QIRX IN A BOXMOVING TO THE CLOUD : NINE STEPS TO SUCCESS

© Qirx Pty Ltd www.qirx.com.au

www.qirxinabox.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 Introduction

5 Understanding ‘Cloud’

9 The Nine Steps - A Staged Approach

12 Stage One : Strategy & Funding

15 Stage Two : Project Management & Refinement

18 Stage Three : Implementation

21 Summary

23 Where To From Here?

©Copyright © 2018 Qirx Pty Ltd : Publication 2 Revision 1.3. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from Qirx Pty Ltd.

Introduction

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WHO IS QIRX?

Qirx is a multi-award winning Cloud Solutions company founded in 2000. Please visit our websites if you would like to know more of our history and successes (www.qirx.com.au/news/) and (www.qirxinabox.com/why-we-do-it/).

From it’s inception Qirx has done things differently, beginning with the spelling of our name. By definition a quirk is something out of the ordinary, and that is what we have endeavoured to build since May 2000.

Our approach has always been based on long term gain rather than short term profit. We have built a culture within our team, and with our customers, where sustained success is the key goal. We want to be part of their journey, not just a stop along the way.

We genuinely care about our customers and their success and continually strive to leave behind an environment that is better than when we arrived. Rather than fostering a situation where our customers are totally dependent on us, we help them gain and maintain independence.

A key platform for our Professional Services business has always been to transfer skills to the customer so that they can maintain what we have built without needing continued external support.

Contrary to common business opinion, this approach allows our customers to free up funds and reinvest in their future which, in turn, provides opportunities for Qirx to add further value, and on it goes. Qirx prides itself in having long term relationships with both our customers and staff and in having sustainable year on year growth.

We see sharing what we have learned as a way of paying forward. One way of making a difference is to help others help themselves, empowering them to reach their full potential and in turn help others.

Qirx in a Box is another example of doing things differently. Our aim is to replicate what we have achieved locally on a global scale. To achieve this aim, our highly experienced award-winning team has created a series of educational videos, case studies, project management and technical documentation templates and a Total Cost of Owership Calculator for each potential pillar in your journey to the cloud. There are six pillars in all, encompassing virtualisation, availability & protection, performance, security, end user computing (virtual desktops) and the final management & automation phase.

Qirx in a Box is the distillation of the skills, knowledge, experience and the tools accumulated over many years. With access to the resources contained in Qirx in a Box you too can build a successful hybrid cloud environment to underpin growth and prosperity in your organisation.

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WHy HAVE WE WRITTEN THIS EBOOk?

The purpose of this book eBook is to provide insight to the methodology that we use in all of the projects undertaken on behalf of our customers and to guide you in formulating your approach to building your cloud, in your datacentre using your people.

‘Why would you do that’ you ask? Wouldn’t it be easier to get someone else to do it all for us? In a perfect world your suppliers would help you build the best solution to meet your requirements. However, in the real world they have relationships and alliances with vendors and supply chains that dictate what solutions they can offer. Generally, this means that the solution is the best fit for them and, if you’re lucky, a reasonable fit for you.

If you’re not a well-informed customer with a clear strategic framework how can you tell whether the solution being offered is fit for purpose and meets all of your needs?

If you fully outsource the problem then how do you maintain your environment in the future? How do you grow it? What happens to your sustainability and independence?

This book covers the nine basic steps that we undertake in delivering a hybrid cloud infrastructure environment (see ‘New to the Cloud’ for a definition), or put more simply, building your cloud in your data centre. The steps cover roles for the executive, management and technical teams and define the milestone documents that should be developed.

Cloud means different things to different people. Before we step you through our approach, we want to make sure that you understand what we mean by cloud. We will assume that you are new to the concept and provide a little background to help ease you into the topic

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Understanding ‘Cloud’

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NEW TO CLOUD

You’ve heard about the cloud and management is pushing for a move in that direction. But what is cloud computing?

