Cloud business models and sustainability: impacts for businesses and e-research

This paper reviews current cloud computing business models and presents proposals on how organisations can achieve sustainability by adopting appropriate models. Using the Jericho Forums Cloud Cube Model (CCM), we classify cloud computing business models into eight types: (1) Service Provider and Service Orientation; (2) Support and Services Contracts; (3) In-House Private Clouds; (4) All-In-One Enterprise Cloud; (5) One-Stop Resources and Services; (6) Government Funding; (7) Venture Capitals; and (8) Entertainment and Social Networking. In addition, we newly propose the Hexagon Model that includes six key elements for sustainability based on Sun Tzus Art of War and literature review, and the sixth factor is rated based on case studies and peer reviews. Areas occupied in the Hexagon can represent strengths and weaknesses of a cloud business, and several cases are presented with rationale explained. We present four cases with Hexagon models, which include Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and an anonymous UK NHS and an University. Apart from the qualitative approach, the quantitative approach we use is the Capital Asset Pricing (CAPM), which aim organisational sustainability and predicts how well firms perform. The OMII-UK data is used to demonstrate sustainability and study the impact on cloud businesses, and is presented by statistical computation, 3D visualisation and the Hexagon Model. This leads to development of Cloud Sustainability Framework (CSF), which measures cloud business performance. CSF is part of the Cloud Computing Business Framework (CCBF), which will be discussed in some extent. We believe that adopting an appropriate cloud computing business model will help organisations investing in this technology to stand firm at all times. R&D projects can benefit from applying the right business models and strategie

A proposed framework for Cloud Computing adoption

This paper presents a review related to Cloud Computing focusing on Cloud business requirements. From the review we recommend a number of methods managing Cloud services and evaluating its service performance, including the use of a pair of the Hexagon Models. Three organizational challenges of Cloud adoption are identified: (i) Organizational Sustainability; (ii) Portability and (iii) Linkage. The Cloud Computing Adoption Framework (CCAF) is designed to deal with these challenges by helping organizations to achieve good Cloud designs, deployment and services. How these three challenges are addressed by the CCAF is demonstrated using case studies. Services implemented by CCAF are reviewed using the Hexagon Models for comparison. This paper provides recommendations to help organizations, researchers and practitioners to understand Cloud business context, to measure their risk and return analysis, to migrate their services to Cloud from all types and to connect and integrate different services as a single service. Future direction and security concerns have been addressed in our framework

On the Business Models of Cloud-based Modelling and Simulation for Decision Support

Simulation modelling is one of the techniques used for decision support in a wide range of domains and cloud computing is beginning to make some impact on simulation modelling by enabling ubiquitous, convenient and on-demand access to a variety of computing services. The cloud-based modelling and simulation (CBMS) literature has focused on how to develop CBMS tools using existing technologies. While this technical aspect is important, understanding the business aspect of CBMS is instrumental for its adoption by users and for ensuring the sustainability of the broader CBMS service supply chain. This paper presents a review of the business models adopted by vendors that provide Web or mobile applications for simulation modelling. An analysis of the offerings of these vendors provides some insights into how cloud services can be provided and used as part of CBMS business models. The study is conducted by reviewing the websites of simulation vendors. This study fills a gap in the literature on the business aspect of CBMS by providing insights into CBMS business model patterns. It highlights the importance of developing innovative business models that can help generate new market opportunities and revenue streams along the CBMS service supply chain. It also stresses the role of contracting in addressing the reported challenges and risks underpinning the provision and use of CBMS services

On the Business Models of Cloud-based Modelling and Simulation for Decision Support

Simulation modelling is one of the techniques used for decision support in a wide range of domains and cloud computing is beginning to make some impact on simulation modelling by enabling ubiquitous, convenient and on-demand access to a variety of computing services. The cloud-based modelling and simulation (CBMS) literature has focused on how to develop CBMS tools using existing technologies. While this technical aspect is important, understanding the business aspect of CBMS is instrumental for its adoption by users and for ensuring the sustainability of the broader CBMS service supply chain. This paper presents a review of the business models adopted by vendors that provide Web or mobile applications for simulation modelling. An analysis of the offerings of these vendors provides some insights into how cloud services can be provided and used as part of CBMS business models. The study is conducted by reviewing the websites of simulation vendors. This study fills a gap in the literature on the business aspect of CBMS by providing insights into CBMS business model patterns. It highlights the importance of developing innovative business models that can help generate new market opportunities and revenue streams along the CBMS service supply chain. It also stresses the role of contracting in addressing the reported challenges and risks underpinning the provision and use of CBMS services

Towards Business Integration as a Service 2.0

Cloud Computing Business Framework (CCBF) is a framework for designing and implementation of Could Computing solutions. This proposal focuses on how CCBF can help to address linkage in Cloud Computing implementations. This leads to the development of Business Integration as a Service 1.0 (BIaS 1.0) allowing different services, roles and functionalities to work together in a linkage-oriented framework where the outcome of one service can be input to another, without the need to translate between domains or languages. BIaS 2.0 aims to allow full automation, enhanced security, advanced risk modelling and improved collaboration between processes in BIaaS 1.0. The benefits from adopting BIaS 1.0 and developing BIaS 2.0 are illustrated using a case study from the University of Southampton and several collaborators including IBM US. BIaS 2.0 can work with mainstream technologies such as scientific workflows, and the proposal and demonstration of BIaaS 2.0 will certainly benefit industry and academia

