to the cloud.

Obviously, cloud strategy is important. How do you build a correct cloud strategy? Recently, Gartner cloud business expert David Mitchell Smith summarized 10 common mistakes by reviewing hundreds of Gartner's cloud strategy documents, which have typical significance. Here is a summary:

Mistake 1: Assuming it's just an IT strategy and doesn't involve business, operations, legal, finance, and procurement

The most common mistake organizations make when designing their cloud computing strategy is assuming it only involves IT, when in reality cloud adoption affects all business departments. Departments outside IT have needs and knowledge relevant to the enterprise's cloud strategy that IT professionals may not have. If you have designed a cloud strategy only for IT, use the strategy's living document status to include business in the next planned update.

Mistake 2: Having no exit strategy

An exit strategy outlines considerations for extricating yourself from a cloud environment if needed. Many organizations think exit strategies are unnecessary because they don't expect to bring anything back from the cloud. However, it's crucial to consider this even if you may never use the exit strategy. Additionally, consider the possibility of changing cloud vendors, not just bringing workloads back on-premises.

Mistake 3: Combining or confusing cloud strategy with cloud implementation plan

People often call cloud implementation plans cloud strategies, when they are actually not. A common practice is to call cloud adoption or migration plans "cloud adoption strategies," and the plan tries to serve both roles (strategy and implementation). It may also be very detailed and contain some aspects of strategy. If you have created such a document, refactor it into two separate documents: cloud strategy and cloud implementation plan.

Cloud strategy should come first. In the decision phase, you will decide what role cloud computing will play in the organization (if any). Next comes the cloud implementation plan to make the cloud strategy effective.

Mistake 4: Thinking it's too late to develop a cloud strategy

Many organizations think that if they are already using cloud computing, it's too late to develop a cloud strategy now, but late is better than never. Ask yourself why you use cloud computing and its role in the organization. Identify achievements, mistakes, and lessons learned to date, record them in your cloud strategy, and participate in the ongoing cloud journey. After all, ensuring your strategy is a living document is critical to its success.

Mistake 5: Equating cloud strategy with "we'll move everything to the cloud"

Assuming your cloud strategy is just to migrate everything to the cloud is wrong. It leads organizations to think they will then be forced to use cloud computing for every aspect of the enterprise. Cloud strategy involves not only the workloads being moved, but also the workloads that will (or won't) be moved. You should determine the answer before proceeding with strategy development.

Mistake 6: "Our cloud strategy is our data center strategy" or "it's all or nothing"

Cloud strategy and data center strategy should remain separate and aligned. This is especially important if your organization decides to consolidate or eliminate data centers.

Cloud strategy decisions are made by workload, not by data center (all or nothing) decisions. Although major cloud vendors now help you "lift and shift" data centers, it's important to recognize that this is more like executing a data center strategy, not a cloud strategy.

Mistake 7: Thinking executive mandates are strategy

Many organizations adopt cloud computing because executives think it will save costs, or because of some other unrealistic expectations. This is a very common mistake and one of the many cloud myths that persist.

Cloud computing doesn't always save money, and this goal alone should not form the basis of a cloud strategy. Your strategy is based on achieving target business outcomes and necessary conditions, not on the CEO telling you how to do it. Treat the mandate as a task authorization to execute the actual strategy.

Mistake 8: Adopting a single vendor strategy for everything

Blindly being led to the cloud by a vendor is not the same as an intentional cloud strategy. The former doesn't account for the many types of cloud services that exist, as many vendors don't offer all the capabilities that the cloud can provide, especially at the Software as a Service (SaaS) level.

Instead, consider designing a strategy that includes multiple, hybrid, distributed, and non-cloud options for SaaS, Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). A qualified cloud architect will provide you with the methods and recommendations best suited for your organization.

Mistake 9: Outsourcing the development of cloud strategy

Outsourcing your cloud strategy is tempting, but the results often contain metrics that align more with the provider's strategy than your own needs. Use third parties to implement—this can even be done by cloud providers. This is a cost-effective way to gain the scarce cloud skills organizations need.

Mistake 10: "Cloud first" becomes the entire cloud strategy

A cloud-first approach means that if someone requests investment and meets relevant criteria, the default location for building or placing this new project is the public cloud. Additionally, they should be allowed to place it elsewhere (such as IDC) for good reasons. A cloud-first principle should not force people to use the cloud. That would be a cloud-only strategy. Cloud first is just one aspect of the overall cloud strategy and should allow other work.

Finally, to summarize

What is a good cloud strategy?

First, it's simple and clear (for example, 10 to 20 pages or slides);

Second, it's living (should be updated regularly);

At the same time, it exists to support the overall enterprise strategy.

Missing these three characteristics means a cloud strategy prone to mistakes.