How APM Software Supports Cloud Transformations

How APM Software Supports Cloud Transformations

Today organizations have enterprise-wide strategies for cloud with different use cases of cloud transformation – there’s a shift from cloud-lift to multi-cloud and the scoping of cloud solutions. According to analyst firm Gartner, Inc, “By 2027, more than 50% of enterprises will use industry cloud platforms to accelerate their business initiatives.” During these times of change, enterprise architects must ask: “Am I equipped to guide and design ongoing cloud transformation?” Application portfolio management software usually provides the answer.

Enterprise architects can use application portfolio management to support cloud transformations to enable faster time to value of modern business applications.  However, companies often have application portfolio management software that focuses on capturing the inventory. They also use different tools to visualize the IT landscape and dashboards. But you’ll need more functionality than inventory management if you want to design cloud transformations.

Software requirements for architecting cloud

To design cloud transformations, you’ll need application portfolio management software that supports future state design and roadmapping. You’ll need to trace the impact of change decisions – from strategy to implementation. Enterprise architects requiring a better platform to support application management must consider this.

Showing how change impacts the IT landscape using a single source of truth IT repository improves the decision-making process. Besides decision support, a single source IT repository saves time when generating a project-start architecture. A single source IT repository eliminates the need to host workshops to collect and harmonize various MicrosoftÒ PowerPoint and Visio drawings.

Additionally, today’s enterprise architects are viewed as trusted advisors to senior management. Choosing the right software will help you to gain recognition. The software you choose must allow you to capture and map IT assets and identify and assess change candidates. You’ll also need functionality to design future state architecture to provide decision-support on transformations to C-level management.

The software you choose also needs to support collaboration and connect key experts in application transformation, for example:

• A technical repository steward sets up integrations via Microsoft Excel as a quick start or with OpenAPI technology to connect to IT asset libraries
• Subject matter experts, such as application owners, add information about the status of applications, including changes required to map and enrich data
• The enterprise architect or transformation team identifies candidates for change and assesses the approach taken. For example, the 6Rs of cloud migration is a strategy widely followed as best practices in cloud transformation
• Finally, enterprise architects design future architecture states and roadmapping to provide a solid base for making decisions on cloud and other transformations

Holistic Applications Portfolio Management Software in Action 

Application Impact

Application Impact
 

From Strategy to Implementation

Application Migration Roadmap 

Next steps:

Check out our newly launched out-of-the-box APM+ (Application Portfolio Management Plus) solution if you’re looking for software that ticks all the boxes. APM+ is built on our collaborative change platform, Bizzdesign Horizzon. Our solution covers all the phases of application portfolio management with full transparency of your current application estate and it supports analyses for future application transformations.

DOWNLOAD: APM+: Why future state enterprise architecture design is a key differentiator