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Running operations in the cloud is fast becoming the norm as organizations of all sizes around the world are realizing the benefits of a cloud-first strategy.
Low-code application platforms in particular are now being offered as a PaaS solution (Platform as a Service), which means organizations no longer have to host the platform in-house in their own tech stack. Other software and infrastructure that was previously hosted on-premises are also being provided as cloud computing services by providers, offering economies of scale, ease of collaboration, reliability and visibility over your tech stack.
This has led many organizations to opt for a cloud-first strategy. If you’re not already making the move to cloud, here’s why you should:
In its simplest form, a cloud-first strategy means opting for cloud-based solutions before considering on-premises. You can subscribe to a service provider who provides cloud-based software or platforms, rather than building your own tech-stack. So instead of relying on in-house operations, your organization uses the service provider’s infrastructure and ultimately receives high-end services.
Not all your infrastructure needs to be based in the cloud, but when assessing your tech stack, new additions should be hosted in the cloud, wherever appropriate. You should also assess which of your on-premise solutions should migrate to the cloud in order run more efficiently.
Most organizations will use a combination of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) to meet all their requirements.
IaaS: Infrastructure that forms the foundation of IT operations, and provides access to virtual storage and your network. Mostly used by IT administrators. Examples include Microsoft Azure and AWS.
PaaS: Platforms and development tools to build and deploy new solutions. Mostly used by software developers. Examples include Bizagi and Google Apps Engine
SaaS: Applications that end-users typically use to help complete their daily tasks. Mostly used by business users. Examples include Office 365 and Salesforce CRM.
Cloud computing has been building momentum over the last decade. There is evidence of cloud-first strategies all over the world, even at government level. Simplilearn reports, “The U.S government released its first policy in 2011 and UK followed suit in 2013. Taking this further, the UK policy states that departments have the ability to use non-cloud alternatives, but they must demonstrate the improved value proposition over cloud options.”
The great migration to the cloud then rapidly grew following the pandemic. At the end of 2021, Gartner reported that the pandemic and the surge in digital services are making cloud the centerpiece of new digital experiences. “There is no business strategy without a cloud strategy,” said Milind Govekar, distinguished vice president at Gartner. “The adoption and interest in public cloud continues unabated as organizations pursue a “cloud-first” policy for onboarding new workloads.
Over the next few years, Gartner analysts estimate cloud revenue will surpass non-cloud revenue for relevant enterprise IT markets. By 2025, Gartner estimates that over 95% of new digital workloads will be deployed on cloud-native platforms, up from 30% in 2021.
Velocity – Not only does a cloud-first strategy give your projects speed, but also focuses efforts, so you know that you’re deploying operations quickly without deviating from your end goal by getting distracted by the complexities of disconnected on-prem systems.
Scalability - As your automation projects grow, the cloud grows with you, which is a huge benefit for organizations who are experiencing rapid growth and transformation.
Reliability - Cloud platforms are ‘always-on’ and available to customers, suppliers, and employees at any time.
Security - Cloud systems offer highly secure environments with features such as data encryption, isolated networks, and controlled access management to the cloud to ensure protection of information.
Collaboration – A benefit that came to the fore during the global pandemic when people were forced to work remotely, multiple employees can work on the same documents, applications or projects at the same time, regardless of location.
Visibility – Integration between cloud-hosted platforms and software makes it easier to see what’s happening under the bonnet, plus they often come with a dashboard or point of access to tell you more about your usage.
Find out more about the first three benefits listed above in our blog, 3 Key Benefits of Running Low Code Process Automation in the Cloud.
Of all the benefits listed above, collaboration stands out when it comes to running your low-code process application platform (L-CAP) in the cloud. The collaborative benefit of choosing a PaaS goes hand-in-hand with one of the main benefits of low-code applications: citizen development. Business users can use L-CAPs to develop their own applications, sharing the burden with IT who often have too much on their plate. In the cloud, they can share and work on their projects with ease.
And don’t forget the benefit of customer-driven pricing. There are various compensation models in the L-CAP space, ranging from traditional per-seat/per-user license fees to the more innovative, client-centric “Shared Success” approach. The latter (which we use at Bizagi) is tailored to fit an organization’s existing needs, but designed to scale as demand increases. The idea is to start with a smaller upfront commitment that allows you to quickly achieve a return on investment and scale your automation efforts.
In turn, low-code can help you develop new applications as part of your cloud-first strategy. Forrester found that low-code and no-code software development helps developers make cloud-native applications more than 10-times faster (with 70% fewer resources).
Bizagi customer Takeda Pharmaceuticals moved their Bizagi solution to the cloud as they needed to scale their operations as part of a business acquisition while adhering to strict regulations within their global landscape.
By consolidating all their data onto a single cloud-based platform, they are already seeing benefits in terms of monetary savings, user efficiency, and meeting regulations around transparency and disclosure requirements. Read the full use case to find out more.
Current Bizagi users can find out more about our move to the cloud or contact your Bizagi Customer Success team for more information.
