Duration: 3-5 days based on the scope

Effort: 10-15 business hours

Dependencies: Client availability for interviews and discussions

For organizations that have regulatory concerns, the move to the cloud is not without risk. Enterprises have significant concerns about storing business data outside the walls of their enterprises, due to contract IT staff possessing a high level of access and control over information; available technology options to secure and manage user access and authentication; or even intentional or accidental actions of employees or contractors.

To allow organizations to gain value from cloud computing initiatives while addressing compliance concerns, Buxton offers a Cloud Readiness Assessment. Through this assessment, organizations can identify sensitive or regulated content and notify key stakeholders including compliance officers, company executives, and administrators of any at-risk content. Once the initial assessment is complete, a best practices approach is outlined to separate regulated and non-regulated content or workloads, and subsequently migrate appropriate content to the cloud.

Cloud Readiness Assessment includes interactive consultations with stakeholders to determine business practices, goals, and opportunities. A thorough analysis of existing IT assets is completed using the right assessment tools covering IT Infrastructure, Security posture, DC environment, Cost & Benefit Analysis, etc.

Scope of Services:

Assessment

Assessment Activities and Outcome

Discovery:

Activities

• Onsite project kick-off
• Datacenter architecture and operations review
• Operational analysis including consideration of business objectives
• Identify and interview stake holders
• Identify systems and review of the infrastructure and management tools deployed

Outcome

• Scope and Objectives

Data Collection:

Activities

• Technical audit and analysis
• Installation of data collection tool(s)

Outcome

• Scope and Objectives
• Raw information is gathered and packaged for analysis

Analysis:

Activities

• Analysis of all collected data by Buxton Cloud Consultants
• Findings documented

Outcome

• Comprehensive report on cloud opportunities and readiness
• Determine recommended solutions and strategy based on findings

Report:

Activities

• Onsite presentation of assessment findings by Pi Cloud Consultants
• Delivery of concrete, actionable recommendations

Outcome

• Executive summary of findings
• Full documentation of analysis and recommendations in Cloud Readiness report
• Identification of impacts on current services
• Recommended adoption strategies for the adoption of private, hybrid, or public cloud
• Next steps

Assessment Summary

• A thorough review of IT services, common infrastructure, organizational and Service
  Management process components
• An IT strategy that provides a clear strategic path towards Business Service Management,
  including Cloud capability
• A roadmap providing a defined set of activities needed for Cloud readiness
• A security and compliance analysis of risks to your organization

Assessment Advantages

• Evaluation by our experienced Cloud Consultants generates current information about your
  organization’s IT as a solid foundation for the successful planning
• The assessment right-sizes your budget and capability estimate, to help avoid overspending
  and optimize the user experience
• An interactive interview with stakeholders facilitates “buy-in” and aligns solutions with the
  needs unique to your organization
• A written report by our experts provides the blueprint for a business case justification as
  well as performance, reliability, environmental, management, and security designs

Sample Cloud Readiness Assessment Report

• An executive summary
• Overview of the assessment scope and objectives
• Assumptions and limitations of the assessment
• Methods and tools used
• Design of the current environment or systems with applicable diagrams Security requirement
• Summary of findings and recommendation
• Assessment results
• General control review
• Risk assessment, including identified assets, threats, impact, and the risk results analysis
• Recommended actions
• Cloud Readiness Status Level