There seems to be an “as-a-service” acronym for just about everything IT related: IaaS (Infrastructure), PaaS (Platform), SaaS (Software), DRaaS (Disaster Recovery), just to name a few. The list can go on and on – you can see a long, but certainly incomplete list here.
Why the proliferation of SO many as-a-service terms? It all stems from the growing needs that CIOs are challenged to address faster and with finite budgets. This is a list of the top ten CIO priorities for 2018 from the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO):
- Security and Risk Management
- Cloud Services
- Consolidation and Optimization
- Digital Government
- Budget, Cost Control, Fiscal Management
- Shared Services
- Broadband / Wireless Connectivity
- Data Management and Analytics
- Enterprise IT Governance
- Agile and Incremental Software Delivery
Most CIO’s, would probably agree on this list, with some minor changes. At a strategic level, these priorities align to IT modernization, which we define as the process of moving away from outdated hardware and software in favor of next generation storage, network and compute with consolidated systems that enable new business applications. IT modernization has been a key initiative for CIOs across industries – The Modernize Government Technology Act allocated $100M in 2018 for modernization initiatives within the federal government and $210M has been requested in 2019. Additionally, MGTA creates Centers of Excellence providing resources, best practices and solutions for modernization. While this won’t solve the modernization challenges, it’s a step in the right direction. IT modernization remains a difficult goal. Procurement processes are long and cumbersome, budgets are still tight, technology is complex and upgrades can be hampered by legacy platforms.
This is where “as-a-Service” solutions can help break down the barriers to IT modernization. Whatever flavor of as-a-service works for you: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS or DCaaS, any of these options can help you achieve your IT goals. In the case of DCaaS, which is a flexible model of IT consumption that can deliver all or individual elements of data center technology managed by a service provider, the customer, or through a hybrid service model, the customer has the ability to select specific elements of data that are delivered as a service. These as-a-service models have several advantages:
- The procurement process can streamlined and simplified with IT delivered as a service, not as a box.
- Moving to an OpEx funding model frees up CapEx money for other strategic investments
- Human capital can be realigned from day-to-day management tasks to more strategic initiatives.
- In the pay-as-you-go funding model, only technology that is consumed is billed. This is a more efficient use of funds and reduces or even eliminates the large up front capital outlay.
- The flexibility to turn up and turn down services when needed that aligns to organizational missions quickly and efficiently.
Most CIOs would agree that modernization isn’t a luxury, it’s an imperative. In order to implement new technology like AI and GIS, data centers need a baseline level of compute power, storage capacity and access to data. Until recently the path to achieve the next generation data center hasn’t been clear. DCaaS is removing the barriers to modernization. Learn more in this new infographic or with other informative resources at vion-corporation-staging.nwvek60w-liquidwebsites.com/what-we-do/multi-cloud/.