Azure Strategy and Implementation Guide for IT Organizations

The potential of cloud computing for all organizations is immense, but it also requires changes
in governance, architecture, operations and service management. We have tried to show in this
document that not everything needs to change; however, adjustments and new ideas in key areas
can unlock a lot of the potential and make cloud transformation in any IT organization possible.

Here are some key points from each of the chapters:

• Governance and a “cloud champions” team to drive the transformation can help bring the attention needed in an organization. This is best accomplished with executive sponsorship.
• Architecture for cloud-first applications incorporates security, identity, and modern application design for robust apps and data that are available for users anywhere from any device.
• Application development together with operations—DevOps—should be the default for new projects. The DevOps model fits with cloud technologies to effectively develop and operate cloud-first apps that users value and want to use.
• Integrating, planning, and managing cloud resources directly in the service management (instead of in shadow IT) helps both the business and IT organization profit from the flexibility of cloud infrastructure