GlassHouse Technologies, a data center consulting and managed services firm, announced the launch of its Cloud Insight tool. The new maturity assessment tool is used as part of GlassHouse's Cloud Snapshot and Cloud Impact Analysis services, and provides businesses with a detailed report outlining preparedness, best practices, strategies and next steps for organizations looking to implement cloud computing. Further, each assessment is tailored to a business' unique IT infrastructure to maximize the success of the cloud implementation and help organizations map deployments to key business objectives.

As more companies shift to cloud computing initiatives, some organizations are running into critical road blocks that are hampering their ability to move to a cloud model. Some of these challenges include service delivery models not aligned to consume cloud services, the lack of a strategy, insufficient IT staffing and high costs. The GlassHouse Cloud Insight tool allows companies to gage their readiness for cloud computing and establish next steps to prepare for a successful initiative.

"Each company's IT environment is unique and as a result, it is critical to develop a tailored cloud computing strategy," said Mark Shirman, CEO of GlassHouse Technologies. "Our Cloud Insight tool helps provide businesses with the answers they are looking for prior to, and during a cloud migration to ensure that the organization is taking the right steps to prepare for, and execute a successful cloud implementation."

As a first step, businesses fill out an online questionnaire about their IT environment. GlassHouse consultants then review that information and provide an IT Service Maturity report to help businesses gain an understanding of their current IT environment's efficiency and effectiveness in terms of people, process and the management of technology. The report also outlines project recommendations and potential savings opportunities.

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