Step 2: Define What It Means to Bring Shadow IT into the Light
While some CTOs try in vain to root out all Shadow IT, astute IT chiefs take
a more nuanced approach They understand what the cloud has to offer: It’s quick, easy, requires no IT resources, and provides compelling, pay-as-you-go OPEX pricing
True, there are data security dangers that must be addressed But once those are dealt with, the cloud can bring many benefits In essence, the table is set for IT to guide the enterprise out of the conflict and toward a much-needed win-win
Consider what an ideal outcome would look like
From the business user’s standpoint, the preferred outcome is Shadow IT without the shadows If a secret cloud instance doesn’t quite work for them, they’d like to be able to ask their own IT team for support But they’re hesitant to do so when they’ve signed up for a cloud service in stealth mode
From IT’s perspective, the preferred outcome is minimal security risk The thought of sensitive data leaving the safe confines of the company firewall naturally makes every CIO nervous
The best-case scenario is a combination of these two ideals: flexible, on- demand cloud services that adhere to IT’s high standards of security and data governance
By reconciling agility with stability, the CIO can transform the logjam of Shadow IT vs Formal IT into a more productive paradigm Under this new model, IT can serve as a service broker to find, scrutinize, and approve the best cloud services that give business users what they need