Windows Azure Hybrid Cloud

Chapter 3

Project Planning

IN THIS CHAPTER:

• Scoping your project
• Mapping solutions and objectives
• Prioritizing objectives
• Building your solution

As we begin this chapter we would like to remind you that from this point forward, performing your due diligence here benefits you by ensuring that the solution you develop will be what your organization needs, and that the benefits that you are looking to achieve through a hybrid cloud solution are realized. Many projects begin with the best of intentions; however, due to shifting priorities, shrinking budgets, and various other causes, they never make it through to completion. What we have assembled here is a concise set of steps, which we feel will put you on the right track towards building and (more importantly) consuming your hybrid cloud solution. We know you’ve heard it all concerning project planning and management. We also know that you are most likely a seasoned IT veteran with plenty of IT projects under your belt. But whether you are an experienced professional or are just starting your IT career, we highly recommend covering all the sections in this chapter.

We begin by having you pull out the needs of the business and document whatever benefits you think your solution is going to achieve (either financial or non-financial).

We then have you take a pragmatic approach to mapping the needs of your business with possible technical solutions that look to provide the capabilities you need to execute against your business goals ...