http://blog.gravitant.com/2011/07/28/cloud-sourcing-optimization-a-conceptual-model-discussion/
Cloud computing brings up
new cost cutting, improved flexibility and increased elasticity opportunities
for enterprises. While these are the main marketing features of the cloud, the
evaluation and comparison of the vendors has not been straight forward so far.
Thanks to CloudWiz of
Gravitant, we are able to quantify the features of vendors, evaluate them and
compare them in a practical, analytical and user friendly manner. As the cloud
space gets larger, and decision making steps become more complicated, we will
need to add more intelligence to our decision making in cloud migration.
The potential optimization problems may arise in several parts
of the cloud space, such as cloud sourcing problem, enterprise capacity
planning problem, vendor capacity planning and scheduling problem, vendor load
balance problem, etc. In today’s blog, I will elaborate on how to view cloud
sourcing problem as a conceptual optimization model.
After an enterprise
intends to move to the cloud, it first needs to translate its current use and
needs into cloud requirements. Some of these requirements are
quantifiable while some are not. This task is followed by matching the
requirements with multiple cloud vendors for evaluation and comparison.CloudWiz takes
care of all these tedious steps in a fast, intelligent and user friendly
manner. The optimization of cloud sourcing problem is defined on these steps.
In our problem space, there is one customer against multiple
cloud vendors. The decision factor is what portion of a certain computing need
to provide from a certain vendor.
What are potential constraints of cloud sourcing problem? Let’s
make a list of them.
1- Supply-demand: All demand should be satisfied.
2- Hard capabilities: Selected set of vendors should carry all
the unquantifiable capabilities which are core to functioning of the
enterprise.
3- Soft capabilities: Selected set of vendors should carry a
certain fraction of the unquantifiable capabilities which are secondary to
functioning of the enterprise.
4- Quality of service: Each selected vendor should satisfy a
certain level of quality of service.
First constraint makes sure there is no lack of supply. Second
constraint helps eliminate all infeasible members from the decision set. Third
constraint grants some flexibility to the enterprise in decision
making. Fourth constraint ensures the consistency of quality of service.
What is the objective? It should definitely be measured in
dollars since we kept perhaps the most important aspect, cost, out of scope so
far. The proposed objective function is the minimization of total procurement
cost. Cloud vendors have varying pricing schemes. Therefore, building such an
objective function is a tedious task. From determining the constraints to
constructing an objective, CloudWiz provides all the inputs for such an
optimization model in a smart and clean way.
Let us speculate about how the optimal solution would look like.
Obviously, if there is a unique vendor which serves all the hard capabilities
and enough soft capabilities with the minimum cost, there is the winner.
Otherwise, the customer goes through the feasible vendors and starting with the
lowest priced one, picks the ones with all hard capabilities, certain number of
soft capabilities and minimum satisfying quality of service, allocating based
on cost. Although the model is defined as generic as possible, it can still be
customized for any enterprise in any conditions.
Hang on for the future
versions of the CloudWiz powered
with enhanced intelligence of optimization provided by Advanced Analytics group
at Gravitant. I will share potential optimization problems in our coming blogs.
