Executive Voices 3 mins read

Three keys to maximizing value in the cloud

Sometimes, building a piece of technology yourself means it takes more time and resources than buying it. You also lose your “sovereignty” in the cloud.

Dr. Stefan Sigg Dr. Stefan Sigg

Sometimes, you just cannot resist building a piece of technology yourself; not realizing that it will indeed take more time and resources than simply buying it.

But it also means you won’t be able to take advantage of the ownership of your app or system in the cloud; you lose your “sovereignty” and could be relegated to some deep dependencies that hinge on the security and stability of the platform you’re working on. Before you know it, you’re building things you don’t have to!

There are numerous solutions out there you can implement and emulate, so that you can connect to these rather than build from scratch. Leverage what’s out there – or even adopt a complete full-stack solution of readily available pieces connected via APIs.

It’s what I call the LAST MILE. The final lap. The last dash for the finish line as you provide a fully integrated solution with all the technology personalized to a specific customer. It’s the endgame, comprised of the ideal solution you want to provide above and beyond even your business’s own capabilities.

Build on what’s already built

Think of it as “building” on top of what’s already been built. You’re amplifying what already works. You’re making something that’s good even better. And owning it allows you more independence in the cloud.

Here are three ways to maximize technological value and offerings in the cloud:

  1. Use good independent tech stacks for the “other miles.” Don’t just pull from any source. Do the research and determine viability. Remember, these will be your building blocks. Make sure the foundation is sturdy.
  2. Don’t get bogged down with building your own platforms. Even platforms can be adopted, so pay close attention to not only what applications you can pull onto your stack, but even where you can stack them.
  3. Don’t bury yourself into a technology stack. In other words, don’t overdo it. The last mile doesn’t have to be an “extra” mile.

That’s ultimately the challenge with home-built software stacks, in that sometimes you end up depending too much on just one route, or platform, or vehicle to get where you need to go. So, what happens when there’s “construction”?

You throw your hands up. And then all the custom code becomes a crutch. Don’t re-invent the wheel, leverage what’s out there already in the cloud. Re-usable software components make for an easy drive with no detours.

Make technology offerings you find in the cloud your own, and make the last mile spectacular!