The hype around cloud computing is enormous. But the danger for IT decision makers is that they will get swept up in the mania and drawn into making investments that aren't particularly consistent with their business objectives.

Given these risks, Randy Heffner, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, is encouraging his clients to step back and take a few breaths. "Cloud is an important development in the landscape of computing options—to the point that most organizations will one day use cloud or cloud-like offerings—but there's no guarantee that cloud is right for your organization right now," he says.

While he recognizes that IT decision makers may be tempted to create their own "cloud strategies," he is discouraging it. As he sees it, enterprises can lose focus on what's important when they develop strategies around technology as opposed to business.

What's more, he sees "numerous tradeoffs" between cloud and traditional computing approaches. "Nearly every cloud solution has a functionally equivalent non-cloud alternative, so to maintain focus on your business, it is best to build your strategy around the business decisions to which each type of cloud offering is directed," he contends. "This approach fosters more level-headed consideration and comparison of cloud and non-cloud options, and it establishes a stronger foundation for a long-term evolution toward cloud and cloud-like options as they mature."

Heffner encourages IT decision makers to develop their business approaches around three major architecture strategies: computing infrastructure; application platform; and solution portfolio. 

"Rather than developing a siloed strategy for cloud, a business approach will integrate analysis of cloud and cloud-like options into each of these three strategies," he says. "Rather than asking architects to create a cloud strategy, CIOs should direct them to enhance existing strategies. This will include the development, within each strategy, of plans for evolving over the long-term as cloud offerings mature. This reframing away from cloud strategy is much more than semantics. By centering analysis and strategy on business problems and decisions," he explains, the IT decision maker:

• Frames the full range of business criteria by which to compare cloud and non-cloud options.
• Moves analysis away from theoretical definitions of what is and isn't "pure cloud," allowing more cogent analysis of cloud-like, hybrid, transitional, and traditional computing options.
• Allows clearer matching between the economic and risk profiles of a wide range of computing options and the business and financial dynamics of different business scenarios.

Heffner offers specific advice with regard to positioning cloud offerings in relation to concerns about infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as a service. But the bottom line is that IT must ensure the technology cart does not get in front of the business horse.

The hype around cloud computing is enormous. But the danger for IT decision makers is that they will get swept up in the mania and drawn into making investments that aren't particularly consistent with their business objectives.

Given these risks, Randy Heffner, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, is encouraging his clients to step back and take a few breaths. "Cloud is an important development in the landscape of computing options—to the point that most organizations will one day use cloud or cloud-like offerings—but there's no guarantee that cloud is right for your organization right now," he says.

While he recognizes that IT decision makers may be tempted to create their own "cloud strategies," he is discouraging it. As he sees it, enterprises can lose focus on what's important when they develop strategies around technology as opposed to business.

What's more, he sees "numerous tradeoffs" between cloud and traditional computing approaches. "Nearly every cloud solution has a functionally equivalent non-cloud alternative, so to maintain focus on your business, it is best to build your strategy around the business decisions to which each type of cloud offering is directed," he contends. "This approach fosters more level-headed consideration and comparison of cloud and non-cloud options, and it establishes a stronger foundation for a long-term evolution toward cloud and cloud-like options as they mature."

Heffner encourages IT decision makers to develop their business approaches around three major architecture strategies: computing infrastructure; application platform; and solution portfolio. 

"Rather than developing a siloed strategy for cloud, a business approach will integrate analysis of cloud and cloud-like options into each of these three strategies," he says. "Rather than asking architects to create a cloud strategy, CIOs should direct them to enhance existing strategies. This will include the development, within each strategy, of plans for evolving over the long-term as cloud offerings mature. This reframing away from cloud strategy is much more than semantics. By centering analysis and strategy on business problems and decisions," he explains, the IT decision maker:

• Frames the full range of business criteria by which to compare cloud and non-cloud options.
• Moves analysis away from theoretical definitions of what is and isn't "pure cloud," allowing more cogent analysis of cloud-like, hybrid, transitional, and traditional computing options.
• Allows clearer matching between the economic and risk profiles of a wide range of computing options and the business and financial dynamics of different business scenarios.

Heffner offers specific advice with regard to positioning cloud offerings in relation to concerns about infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as a service. But the bottom line is that IT must ensure the technology cart does not get in front of the business horse.