You are not alone in wondering. The most common barrier to adopting cloud based technology is insufficient knowledge (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

It’s clear that cloud computing is the future. Getting it wrong can have huge ramifications for the resilience of your IT infrastructure over the long-term. The cost and complexity of bringing together a range of elements make it a daunting project.

If you are new to the cloud, or you only have a general idea of the concept and benefits, Qirx in a Box does the hard work for you. In fact, the rate of change in cloud technology moves at a phenomenal speed. Even if you’re a seasoned IT professional, with multiple workplace integrations under your belt, Qirx in a Box streamlines the process of evaluating your current situation.

Building a cloud environment means deciphering a dizzying array of options and configurations. Not starting because you don’t know where to start could mean that your business is missing out on the growth, efficiency and security that it deserves.

Let’s look at some of the common questions people have when they are new to the cloud.

WHAT IS THE CLOUD?

The early days were full of hype and buzz. Myths about poor reliability and loss of control were driven by a lack of consensus on what ‘cloud’ actually was. This hype was often coupled with a lack of understanding about how implementing a cloud solution would meet your long-term business plans.

At its most simple – the cloud is a term that describes the decoupling of the underlying hardware from operating systems and applications. Initially this was limited to the virtualisation of server infrastructure. Eventually, entire data centres were being virtualised. In essence cloud computing is the use of a pool of resources; compute, memory, storage and networking.

There are three basic formats to cloud computing and we have adopted the following definitions:

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Private cloud is your own infrastructure, either onsite or co-located in a data centre, configured as a cloud environment. This means that the infrastructure is abstracted to decouple the underlying hardware from the operating systems and applications.

Public cloud is third party shared hosting of virtual infrastructure. Examples of this include; Apple iCloud, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Verizon Cloud, Vault Systems, etc to name just a few. There are many other public cloud solutions that may include managed service offerings such as those provided by Qirx for some of our customers.

A provider in the public cloud supplies and maintains the physical infrastructure and the hosting environment. Customers can then purchase a virtualised environment to meet the needs of their applications.

Hybrid cloud is a combination of both private and public cloud. For example, you may have a private cloud supporting core business functions but use public cloud for test and development or to supplement your capacity during short term campaigns that necessitate a spike in resource usage. In these cases it is not worth investing in additional capacity in your private cloud.

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PUBLIC, PRIVATE & HyBRID: WHAT IS THE DIffERENCE

Whether to choose a public, private or hybrid solution is determined by your digital strategy.

PRIVATE PUBLIC HyBRID

Perfect for organisations • handling sensitive IPTailored to meet individual • needs.Provides a secure • environment which can only be accessed by specified personnel.Requires server, network • and storage infrastructure which can be housed either on premise or co-located in a 3rd party data centre.

Requires less • individualised configuration.Provides an easy entry • point.Is available over the • internet from a range of third-party providers.Does not generally require • in-house servers.

Used as a common starting • point due to the increased flexibility.Capitalises on the • advantages of both environments.

Qirx in a Box includes four hours of bite sized education modules that will empower you with the knowledge needed to jump-start your understanding of the hybrid cloud landscape. This will equip you to navigate efficiently through all cycles of business growth. With Qirx in a Box you’ll save weeks of research.

SO WHERE DO yOU START?

We have identified nine steps that we use in our processes that allow us to deliver repeatable and consistently high-quality outcomes for our clients. The aim of this eBook is to share these nine steps with you.

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The Nine Steps :A Staged Approach

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OVERVIEW

It doesn’t matter where you are in the cloud lifecycle. The principles described in this eBook apply to all project elements in the journey.

