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Cloud Computing and Project Management

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

The Indian IT industry has grown from $2 billion in export revenues in 1998

to nearly $50 billion today, and the target for 2020 is nearly $175 billion. The

last decade was a golden age for India Inc, which has seen more than 30 percent

year-on-year growth. However, the situation has changed now, and going by the

present conditions of the global economy, industry experts say that the growth

rate of India Inc could be in single digit or at the most slightly higher than

10 percent.

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India Inc has been exploring many options and opportunities to accelerate the

growth in non-linear mode by delivering more with less. Cloud computing seems to

be a promising technology platform and delivery model which might accelerate the

non-linear growth — deliver more with less resources (human and computing

resources).

Cloud Computing services would impact the IT services business value chain

and orchestrating this business value chain to bring cloud flavor is the need of

the hour. The game is on and India Inc has to spend considerable amount of

effort and intellect time to transform India into a global leader in cloud

computing services Can India become a Global Leader in Cloud computing services?

Yes, India can become a global leader in offering Cloud Computing services to

global customers. The two key catalysts that can make this happen are:

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1.  Assets

2.  Results

India has to invest in building best in class assets, which

would help achieve best in class results in cloud computing. To become a global

leader, getting revenue in short term does not suffice, so considerable

investments have to be made in building these assets, which would enable

transformation of India into a global leader In this article, I will cover only

the ASSETS part. India Inc has to invest some percentage of their revenue to

build best in class ASSETS in Cloud computing area

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PMI's Cloud Computing Project Management Conference

PMI at India (PMI India organization http://pmi.org.in/ )

and its seven chapters in India (PMI Team India) are arranging for a

multi-city round table event on “Project Management for Cloud Computing

services” on 7th Aug 2010 (Saturday) at Bangalore. The objective of this is

to establish a 'Cloud Computing Projects Management Council” to contribute

for building a Service Delivery Engine by involving Industry, academia and

government. PMI India also has plans to invest on some of the research

projects in project management space specific to Cloud computing area.

ASSET 1: Cloud Computing Services Portfolio



Most of the debates, discussions and information about cloud computing are

centered around technology like infrastructure virtualization, applications

virtualization, service-oriented architecture, multi-tenant architectures, grid

computing, and metering tools etc. Understanding these aspects is very critical

and important. At the same time service providers like India Inc have to spend

considerable time in conceptualizing different types cloud computing services.

It is not just conceptualization; investments also have to be made to build

robust assets for each service. Following are a few representative services for

which service providers could invest. It is the choice of the service provider

to choose all three type of services as mentioned below or any one or

combination of them as appropriate.

ASSET 2: Service Delivery Engine for Cloud Services



In the IT Services business for the last three decades, India Inc has

evolved from “people provider” to “service provider” to “partner” to “trusted

advisor” (to global customers). This is quite a long journey. To become a global

leader in Cloud Computing services space, India Inc has to start providing

high-end services to customers as trusted advisor. This helps is generating

considerable downstream revenue to India Inc and also business value to

customers.

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Cloud Computing Services Portfolio

Project Management acts as catalyst in building the robust

service delivery engine to deliver BETTER, FASTER and CHEAPER services in the

areas of Cloud Brokerage services, Public cloud computing services and Private

cloud computing services to global customers.

For any IT service (including cloud computing services) if

the supporting project management engine is not built, probability of success is

very low and there is no assurance of repeat success. It is important for India

Inc to identify the portfolio of different services in Cloud Computing space and

build the necessary project management assets ahead of the other countries. This

is a transformation journey and which country starts first and move fast will be

the winner!

ASSET 3: Resource Capability to deliver Cloud Computing

Services



All over the world, IT service providers have been facing serious challenges

in getting best in class talent in general. Considering the complexity and

emerging status of Cloud Computing, it is very important for India Inc to put

innovative strategies to build the best in class talent. Capacity building and

competency building engines have to be built to offer best in class cloud

computing services.

V. Srinivasa Rao, Chairman — PMI Team India, and VP & Head— Oracle Practice,

Mahindra Satyam, www.twitter.com/vsr111

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