Assessing Challenges, Obstacles and Benefits of Adopting Cloud Computing: Study of an Academic Control System

This paper presents an evaluation model that takes into account aspects such as the challenges, obstacles and benefits of adopting cloud computing. To assess the feasibility and usefulness of such model, an Academic Control System (ACS) from an International School was analyzed. Such analysis enabled the development of recommendations, provision of inputs and suggestion of actions necessary to launch the ACS as a cloud service. Advantages such as lower capital investment, shorter time-to-market and easier maintenance were identified. The model revealed challenges regarding governance, human resources, project management and organizational culture to deal with innovations and changes. Such challenges shall be taken into account in the cloud strategy. On the other hand, security issues, business models, technical capacity, performance, service level agreements (SLAs) are obstacles that organizations willing to provide such services must face. According to the model, recommendations to overcome such challenges and obstacles include good practices for human resources management, processes for risk management and well-defined decision making instances.