When organisations embrace Cloud adoption, there are many important and valid reasons, and normally the journey ahead is unknown, especially for an organisation starting in the Cloud, which lacks maturity and knowledge on the complexities of the Cloud. The adoption is then perceived as a technical challenge, and priorities are established first around the migration of the workloads. Considerations regarding governance, planning and optimisations are not perceived as a priority. This is a common approach to cloud adoption, but as the organisation grows it leads to many problems a Cloud Centre of Excellence can resolve.

A Cloud Center of Excellence (CoE) is typically established within an organisation to drive cloud adoption, governance, and best practices but it requires a dedicated team of cross-functional experts from various departments such as IT, security, finance, and operations. This team works collaboratively to define cloud strategies, standards, and policies tailored to the organisation's needs. The CoE also provides guidance and support to teams across the organisation to ensure efficient use of cloud resources, optimal architecture design, and adherence to security and compliance requirements. Additionally, the CoE fosters a culture of continuous improvement by facilitating training programs, conducting cloud technology assessments, and staying updated on emerging trends and technologies. Ultimately, the Cloud Center of Excellence plays a pivotal role in accelerating cloud adoption, driving innovation, and maximising the value derived from cloud investments.

This is a complex activity and its team difficult to resource internally for most organisations, mainly because of the expertise and maturity in the cloud that the job requires. For this reason, The Server Labs offers Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) as a service to respond to the needs of our customers, and at a fraction of the cost of what this team would represent if hired internally. Normally a service priced as a monthly retainer, the cost depends on factors like the scope, the size of the organisation, the level of support needed, and the complexity of cloud infrastructure. It normally is structured as a monthly subscription fee based on tiers of service, number of users, or usage metrics. Additionally, it might include initial setup costs and potential add-ons for specialised services. However, a monthly retainer is not the only commercial option. We can discuss alternatives and more suitable models, such as annual contracts, pay-per-use models, or one-time setup fees with ongoing support billed separately.

The following activities are delivered by The Server Labs team:

• Centralised Expertise and Governance: The Server Labs CCoE brings together a cross-functional team of experts in cloud computing, security, IT operations, and finance. This team sets the standards, policies, and best practices for cloud adoption across the organisation.

• Facilitator of Cloud Adoption and Migration: Oversee and facilitate the organisation's cloud migration strategy, ensuring that it aligns with business objectives and adheres to governance standards.

• Driver of Innovation and Efficiency: The CCoE will drive innovation, encouraging the use of new cloud technologies and practices that improve efficiency and competitive advantage.

• Custodian of Security and Compliance: The CCoE ensures that all cloud deployments are secure and compliant with relevant regulations and standards, reducing risks and protecting the organisation.

• Enable Cost Management and Optimization: It provides guidance on cost-effective cloud usage, helping departments and teams to optimise their cloud spend and avoid cost overruns. Will implement FinOps projects and governance.

• Cloud First Educator and Change Agent: The CCoE is instrumental in promoting a cloud-first culture within your organisation.

• Collaboration and Best Practice Sharing: The CCoE encourages collaboration across different departments.

• Strategic Alignment: Our CCoE ensures that cloud initiatives are aligned with the organisation’s overall strategy, helping to maximise the benefits of cloud computing.

• Continuous Improvement: The CCoE is not a static entity; it continuously monitors the evolving cloud landscape and adapts the organisation’s cloud strategy and practices accordingly.

• Scalability and Flexibility Support: The CCoE supports your organisation in scaling its cloud operations and adapting to changing business needs, ensuring a flexible and responsive IT infrastructure.

The Server Labs Cloud Center of Excellence service provides a structured approach to managing cloud transformation, combining governance, best practices, and leadership to ensure that your organisation's adoption and migration to the cloud is successful, secure, and aligned with its overall strategic goals.