STAGE ONE : Strategy & fundingDefine the vision and the strategic framework necessary to meet the business needs of your organisation. This stage driven by the executive team (the CIO, CFO and CEO) and culminates in a Business Case detailing the costs and benefits of upgrading the targeted elements of the hybrid cloud data centre.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Identify and present the

non-technical business

reasons for undertaking the

project

Learn the business

benefits of the available technologies

Decide whether the project is cost and risk

justified

STAGE TWO : Project Management and RefinementPut in place a project management regime to identify and manage the delivery of the vision developed. This will oversee both the technical and human resource aspects of the project. This stage is driven by the Management and operations teams and culminates in the production of additional requirements documents, project planning documents along with skills and functionality gap analyses.

Step 4 Step 5

Identify requirements and resources

needed

Develop Project Management

regime

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STAGE THREE : ImplementationThe delivery of the solution encompassing its technical development, deployment and documentation. This documentation forms the basis of ongoing sustainability and independence for the organisation

Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9

Make decisions around the technical

requirements

Develop technical and

process guides, then implement

Develop and implement a Test Plan reviewing

expected and delivered outcomes

Put in place ongoing

management processes

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Stage One :Strategy & funding

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Step 1

IDENTIfy AND PRESENT THE NON-TECHNICAL BUSINESS REASONS fOR UNDERTAkING THE PROjECT

Qirx begins each cloud journey by getting a clear understanding of the goals that the business or organisation is trying to achieve. Sometimes there is a clear vision and at other times some additional detective work is needed.

The Business Requirements document is the first deliverable in the project. It forms the foundation for future planning. It is here that you identify and document the non-technical business reasons for undertaking the project.

The importance of the Business Requirements cannot be understated. If you can clearly articulate your requirements at this point, then you are in a better position to ensure that everyone in the team - from the executive down to the technical staff - understands why the project is being undertaken and what the desire outcomes are.

Step 2LEARN THE BUSINESS BENEfITS Of THE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES

It is critical that you develop an understanding of the technologies available, their strengths, weaknesses and capabilities, at this stage. This understanding will equip you to determine which technologies have the ability to meet your requirements. Sources of information include web research, discussions with technology partners, and talking with others that have already undertaken this part of the cloud journey.

An easier and less time-consuming approach is to review the Qirx in a Box video presentations by our subject matter experts who will guide you through the topic, identifying the benefits, common mistakes and potential pitfalls. After all, if you have never done this before how do you know what you don’t know and how do you successfully navigate and utilise the information available?

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Step 3DECIDE WHETHER THE PROjECT IS COST AND RISk jUSTIfIED

Once you have worked out what it is that you want to achieve and how you might go about it, now is the time to determine whether the proposed high-level approach will be financially viable. You need to build the Business Case.

The Business Case document allows the executive team to understand how the project is going to address the identified business requirements and also determine whether the investment will provide an acceptable return.

It is useful to have an integrated Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator; even better if it integrates with the Business Case document to make it simple to provide the financial benefits such as return on investment (ROI), cost of doing nothing, etc. If you don’t have access to tools like this then there will be appreciably more work for you to do. The aim of the TCO is to provide sufficient financial information to allow the project budget to be developed.

Once the Business Case is accepted then you can move on to Stage Two.

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Stage Two :Project Management &

Refinement

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Step 4IDENTIfy REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCES NEEDED

In this stage we expand the requirements scope to include users and functionality. While these two documents – User Requirements and Functionality Requirements – ultimately support the Business Requirements they represent two distinctly separate areas.

User Requirements will specify what users need from the system/project to allow them to carry out the business activities in accordance with the business goals.

Functionality Requirements will define what functions must be provided by ICT to support the business.

Both User Requirements and Functionality Requirements are non-technical in nature and do not define the technical solution. The User and Functionality Documents are generally prepared by a person with Business Analyst (BA) skills or access to document templates that allow them to be completed by someone without BA skills.

Once the Functionality Requirements are completed, a Functionality Gap Analysis will identify how much of your existing equipment can be repurposed or supplemented to provide the new functionality.

