Introduction

A cloud computing “Starter Package” offers IT departments an incredibly simple way to select, provision and deploy worldleading IT resources. Getting started with cloud computing has never been easier. Yet,there is such a depth of choice and range of cost options that decision paralysis or confusion can creep in.

This Whitepaper assesses the opportunities and challenges of Starter Packages and proposes that IT departments adapt their software development methodologies to embrace an even more experimental culture. This includes getting the best out of a new financial transparency offered by cloud computing services providers such as Alibaba Cloud.

The promise of the cloud is the ability to predict, manage and scale IT costs in line with needs and returns.For many, that’s a miracle. It seems to be making an almost unrealistic dream come true. But very few IT methodologies focus on the role of budgets and costs – they tend to concentrate more on techniques to satisfy users. Inspired by the example of the Starter Package, this Whitepaper asks if we can upgrade,enhance or simply adapt existing agile methodologies to make finance and business outcomes more central to the thinking and practice and thereby get the very best from the many ways to get started in cloud computing.