Towards business integration as a service 2.0 (BIaaS 2.0)

Cloud Computing Business Framework (CCBF) is a framework for designing and implementation of Could Computing solutions. This proposal focuses on how CCBF can help to address linkage in Cloud Computing implementations. This leads to the development of Business Integration as a Service 1.0 (BIaaS 1.0) allowing different services, roles and functionalities to work together in a linkage-oriented framework where the outcome of one service can be input to another, without the need to translate between domains or languages. BIaaS 2.0 aims to allow automation, enhanced security, advanced risk modelling and improved collaboration between processes in BIaaS 1.0. The benefits from adopting BIaaS 1.0 and developing BIaaS 2.0 are illustrated using a case study from the University of Southampton and several collaborators including IBM US. BIaaS 2.0 can work with mainstream technologies such as scientific workflows, and the proposal and demonstration of BIaaS 2.0 will be aimed to certainly benefit industry and academia. © 2011 IEEE

Eco‐Holonic 4.0 Circular Business Model to Conceptualize Sustainable Value Chain Towards Digital Transition

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a circular business model based on an Eco-Holonic Architecture, through the integration of circular economy and holonic principles. A conceptual model is developed to manage the complexity of integrating circular economy principles, digital transformation, and tools and frameworks for sustainability into business models. The proposed architecture is multilevel and multiscale in order to achieve the instantiation of the sustainable value chain in any territory. The architecture promotes the incorporation of circular economy and holonic principles into new circular business models. This integrated perspective of business model can support the design and upgrade of the manufacturing companies in their respective industrial sectors. The conceptual model proposed is based on activity theory that considers the interactions between technical and social systems and allows the mitigation of the metabolic rift that exists between natural and social metabolism. This study contributes to the existing literature on circular economy, circular business models and activity theory by considering holonic paradigm concerns, which have not been explored yet. This research also offers a unique holonic architecture of circular business model by considering different levels, relationships, dynamism and contextualization (territory) aspects

A Case Study for Business Integration as a Service

This paper presents Business Integration as a Service (BIaaS) to allow two services to work together in the Cloud to achieve a streamline process. We illustrate this integration using two services; Return on Investment (ROI) Measurement as a Service (RMaaS) and Risk Analysis as a Service (RAaaS) in the case study at the University of Southampton. The case study demonstrates the cost-savings and the risk analysis achieved, so two services can work as a single service. Advanced techniques are used to demonstrate statistical services and 3D Visualisation services under the remit of RMaaS and Monte Carlo Simulation as a Service behind the design of RAaaS. Computational results are presented with their implications discussed. Different types of risks associated with Cloud adoption can be calculated easily, rapidly and accurately with the use of BIaaS. This case study confirms the benefits of BIaaS adoption, including cost reduction and improvements in efficiency and risk analysis. Implementation of BIaaS in other organisations is also discussed. Important data arising from the integration of RMaaS and RAaaS are useful for management and stakeholders of University of Southampton

The financial clouds review

This paper demonstrates financial enterprise portability, which involves moving entire application services from desktops to clouds and between different clouds, and is transparent to users who can work as if on their familiar systems. To demonstrate portability, reviews for several financial models are studied, where Monte Carlo Methods (MCM) and Black Scholes Model (BSM) are chosen. A special technique in MCM, Least Square Methods, is used to reduce errors while performing accurate calculations. The coding algorithm for MCM written in MATLAB is explained. Simulations for MCM are performed on different types of Clouds. Benchmark and experimental results are presented for discussion. 3D Black Scholes are used to explain the impacts and added values for risk analysis, and three different scenarios with 3D risk analysis are explained. We also discuss implications for banking and ways to track risks in order to improve accuracy. We have used a conceptual Cloud platform to explain our contributions in Financial Software as a Service (FSaaS) and the IBM Fined Grained Security Framework. Our objective is to demonstrate portability, speed, accuracy and reliability of applications in the clouds, while demonstrating portability for FSaaS and the Cloud Computing Business Framework (CCBF), which is proposed to deal with cloud portability

The impact of Green Information Systems on sustainable supply chain and organizational performance

This paper reports about a research in progress focusing on the impact of green information systems on sustainable supply chain performance. Green information systems, supply chains and their relation to sustainability and performance measurement are explained. The preliminary literature review resulted in a draft conceptual framework where sustainable supply chain measures focusing on economic, environmental and social aspects are combined with traditional supply chain performance measures of cost, quality, dependability, flexibility and speed. The measures for the triple bottom line of sustainability are listed as internal and external indicators. The research challenges addressed in this preliminary work comprise of integration of sustainability performance with traditional performance objectives in the supply chain, measurement of the social performance of supply chain and establishment of the relationship amongst the sustainable supply chain and performance indicators using a green information system infrastructure