Cloud Services in UK Higher Education

Abstract

The current chapter reports an investigation of Information Technology (I.T.) enablement for a Higher Education Institution (HEI), with focus on the feasibility of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) using Cloud Computing technology. A pragmatist - mixed-methods research approach was followed to establish the Feasibility Study, which included the potential IaaS risks and benefits for a HEI such as the Computing & Library Services of a UK university. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, as well as a legal, social, operational and Service Level Agreement (SLA) discussion are provided. Furthermore, the authors outline the potential impact on the institution's employment. Finally, based on the Feasibility Study, the authors recommend a list of selection criteria and evaluation methods that could be regarded as the basis for a future IaaS Cloud decision model for HEIs. The findings of the current investigation contribute to the body of knowledge for both academics and I.T. managers.