Introduction

The origin of the Christian Volunteer Service (CVS) dates back to the 1860s and is considered one of UK's main charity that is focused on poverty alleviation. The CVS is expanding its workforce to over 4,000 employees and 50,000 volunteers through the utilization of 260 charity shops to ensure the community is supported (CVS, 2023). Nevertheless, the company's antiquated IT infrastructure seriously jeopardizes its ability to attain its strategic goals by preventing integration with other retailers and effectively managing data that affects the e-commerce performance in the long run (Smith & Johnson, 2023; Brown, 2023). This report evaluates CVS current IT situation recommending the implementation of Cloud computing which would in turn increase its efficacy, scalability and outreach.

SWOT Analysis of Current IT Infrastructure & Services

Strengths

CVS's existing IT infrastructure, ancient though it may be, is fully functional. The support team is backing it up (CVS, 2023).

Weaknesses

The infrastructures are troubled by the out-of-date systems hence causation of inefficiencies and data handling problems. Lastly, the separated systems, e.g., inventory and e-commerce, are interfering with the information flow as well as making the decisions complicated (Smith & Johnson, 2023; Brown, 2023).

Opportunities

By switching over to cloud computing CVS will be basing its IT on innovation and modernization offering scalability and flexibility especially during peak times. The implementation of a national e-commerce strategy could enable CVS to successfully broaden its customer base and revenue (Jones, 2023; Taylor, 2023).

Threats

Having the staffs being resistant to cloud systems and the data security issues in such transition are risks (Davis, 2023; Williams, 2023).

As shown by the SWOT analysis there is an imperative need for technological upgrade to match the set standards of CVS’s operations.



SWOT Analysis of Proposed IT Infrastructure & Services

Strengths

To begin with, the IT infrastructure and services are proposed to fix the drawbacks of the present system. The utilization of cloud computing for CVS will provide scalability as well as flexibility thus handling peak periods accordingly (Jones, 2023). The unification of operations will enable the smooth movement of the information, facilitating the decision-making procedures (Smith & Johnson, 2023).

Weaknesses

Although, the proposed development has some weaknesses as well. The change of a system can cause short-time disruptions in companies' operations (Brown, 2023). Consequently, the cost of building these new systems might be very high, raising concerns about the strain on CVS financial resources (Taylor,2023).

Opportunities

The offered made a number of opportunities. The implementation of systems could undoubtedly boost the efficiency and precision, such as uploading online and in-store stock levels. Lastly, the inception of a national ecommerce strategy could widen CVS's coverage, give opportunity to improve revenue (Taylor, 2023).

Threats

However, threats also lurk around. Staff's hesitancy in change might slow down the process of adopting that new systems (Davis, 2023). In addition, data security risks could be enhanced by the change of cloud-based solutions because the information will be stored on external servers (Williams 2023).


The outdated technology and lack of system cohesion—known as deficits of the current IT—directly adversely influence CVS’s operational efficiency and level of outreach. The proposed changes shall consequently ameliorate these inadequacies and take advantage of the scalability and integration perpetrated by cloud computing. The strategic shift to the merging the existing and new information systems for CVS is primarily meant to provide it with a robust, responsive, and scalable infrastructure which will contribute to its enhanced capacity to be of high impact in the digital age.



Analysis & Summary of SaaS, PaaS & IaaS Cloud Computing Solutions



Software as a Service (SaaS)

As a cloud computing model that delivers software over the Internet as a service and charged on a per-user basis, the responsibility of managing software maintenance or infrastructure is no longer in user's hands (Mell & Grance, 2011). For instance, Salesforce CRM, a widely used global system. Nevertheless, it may be more susceptible data security concerns when customers information is stored on external servers with SaaS (Smith, 2022).

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS provides customers with a platform through which they can deploy, run, and manage applications without having to engage with complex infrastructure (Mell & Gand, 2011). It reduces development efforts as you need less coding, making it easy to produce projects as shown by Google App Engine. However, it should be remembered that reduced flexibility could be a downside due to the prospect of vendor lock-in (Brown, 2023

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS is a form of IT-based computing which assists business in utilizing virtualized internet resources (Mell & Grance, 2011). It is always customizable and applicable for special business requirements. For example, AWS (Amazon Web Services). However, IaaS requires IT knowledge that may be tough for some (Davis, in 2023).

In summary, SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS each provide benefits and face challenges: SaaS is effective but not fully secure; PaaS increases performance but limits flexibility; IaaS is adjustable but needs skilled IT professionals. Organizations need to consider their requirements and skills prior to the selection of the right cloud computing model.


Recommendations & Cost Estimates of Provisioning Services

The planning of cloud services has to be well thought out, based on the company's requirements, budget and aims. The business with a few information technology experts will find SaaS like Salesforce and Microsoft 365 effective, as they offer not only many features but also a monthly fixed cost averaging at $50/user (Gartner, 2022). In the app development niche, options like Google App Engine and Microsoft Azure provide the platform for this, with their costs varying from $500 to $20,000 (Flexeria, 2023). Large enterprises that are looking for particular specialized infrastructure might be IaaS platform users, usually AWS or Google Cloud, which offer flexibility and pricing models of $1,000/month for small scale and over $10,000 for large-scale (Canalys, 2024). SaaS suits firms of any size, PaaS is the best for custom applications, IaaS is the right option for big firms needing tailored infrastructure. Charges range between $500 and $20,000 for PaaS and $1,000 and $10,000 for IaaS. Cloud service model selection will involve benefits-risks analysis and may involve a Cloud Services Broker (Columbus, 2023).

