Cloud Adoption for Local Councils: Balancing Tight budgets & Council Constraints.

Local councils face a constant challenge: meeting government cloud-first initiatives and ensuring compliance and security while developing existing staff skills, all while operating on tight budgets. The cloud offers undeniable benefits, such as improved scalability, agility, and disaster recovery. However, concerns about cost can often create an obstacle. Let us explore two common cloud adoption hurdles for local councils and consider solutions that can help squeeze value and cost savings out of current investments.

Challenge 1: Inefficient Cloud Implementations Leading to Cost Overruns

Sometimes, councils can rush into cloud adoption without sufficient planning or expertise, probably due to project, technology, or budgetary considerations. This often results in "lift and shift" migrations, a quick fix where existing on-premises applications are simply moved to the cloud without optimisation. These inefficient implementations can lead to:

• Inefficient Use of Resources: Inadequate planning can result in paying for more cloud resources than needed.
• Hidden Costs: Unexpected fees like data egress charges can add up quickly.
• Vendor Lock-In: Lack of understanding about different cloud providers can lead to reliance on a single vendor, limiting flexibility and potentially increasing costs.

Solution: Leverage the Crown Commercial Services Cloud Compute 2 Framework for Cost-Effective Stepping Stones

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Cloud Compute 2 (CC2) framework offers a solution. It provides access to a wider range of cloud providers with "fit-for-purpose" solutions designed to address specific needs. This allows councils to adopt cloud computing in stages, focusing on areas like:

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS): Cloud-based DRaaS solutions can offer a cost-effective alternative to maintaining on-premises disaster recovery infrastructure.
Migration of VMware Environments: Tools and services exist to migrate existing VMware environments to the cloud, ensuring a smooth transition without starting from scratch.

Benefits of the Cloud Compute 2 (CC2) Framework:

• Cost-effectiveness: CC2 provides access to competitive pricing models, including pay-as-you-go options.
• Flexibility: A wider range of cloud providers allows councils to choose the best fit for their needs.
• Reduced Risk: Utilising pre-approved, proven solutions minimises the risk of inefficient cloud implementations.

Challenge 2: Untapped Cost Savings Through Cloud Services

Local councils often have significant investments in IT infrastructure, which may also include data centres dedicated to disaster recovery. These facilities require ongoing maintenance, energy consumption, and hardware and software upgrades. By utilising cloud services like DRaaS, councils can unlock operational budgets by:

• Disposing of Unused Property: Eliminate the need for dedicated data centres.
• Reduced Staffing Needs: Cloud solutions often require fewer on-site IT personnel to manage.
• Scalability: Cloud services are easily scalable, allowing councils to pay only for the resources they need.

Solution: Utilise Cloud Compute 2, Lot 1 for Alternative Cost-Neutral Solutions

Cloud Compute 2, Lot 1, specifically focuses on suppliers with cloud solutions that offer cash-neutral implementation and fixed operational costs. This allows councils to transition to the cloud without incurring upfront capital expenditures on:

• IT Hardware: The cloud provider takes care of the hardware infrastructure.
• Software Licensing: Cloud services often include licensing fees for essential software.

Benefits of Cloud Compute 2, Lot 1 Solutions:

• Cash-Neutral Implementation: No upfront capital expenditure is required.
• Predictable Costs: Fixed operational costs ensure budget transparency.
• Focus on Core Services: Allows councils to direct resources towards core services and citizen needs.

The Power of Partnership in Optimising Council IT Infrastructure

Balancing budget constraints with the need for efficient and secure systems requires careful planning and expert guidance. Partnering with a solution provider who understands the unique needs of the public sector can make a significant difference in your optimisation journey. Here is how the right partner can help:

• Improved Operational Efficiency: Optimised IT infrastructure results in improved operational efficiency, allowing you to focus resources on core services.
• Enhanced Security: Robust cloud-based data protection and disaster recovery solutions ensure the security and availability of your data.
• Cost Savings: Effective cloud migration and cost optimisation strategies can lead to significant cost reductions in the long run.

Take the first step: review what you have and identify where you could be.

Free Cloud Cost Reviews: Many experienced cloud solution providers are already trusted partners for local councils, and they offer free cloud cost reviews. This analysis can provide valuable insights into your current cloud usage and potential cost-saving opportunities. Leveraging this information can be instrumental in building a robust cloud strategy from scratch or revising your existing one.

Explore Cloud Infrastructure Options: Researching the available cloud-based solutions for migrating on-premises applications and workloads can further empower you to make informed decisions for your organisation's specific needs.

So, reach out to one of the service providers on the Crown Commercial Services Framework today.