Alignment between the business and Information Technology (IT) has been a key concern for both business and IT managers for several decades. Information provisioning functions properly when business and IT are aligned. Successful information management (IM) ensures proper functioning of information provisioning. From IM perspective Information provisioning incorporates all the information processing processes of an organization along with the means to carry out information provisioning i.e. IT function. In recent past, higher degree of professionalization in IT has been observed such as introduction of ASL, ITIL. However, this professionalization was not observed in the business side. This created unbalanced in business-IT alignment. To reduce the gap between business and IT, managing, controlling and modifying information provisioning from business perspective became necessary. Thus professionalization of IM from business perspective, namely business information management (BIM) also became necessary. Realization of this necessity came into action by the introduction of BiSL (Business information Services Library). BiSL provides practical solutions for BIM by enabling business to convey its demands properly to IT. While BiSL was being introduced, cloud computing started getting popularity. Since cloud computing offers IT capabilities but requires minimal management effort or service provider interaction, it tends to leverage control to the business. Rather than depending on the BIM function to convey demands to IT, with cloud computing business can decide for a cloud service and cloud service provider by their own. Some people fear that BiSL may not function properly for cloud computing. Therefore, it becomes necessity to investigate the required changes in BiSL framework when considering cloud computing.
Centre4Cloud together with ASL BiSL Foundation initiated this research to investigate the required changes on the BiSL framework so that it can function smoothly with cloud computing.
Centre4Cloud is an initiative of Knowledge Park Twente, Twente University and Caase.com. It is a national knowledge centre focused on open innovation and the development of knowledge about Cloud Computing. ASL BiSL foundation (formerly ASL foundation) is the organization that has been managing the development of the ASL and BiSL frameworks and developing those further. It publishes white papers on ASL and BiSL related subjects, as well as on current topics within the subject area of information supply such as outsourcing, compliance & governance, metrics. The foundation gathers, selects, edits and publishes ASL and BiSL practices and monitors their usage.
This thesis investigates the required changes in the processes of the BiSL framework to accommodate cloud computing. Our approach starts by identifying existing cloud governance models. This ensures defining the scope of cloud computing for BIM. We, then, identified cloud computing aspects from the governance models which need to be accommodated by BiSL. After that, we mapped the cloud computing aspects to the BiSL processes, after which we analyzed whether the cloud computing aspects were properly accommodated by the corresponding processes. According to the result of this analysis, we proposed adjustments to the processes. For the validation of the work, we have applied a modified version of the Delphi method in which we took the opinion of experts on our work in two rounds, namely face-to-face interview and questionnaire survey. Finally based on the validation, we came to the conclusion that BiSL is capable of dealing with cloud computing but proper guidelines are missing. Based on our conclusion, we have proposed future work to provide guidelines to BiSL users showing its applicability to cloud computing.
1.1 Motivation
Alignment between Business and Information Technology (IT) has been a key concern for both business and IT managers for several decades (Motjolopane & Brown, 2004). Since late 1970’s the importance of this alignment has been well known and well documented (Luftman, 2000). Successful alignment of IT with business strategies and processes is viewed as a key success factor for organization (van der Pols, Donatz, & van Outvorst, 2007). However, in most companies business and IT are not aligned, despite the large number of publications stressing the necessity and desirability of this alignment (Silvius, 2007). Information provisioning functions properly when business and IT are aligned. Successful information management (IM) ensures proper functioning of information provisioning. From the IM perspective information provisioning incorporates all the information processing processes including the means to carry out information
provisioning in an organization (van der Pols, Donatz, & van Outvorst, 2007).
A limited view of IM from the business perspective is Business Information Management (BIM). BIM monitors the business approach to information provisioning, i.e., it addresses the demand perspective of information provisioning (van Outvorst, & et al. 2005; van der Pols, & Backer, 2007; van der Pols, & et al. 2007). BIM ensures that demand for information provision matches the business strategies and processes. Choices made by the business (demand side) are translated via BIM to the management on the supply side, i.e., the actual IT service provider or IT function or simply IT.
