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This article is the third segment of a four-part series that explores how a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) can effectively tackle the challenges associated with digital transformation. The first part outlines what a CCoE is and how it, in conjunction with the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (AWS CAF), aids enterprises in their digital journeys. The second part delves into the three non-technical perspectives of the AWS CAF. The third part focuses on the three technical perspectives, while the final installment will outline an organizational framework for defining areas of responsibility.
While the organizational, governance, and business perspectives discussed in the second part are vital, a CCoE must also emphasize the technical capabilities necessary to establish and operate a cloud environment that aligns with the organization’s requirements. These technical components encompass platforms, security, and operations.
As previously mentioned, we advocate for a “crawl, walk, run” strategy for cloud adoption. This method segments the cloud journey into three distinct phases, enabling organizations to systematically transition to the cloud.
Platform Perspective
The platform perspective of the AWS CAF centers on the foundational infrastructure and services that will support the organization’s cloud environment. Key aspects include:
- Reference Architecture
Clearly defining a reference architecture for the cloud environment, covering account structure, networking, storage, and other essential components. - Naming and Tagging Standards
Establishing uniform naming conventions and tagging taxonomies to maintain an organized and manageable cloud environment. - Service Roadmap and Catalog
Creating a roadmap for cloud services and capabilities, along with a self-service catalog for on-demand access. - Infrastructure as Code
Utilizing infrastructure as code (IaC) practices to automate the provisioning and management of cloud resources.
The accompanying diagram illustrates the domains and capabilities associated with each stage of the “crawl, walk, run” approach for the platform perspective.
Security Perspective
Next, the security perspective of the AWS CAF is critical, as security remains a paramount concern for any cloud adoption effort. The CCoE must implement essential capabilities:
- Baseline Security Controls
Enforcing foundational security measures, including identity and access management, network security, and logging. - Security Automation
Automating security processes like vulnerability scanning and patch management to ensure the cloud environment’s security at scale. - Security Integration
Integrating the cloud environment with the organization’s existing security tools to ensure visibility and consistent security practices. - Specialized Security Services
Leveraging cloud-centric security services such as AWS WAF, DDoS protection, and security analytics to counteract advanced threats.
The following diagram depicts the domains and capabilities for the security perspective across the “crawl, walk, run” stages.
Operations Perspective
The operations perspective of the AWS CAF is essential for sustaining a reliable and high-performing environment. Key operational capabilities include:
- Incident and Problem Management
Establishing processes for incident response and problem management to quickly identify, diagnose, and resolve issues. - Change and Release Management
Implementing structured change control and release management procedures to ensure cloud updates are applied safely and efficiently. - Monitoring and Observability
Deploying comprehensive monitoring tools to proactively detect, investigate, and resolve performance and availability issues. - Disaster Recovery and Backup
Establishing robust disaster recovery and backup capabilities to ensure the organization can recover from unforeseen events.
The accompanying diagram illustrates the domains and capabilities for the operations perspective in each stage of the “crawl, walk, run” approach.
Summarized Roadmap for the Technical Perspectives
This post consolidates the “crawl, walk, run” approach for the platform, security, and operations perspectives, focusing on the most critical technical activities. The CCoE can guide organizations through their cloud adoption journey by employing this approach:
- Crawl
Build a foundational cloud reference architecture, implement baseline security controls, and set up incident and change management processes. - Walk
Automate resource provisioning and configuration management, integrate security tooling, and enhance monitoring capabilities. - Run
Continuously optimize the platform while automating operational tasks, implement disaster recovery and business continuity measures, and utilize advanced analytics for proactive issue detection.
By addressing the technical perspectives of the AWS CAF alongside the business and organizational factors, the CCoE can provide a comprehensive cloud solution that fulfills the organization’s strategic objectives. For further insights into salary requirements within the cloud domain, you may find this blog post helpful. Additionally, if you are interested in student charter presentation ceremonies, SHRM is an authority on this topic.