Books Slideshow: Ten Ways to Get the Most Out of the Cloud

More companies are exploring the cloud as a means of cutting costs and driving IT efficiency, and enterprises are expected to spend $112 billion on software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (Paas) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) projects over the next several years, according to industry projections. But what's the best strategy to take when moving to the cloud? In the book, "Is Your Company Ready for Cloud? Choosing the Best Cloud Adoption Strategy for Your Business" (IBM Press/Available now), authors Pam Isom and Kerrie Holley explore essential steps companies can take to create a cloud model that maximizes ROI while remaining relevant as business conditions change. CIOs and other tech leaders must involve all stakeholders throughout, the authors contend, while keeping organization-wide objectives in mind. A former leader of cloud integration/interactive solutions with IBM's global-business services, Isom is now a consultant specializing in cloud adoption, integration and IT transformation for corporate clients. Holley is global CTO for application and innovation at IBM's global-business services.