Month: May 2023

Cloud Technologies Influence – Invading Downward

Cloud technology has matured to the point where it can be considered old-fashioned; only if it remained in the cloud. Cloud service providers, however, are extending their control down to my backyard, and more precisely, to the on-premises data center. Earlier this month, I reviewed the Cloud services provided by Microsoft Azure, which provides on-premises hardware infrastructure services such as data backup and disaster recovery.

Microsoft, along with other cloud service providers, has recognized the demand for hybrid cloud solutions and has been expanding its services to cater to this need. Essentially, they’re bringing their cloud capabilities to the on-premises data center, creating a consistent and seamless hybrid environment.

Two major components of this strategy from Microsoft are Azure Stack Hub and Azure Stack HCI.

Azure Stack Hub: This is a cloud-native, on-premises extension of Microsoft’s Azure public cloud. It allows companies to develop and run Azure-consistent services in their own data center, using the same tools, processes, and APIs they would use in the Azure public cloud. This is beneficial for organizations that have regulatory, data sovereignty, latency, or connectivity requirements that necessitate on-premises or edge computing. Azure Stack Hub is designed to integrate seamlessly with Azure, providing consistent management, identity, and security capabilities

 

Azure Stack HCI: This is a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) solution that uses the same software-defined compute, storage, and networking technologies as Azure. It’s designed for running virtualized Windows and Linux workloads in a familiar way but with the added value of new hybrid capabilities. Azure Stack HCI solutions use validated hardware from OEM partners, with support for a broad set of computing, storage, and networking choices.

What these offerings essentially do is bring Azure services and management to the customer’s data center. With them, customers can employ Azure’s management tools, DevOps model, and marketplace items in their on-premises environments.

We can now say that the cloud is everywhere, in the air as well as on the ground. There are multiple vendors providing certified OEM hardware to support the services, including Dell and HPE.

Whether the HP GreenLake sets the stage for success or brings technical disaster will determine the color of the lake, either bright Green or dark Grey.

Stable EA stack vs.  Disruptive innovation: Who will win?

Earlier this year, I attended the commencement ceremony for my daughter’s USC business school graduation. The video can be viewed here if you’re interested:

Cathie Wood | USC Marshall School of Business 2023 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker 2023

The key speaker was Cathie Wood, who is well-known for her work with ETFs and crypto investments. Her speech addressed several innovations that we are dealing with, which are highly disruptive by nature.  They include robotics, energy storage, and artificial intelligence, which are all predicted to result in exponential growth according to her. Although I was not quite in agreement with her statement, I had to accept the fact that the innovation had become highly disruptive. In reading this article, I realized how important digital transformation is for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and that disruption isn’t just for large corporations.

I discovered these three areas when researching digital disruption and its critical impacts on business.

a) Business Strategy: Digital disruption often requires a strategic pivot, such as transitioning from physical to digital services, or adjusting to new competitors and customer behaviors. For instance, brick-and-mortar retailers have developed e-commerce strategies to compete with online shopping.

b) Leadership: Digital disruption requires leaders to cultivate innovation and agility, encourage digital literacy, and spearhead digital transformation efforts. This usually entails a shift in perspective, viewing digital technology as integral to the business. Organizational change, like new roles and structures, is often part of this transformation.

 

c) Thinking Process: Digital disruption introduces a reimagining of business concepts, involving platform-oriented thinking instead of product-focused, favoring ecosystems over industries, and networks over hierarchies. Embracing experimentation and viewing data as a strategic asset are also crucial aspects of this new mindset.

EA’s stable stack will inevitably be disturbed by disruptive digital innovation.  It is for this reason that a visionary CEO needs to hire highly efficient and equipped EA practitioners such as us in the PSU EABT program, who can provide a roadmap and integrate technology into the business strategy.

You can read the reference documents by clicking on the letters with blue color.