Cloud First to Cloud Smart

Cloud First is an approach that prioritizes the use of cloud computing over on-premises solutions. This means that organizations that adopt a Cloud First approach will first consider cloud-based solutions for their IT needs, and only consider on-premises solutions if there is a specific reason why they cannot be met in the cloud. Whereas the term

Cloud Smart is a more nuanced approach that takes into account the specific needs of the organization. This means that organizations that adopt a Cloud Smart approach will consider all of their options, including cloud, on-premises, and hybrid solutions, and will choose the solution that best meets their needs.

Cloud adoption has been a focus for businesses in recent years, so much so that it has created the popular moniker ‘cloud first.’ Cloud adoption boomed rapidly, as businesses raced to leverage the cloud and support their hybrid work environments. Many businesses realized while they understand the need for cloud technology, they might not have the correct resources to ensure that they are harnessing its benefits strategically.

As per Gartner estimates, 60% of organizations that have adopted a cloud first approach will switch to a cloud smart approach by 2023. Considering most business leaders are expected to spend half of their IT budget on the cloud by 2025, gaining control over these costs has now become of paramount importance.

For nearly a decade, cloud first has been the prevalent approach to cloud adoption initiatives. It can be counterproductive to maximize the cloud footprint by prioritizing legacy system modernization, resulting in workload migrations.

A cloud smart approach entails determining whether an organization has the right mix of private and public cloud, edge, and on-prem infrastructure to meet its various unique workloads, as well as all its compliance and regulatory obligations. To achieve this, a cloud smart approach considers a range of factors: the management, cost, visibility, interoperability, network, and application priorities of a business to create a more unified cloud environment.

The best approach to cloud computing depends on the specific needs of the organization. If an organization is looking to save money and improve agility, then a Cloud Smart approach may be the best option. However, if an organization has a lot of standardized workloads and wants to get rid of their on-premises infrastructure, then a Cloud First approach may be the better choice.