Similarly, a Skills Gap Analysis will determine what skills are currently available within your team, whether these should be augmented with additional training or recruitment or even outsourced. We strongly recommend building up the skills in the team as a method of providing sustainability and resilience for the organisation and as a way to reduce costs as you maintain and grow your new environment.

By the end of Step 4 you will have the Business, User and Functionality requirements defined and have developed a solid understanding of the gaps in the functionality of existing infrastructure. You will also understand the skills available to implement and operate the solution, allowing you to create an informed resourcing strategy. You are now ready to start work at the technical level.

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Step 5DEVELOP PROjECT MANAGEMENT REGIME

While you are developing the documents in Step 4, you can concurrently implement a Project Management framework to determine timeframes and budgets for all aspects of the project. A dedicated project manager can have responsibility for overseeing the compliance with the project plan.

It can also be a shared role with the assistance available in the range of project management resources available in Qirx in a Box.

The documents critical to this stage include a Project Plan, Project Workbook, Benefits Realisation Plan, Quality Management Plan and Risk Management Plan. This subset of documents can be expanded to include all elements of a full Project Management suite depending upon the particular requirements of the business.

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Stage Three :Implementation

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Step 6MAkE DECISIONS AROUND THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Most organisations will prefer the products of a particular vendor and this often pre-determines which equipment will be considered for the new cloud environment. At this point, an Architectural Options Document will provide significant guidance. This document investigates and reports on the potential architectures available to meet the requirements specified in Steps 1 and 4. It will broadly define the proposed architecture and help crystallise the key components in the proposed solution.

While the Architectural Options Document allows the final architecture plans to be specified, the next deliverable allows for specific requirement to be defined and documented. The High Level Design Document (HLDD) specifies the servers, storage, networking, etc in sufficient detail to allow finite quotes and costings to be assembled for the project. It also forms the skeleton of the detailed design.

Step 7DEVELOP TECHNICAL AND PROCESS GUIDES, THEN IMPLEMENT

In Step 7, detail is added at a granular level in the Detailed Design Document. This document contains enough information required to implement the solution. More specifically, it sets out what is going to be built.

Step 8DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A TEST PLAN REVIEWING EXPECTED AND DELIVERED OUTCOMES

By the time you have reached this step, you will have delivered your new environment. In Step 8, you need to confirm that what has been delivered meets ALL of the requirements defined in the Business, User and Functionality requirements documents. This is done by the Test Plan.

Creating a Test Plan can be a daunting task if you have never done one before. The guided templates in Qirx in a Box makes this a less daunting and more straightforward process.

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Step 9PUT IN PLACE ONGOING MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

The deliverable for Step 9 is the As Built Documentation. This is the most ignored step in most organisations. Yet it is a critical recording of what has been built and it provides the ability to maintain and grow the environment. The effort required to reverse engineer and document systems without As Built Documentation is immense and carries potentially high risk.

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Summary

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There you have it. Nine steps that will allow you to develop your strategic framework to deliver any technical project. These steps underline the processes, procedures and tools delivered in Qirx in a Box.

Templates for all documents listed in the summary table are among the many resources contained in Qirx in a Box. These templates will guide you through what needs to be done, and how it should be done. They allow you and your team to develop the skills required to become largely self-sufficient in implementing your new cloud environment. As a result, your organisation will become more resilient and sustainable.

Deliverables by Stage and Step

STAG

E ONE Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Overview Business Requirements

Business Case

Case Study

STAG

E TW

O

Step 4 Step 5

functionality Requirements

Project Plan

User Requirements Project Workbook

functionality Gap Analysis

Benefits Realisation Plan

Skills Gap Analysis Quality Management Plan

Risk Management Plan

STAG

E TH

REE

Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9

Architectural Options

Detailed Design Test Plan As Built Documentation

High Level Design

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We invite you to reach out to us to discuss what Qirx in a Box can offer your business, and how it can help you achieve your goal of moving to

the cloud.

www.qirxinabox.com

Where to from here?

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