In the recent past, a higher degree of professionalization of IT services has been observed such as ASL (Application Services Library) framework for application management, ITIL (IT infrastructure Library) framework for technical infrastructure management (van Outvorst, Donatz, van der Pols, & Meijer, 2005). However this professionalization was not observed in the business side. This caused unbalanced in business-IT alignment. To reduce the gap between business and IT, managing, controlling and modifying information provisioning from business perspective became necessary. Thus professionalization of IM from business perspective, namely business information management (BIM) also became necessary. Realization of this necessity came into action by the introduction of BiSL (Business information Services Library) in 2005 (van Outvorst, Donatz, van der Pols, Meijer, 2005). The framework is a practical approach for BIM, which aids business to translate its demand to IT. BiSL is a process-based approach for BIM. Processes for BIM are defined in the BiSL framework in terms of goals, outputs and activities. The framework is supported through the use of industry-based best practices. Soon after the introduction of BiSL as a public domain standard in 2007, cloud computing started to grow in popularity (Vouk 2008). In general, cloud computing is defined as a model that facilitates the use of computer networks to make shared configurable computer resources (such as networks, servers, storage, applications and services) available on demand, fastly and easily (Mell & Grance 2011). Since cloud computing requires minimal management effort or service provider interaction, it tends to leverage control to the business organization. Rather than depending entirely on an intermediary function - BIM - to translate business’ demands to IT, in the cloud computing era now business can decide what types of cloud services it is going to use and can decide which cloud service provider (external IT service provider) to use.
Cloud computing has its benefits and risks. If business starts deciding on rendering a cloud service by their own, there is a fear that potential risks related to a cloud service may remain unrevealed. Without proper judging all the risks, if a cloud service is rendered then it may endure disaster or loss for the business. For traditional IT service, business places a demand for a service via BIM. BIM analyze all the cost and benefits and considers all the risks and risk response strategies and decides on the demand. Finally it is conveyed to IT. However, with cloud computing a service can be tested before business adopts it. This makes the cost and benefits analysis easier. On the other hand, sometimes it is difficult to calculate all the risk related to a cloud service. Such a risk may be related to the probability of discontinuity of the business of a cloud service provider (CSP) or may be security risk related to the data center of the CSP. So before rendering a cloud service, a careful consideration of all the potential risks is very important. Thus if business avoids BIM function and takes its own decision on a cloud service, there is a chance that potential risks may be overlooked. For illustrating the danger of such case, we provide example of a case with a governmental organization in the Netherlands. The employees of that organization needed to communicate with civilians outside of the organization and the business decided to use the Blackberry messaging services for that purpose. After the project was implemented the organization found that the messages were stored in a Blackberry’s data centre in Canada. However, storing public information outside Europe is a serious violation of European privacy legislation. So the entire project was abandoned, causing embarrassment and loss. Apparently this happened because the organization avoided the BIM function to decide on the service. No doubt avoiding BIM functions caused the organization to overlook the risks related to the Blackberry service. Although BiSL framework for BIM was in practice in this organization, this true story exposes the shortcoming of the framework with cloud computing.
Thus it is necessary to investigate the influence of cloud computing on BIM and changes required to accommodate cloud computing. Therefore it is also important to investigate how the practical approach for BIM i.e. BiSL is affected by cloud computing and define adjustments for it so that it can continue functioning properly with cloud computing. The development of the BiSL framework is maintained by ASL BiSL foundation (ASL BiSL Foundation, n.d.). This foundation gathers, selects, edits and publishes best practices of BiSL and monitors their usage. It is the interest of the foundation to investigate the required changes in BIM function due to the influence of cloud computing. Furthermore, this investigation is expected to be helpful for the current and future users of BiSL.
Centre4Cloud together with ASL BiSL Foundation initiated this research to investigate the required changes on the BiSL framework so that it can function smoothly with cloud computing.
This thesis investigates the required changes in the processes of the BiSL framework to accommodate cloud computing. Our approach starts by identifying existing cloud governance models. This ensures defining the scope of cloud computing for BIM. We, then, identified cloud computing aspects from the governance models which need to be accommodated by BiSL. After that, we mapped the cloud computing aspects to the BiSL processes, after which we analyzed whether the cloud computing aspects were properly accommodated by the corresponding processes. According to the result of this analysis, we proposed adjustments to the processes. For the validation of the work, we have applied a modified version of the Delphi method in which we took the opinion of experts on our work in two rounds, namely face-to-face interview and questionnaire survey. Finally based on the validation, we came to the conclusion that BiSL is capable of dealing with cloud computing but proper guidelines are missing. Based on our conclusion, we have proposed future work to provide guidelines to BiSL users showing its applicability to cloud computing.