Cost Breakdown for CVS with Microsoft Azure IaaS (3 Years)
Considering that CVS has 4,000 employees and 50,000 volunteers.
Volunteer use of cloud services is minimal compared to employees.
Cloud usage will increase by 10% each year.
Year	Service	Estimated Monthly Cost (USD)	Annual Cost (USD)	Total 3-Year Cost (USD)
1	Azure Virtual Machines (Standard B1s instances) - 20 Units	$200/unit	$48,000	$144,000
	Azure Storage (General Purpose v2) - 10 TB	$20/TB	$200	$600
	Azure Networking (Standard Load Balancer)	$100	$1,200	$3,600
				
2 (10% Increase)	Azure Virtual Machines	$52,800	$158,400	$475,200
	Azure Storage	$220	$660	$1,980
	Azure Networking	$110	$1,320	$3,960
				
3 (10% Increase)	Azure Virtual Machines	$58,080	$174,240	$522,720
	Azure Storage	$242	$726	$2,178
	Azure Networking	$121	$1,452	$4,356
				
Total 3-Year Estimated Cost				$1,164,836



Recommendations for INaaS and BPaaS Development & Provision

Building the INaaS as well as BPaaS demands comprehensive research, responsible planning, and thoughtful implementation.

INaaS Development & Provision

INaaS brings together the special features of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to a higher level and provides network components as a service. The solution provides WAN, bandwidth provisioning, and firewall security services (Gartner, 2022).

1. Scalability: INaaS should be easily scalable so that it can came up with tailored offerings for companies to meet their varying network needs. For instance, the Amazon Web Services Direct Connect connects user' premises with AWS through private network connections increase the network traffic flow (AWS, 2023).

2. Security: Security is a main subject in INaaS. Vendors have to make sure those are performed with highest standards of security, like powerful firewalls and intrusion detection. For instance, Cisco Secure Firewall attempt to employs the threat-focused next-generation firewall security (Cisco, 2024).

3. Cost: INaaS suppliers should flexible with their costs because businesses tend to vary in their price patterns. The Azure platform by Microsoft is just one example of this model. It allows the organizations to purchase only what they require based on the usage statistics (Microsoft, 2023).

CVS may utilize the Direct Connect service from AWS which provides fully flexible network connections along with increased bandwidth for additional data transfer type applications. Besides, Microsoft Azure consists of a network which encompasses VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute, allowing a combination of stable and hybrid infrastructures. Both solutions are value for money and on demand, which are in line with the organization’s supervising financial ideas but also with principles of environmental responsibility.

BPaaS Development & Provision

The BPaaS enables the delivery of BPO cloud services through the automation of business functions such as payroll, recruitment and accounting (IBM, 2022).

1. Integration: BPaaS solutions should be designed that they are seamlessly integrated with the current systems. Take Workday as an example, they provide the BPaaS for human resources and finance which can be linked to the ERP. (Workday 2023)

2. Customization: It would be apt for the providers of BPaaS to offer customization choice that meet the distinct needs of organizations. The platform of the cloud by SAP includes a wide range of customization options in the SaaS for business process (SAP, 2024).

3. Compliance: Being sensitive, BPaaS companies should pay extra attention on meeting the requirements of the relevant law. The BPaaS solution of payroll and human resources by ADP, example, is dedicated to both global and local statutory regulations (ADP, 2024).

Speeding up and standardizing operations can be facilitated by Workday's fully-fledged BPaaS solutions for human resources and finance, which can create space for CVS to devote effort to process-driving activities. The ERP System Integration eliminates the need of using multiple systems and provides a seamless transition. The SAP’s Cloud Platform enables CVS to access parts of Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) solutions that are customized for the CVS, embracing inventory management and donor relations, while security of the data is a high consideration. This way they meet the demands for scalability and flexibility that are necessary for the company`s growth as both retail and charity environments are unstable.

Critical Examination of Selected Service Providers' Green Credentials

Dedicating cloud service providers such as Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure to sustainability never misses playing a critical role as it became a business priority to channel their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts towards eco-conservancy. Google Cloud has made a decision to buy all required energy to power operations entirely through renewables thus, effectively reducing the carbon footprint (Hölzle 2017). Microsoft Azure intends to become carbon negative by 2030 (Smith 2020). Sustainability strategies especially on the basis of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and the environmental effects raise doubts arising from inconsistency of the company.

A green approach named Renewable Energy Credits (RECS) which was employed by google cloud, however, did not directly reduce their carbon emissions compared to another green approach (Huang et al., 2017). Along the same line, Microsoft Azure’s environmental goals do not seem to align with their manufacturing footprint, hence this indicates the disconnection between the company’s sustainability intentions and the impacts of total operations to the environment.

The main issue of REC purchasing relates to the fact of how they influence the effectiveness of the sustainable policy and attractiveness of a brand for the consumers. That is a mechanism that is beneficial in support of renewable projects but it can’t ensure that renewable energy feeds directly into the grid.

Overall, the two cloud platforms Google Cloud and Microsoft have made their way on the road by realizing their dreams and meanwhile the complexity of the cloud is confronting the reality, and the use of the RECs, the overall environmental impact needed to be considered within a corporate purpose.


Generate a very precise, concise conclusion section for the above report in 130 words.