Moving its CIS to the cloud allows a mid-size utility company to have a modern, Tier 1-level CIS for a fraction of the cost. Using cloud technology and hosting the CIS on servers that are already up and running provides three distinct advantagesto the mid-size utility company. The first is faster time to benefit.
In a typical on-premise CIS implementation, one of the first tasks is to design, specify, procure and install the software and hardware needed for the project development environment. Of course a data center will also be needed, and add another for business continuity and disaster recovery. Thus, a complete new CIS platform is at least 24 months away from launch.
The benefit of a fully hosted, cloud-based CIS is that the backbone for the new system is already running. The data centers are in place, and there is no hardware or software to be procured and installed. The deployment can hit the ground running fast.
Edwin Schouten of IBM, writing for Wired in 2012, describes another cloud-speed difference:
“Getting the computer resources you need when you need them tends to shorten IT projects, resulting in fewer FTE to deliver the project and a quicker and more predictive time-to-market. Being able to deliver results faster, cheaper and with more quality might just give your business a competitive edge and make her more nimble on her feet. I have seen a data analytics project being reduced from four months to just three weeks, reducing the project’s time-to-market and overall cost significantly.”
Results from the IDG Enterprise Cloud Computing Study 2014 support the speed and efficiency theories. Its top two reasons for businesses making the switch to the cloud:
- The quickness in getting it rolling (39 percent)
- The lower costs involved (39 percent)
No Concerns about Obsolescence
A utility’s CFO might rightly argue the costs associated with the hardware, software, and employees can be amortized over five to seven years. But often the hardware and software powering the new CIS will be out of date by the time the new CIS launches or shortly after, and that means upgrades and expenses that probably weren’t budgeted for. With a fully hosted and managed solution, a utility doesn’t have to worry about hardware and software becoming obsolete.
But perhaps the biggest benefit of moving to the VertexOne hosted CIS solution is the proven customer experience processes that are built into the solution. Adopting those processes, which are flexible enough to adapt to the variables unique to each utility, can cut the time needed to launch a new CIS in half, from 18 to 24 months to just 9.
To learn more about how a cloud-based CIS might be the solution your mid-size utility needs, download our ebook, Exceeding Expectations on a Midmarket Budget.