1.1 Motivation
Alignment between Business and Information Technology (IT) has been a key concern for both business and IT managers for several decades (Motjolopane & Brown, 2004). Since late 1970’s the importance of this alignment has been well known and well documented (Luftman, 2000). Successful alignment of IT with business strategies and processes is viewed as a key success factor for organization (van der Pols, Donatz, & van Outvorst, 2007). However, in most companies business and IT are not aligned, despite the large number of publications stressing the necessity and desirability of this alignment (Silvius, 2007). Information provisioning functions properly when business and IT are aligned. Successful information management (IM) ensures proper functioning of information provisioning. From the IM perspective information provisioning incorporates all the information processing processes including the means to carry out information
provisioning in an organization (van der Pols, Donatz, & van Outvorst, 2007).
A limited view of IM from the business perspective is Business Information Management (BIM). BIM monitors the business approach to information provisioning, i.e., it addresses the demand perspective of information provisioning (van Outvorst, & et al. 2005; van der Pols, & Backer, 2007; van der Pols, & et al. 2007). BIM ensures that demand for information provision matches the business strategies and processes. Choices made by the business (demand side) are translated via BIM to the management on the supply side, i.e., the actual IT service provider or IT function or simply IT.
In the recent past, a higher degree of professionalization of IT services has been observed such as ASL (Application Services Library) framework for application management, ITIL (IT infrastructure Library) framework for technical infrastructure management (van Outvorst, Donatz, van der Pols, & Meijer, 2005). However this professionalization was not observed in the business side. This caused unbalanced in business-IT alignment. To reduce the gap between business and IT, managing, controlling and modifying information provisioning from business perspective became necessary. Thus professionalization of IM from business perspective, namely business information management (BIM) also became necessary. Realization of this necessity came into action by the introduction of BiSL (Business information Services Library) in 2005 (van Outvorst, Donatz, van der Pols, Meijer, 2005). The framework is a practical approach for BIM, which aids business to translate its demand to IT. BiSL is a process-based approach for BIM. Processes for BIM are defined in the BiSL framework in terms of goals, outputs and activities. The framework is supported through the use of industry-based best practices. Soon after the introduction of BiSL as a public domain standard in 2007, cloud computing started to grow in popularity (Vouk 2008). In general, cloud computing is defined as a model that facilitates the use of computer networks to make shared configurable computer resources (such as networks, servers, storage, applications and services) available on demand, fastly and easily (Mell & Grance 2011). Since cloud computing requires minimal management effort or service provider interaction, it tends to leverage control to the business organization. Rather than depending entirely on an intermediary function - BIM - to translate business’ demands to IT, in the cloud computing era now business can decide what types of cloud services it is going to use and can decide which cloud service provider (external IT service provider) to use.
Cloud computing has its benefits and risks. If business starts deciding on rendering a cloud service by their own, there is a fear that potential risks related to a cloud service may remain unrevealed. Without proper judging all the risks, if a cloud service is rendered then it may endure disaster or loss for the business. For traditional IT service, business places a demand for a service via BIM. BIM analyze all the cost and benefits and considers all the risks and risk response strategies and decides on the demand. Finally it is conveyed to IT. However, with cloud computing a service can be tested before business adopts it. This makes the cost and benefits analysis easier. On the other hand, sometimes it is difficult to calculate all the risk related to a cloud service. Such a risk may be related to the probability of discontinuity of the business of a cloud service provider (CSP) or may be security risk related to the data center of the CSP. So before rendering a cloud service, a careful consideration of all the potential risks is very important. Thus if business avoids BIM function and takes its own decision on a cloud service, there is a chance that potential risks may be overlooked. For illustrating the danger of such case, we provide example of a case with a governmental organization in the Netherlands. The employees of that organization needed to communicate with civilians outside of the organization and the business decided to use the Blackberry messaging services for that purpose. After the project was implemented the organization found that the messages were stored in a Blackberry’s data centre in Canada. However, storing public information outside Europe is a serious violation of European privacy legislation. So the entire project was abandoned, causing embarrassment and loss. Apparently this happened because the organization avoided the BIM function to decide on the service. No doubt avoiding BIM functions caused the organization to overlook the risks related to the Blackberry service. Although BiSL framework for BIM was in practice in this organization, this true story exposes the shortcoming of the framework with cloud computing.
Thus it is necessary to investigate the influence of cloud computing on BIM and changes required to accommodate cloud computing. Therefore it is also important to investigate how the practical approach for BIM i.e. BiSL is affected by cloud computing and define adjustments for it so that it can continue functioning properly with cloud computing. The development of the BiSL framework is maintained by ASL BiSL foundation (ASL BiSL Foundation, n.d.). This foundation gathers, selects, edits and publishes best practices of BiSL and monitors their usage. It is the interest of the foundation to investigate the required changes in BIM function due to the influence of cloud computing. Furthermore, this investigation is expected to be helpful for the current and future users of BiSL.
