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Configuration , on the other hand , is a no-brainer when changes can fulfil business requirements . Tweaking knobs and levers (‘ settings ’, if you like ) to create an ideal solution is something offered in the cloud just as it is onpremises . Assuming a configuration satisfied a business case in the legacy environment , it is likely to be just as viable in the cloud ( although not always ). Configuration is part and parcel of functionality , so it is not affected by the presence of a multitenant environment .
Choose well
The GCC region ’ s cloud journey is not over . New migrations happen all the time . If you are planning one , try to remember the customisation-configuration conundrum and steer your transformation project by reviewing your legacy systems to find out what customisation , if any , has been done to the migrating solution and what business challenges it solved . To what extent can those customisations be replicated in the cloud ? Will you have to change workflows , tasks , or use cases ? either change their business processes to meet the SaaS vendor ’ s product or introduce a workaround . The only other option for duplicating a customised solution is to migrate to a private cloud , which carries yet more cost .
Strawberry or vanilla ?
So , how do you choose between customisation and configuration in the cloud era ? I think we have established that this is not like choosing between strawberry or vanilla . The right path could make the business more competitive ; the wrong one could lead to its end .
Success depends on knowing so much . You mustn ’ t assume that on-premises configuration settings can be replicated in the cloud . While this is more common than for customisation , it is not universal . It is only through asking all these questions and allowing for the role of third parties that you will get a clear picture of the costs and labour involved in recreating customisations in the cloud .
As we have shown , choosing between configuration and customisation is not like a whimsical selection of ice cream flavours . It can be the choice between plain sailing and choppy seas for your business . Even the simplest solutions can turn out to be costly when migrating to the cloud . Information-gathering is key , planning is critical and given the rate of adoption across the region , organisations must ensure they are not tripped up by the speed of the journey . Choose well . p
Morey Haber , Chief Security Officer at BeyondTrust
Customisation makes sense for organisations that have unique business requirements on which they cannot compromise and that cannot be fulfilled by out-ofthe-box functionality . It should be made clear that this rigidity of purpose should be because of core business requirements . Where inter-departmental tensions are the reason for resistance against changing workflows , senior executives must step in . Customisation is a costly journey and some SaaS solutions do not allow it , which will rule out some vendors and products that may otherwise have brought advantages .
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