SFC Assignment

No.1

The clothing industry in Myanmar is one of the most significant manufacturing industries that
generate an economy of 3 trillion dollars and contributes to 2% of world's gross domestic product. The
industry has grown rapidly in the past few years, providing decent job opportunities for hundreds of
thousands of workers, especially women. However, the industry also faces challenges such as social and
environmental issues, COVID-19 pandemic, and political instability 3. “Akhar” is a fictional organization
that produces and sells clothing in Myanmar. It is located in Mandalay, the second-largest city and the
economic hub of Upper Myanmar4. “Akhar” offers a variety of products, such as shirts, pants, dresses,
skirts, jackets, and accessories, for different segments of customers, such as men, women, children, and
teenagers. Akhar’s main office is located in Mandalay, and it has branch offices in Yangon, Naypyidaw,
and other major cities in Myanmar. “Akhar” also exports its products to neighboring countries, such as
Thailand, Bangladesh, and India. “Akhar” is a medium-sized organization that has a market share of
about 10% in the domestic clothing industry. It competes with other local and foreign brands, such as
H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo, that have entered the Myanmar market in recent years. Akhar’s competitive
advantage is its quality, affordability, and social responsibility. “Akhar” uses locally sourced materials,
employs skilled workers, and supports various social and environmental causes, such as education, health,
and waste management. “Akhar” has a centralized and hierarchical structure, where the decisions are
made by the top management and communicated to the lower levels. “Akhar” has about 500 employees,
divided into different departments, such as marketing, sales, finance, IT, HR, logistics, inventory
management, and customer service. Each department has a manager who reports to the director, who
reports to the CEO. The employees work in teams and follow the standard operating procedures and
policies of the organization. “Akhar” uses an on-premise system and traditional methods for collaborative
working, such as email, intranet, shared drives or local servers for document storage, phone calls, and
face-to-face meetings to communicate and share information. However,” Akhar” is planning to adopt
cloud computing technology to improve its efficiency, security, and sustainability. Cloud computing is the
practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data,
rather than using a local server or a personal computer 5. Cloud computing can offer many benefits for the
clothing industry, such as reducing costs, increasing scalability, enhancing collaboration, supporting
innovation, and facilitating data analysis.

No.2

Inefficient Communication and Collaboration: Akhar’s current system of using email, intranet, shared
drives or local servers, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings is inefficient and time-consuming. It creates
silos and barriers between different departments and locations, and makes it difficult to coordinate and
collaborate on projects, tasks, and decisions. This can lead to misunderstandings, errors, delays, and missed
opportunities. Cloud services can enable Akhar to use online platforms and tools, such as Microsoft Teams,
SharePoint, OneDrive, and Office 365, to communicate and collaborate more effectively and efficiently. These
tools allow Akhar to create, share, edit, and access documents, files, and data in real-time, from any device and
location, and with anyone inside or outside the organization. They also provide features such as chat, video
conferencing, co-authoring, version control, and workflow management, to enhance teamwork and
productivity.

Scalability Challenges: Akhar’s current system of using on-premise hardware and software is costly and
inflexible. It requires “Akhar” to invest in and maintain expensive servers, storage, and licenses, and to predict
and plan for future demand and growth. This can limit Akhar’s ability to scale up or down its operations and
resources, depending on the market conditions and customer needs. Cloud services can provide Akhar with
more scalability and flexibility, by allowing Akhar to access and pay for only the resources and services it
needs, when it needs them. Cloud services can also provide Akhar with more options and features, such as
artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, and automation, to improve its performance and innovation.

Limited Access to Information: Akhar’s current system of using traditional methods for information
management and sharing is unreliable and inconsistent. It creates duplication and fragmentation of data and
files, and makes it hard to find and access the right information at the right time. This can affect Akhar’s
decision-making, quality, and customer satisfaction. Cloud services can provide Akhar with more access and
visibility to information, by allowing Akhar to store and manage its data and files in a centralized and secure
cloud platform, such as Microsoft Azure. This platform can provide Akhar with features such as data
integration, data governance, data quality, data security, and data analytics, to ensure that Akhar has accurate,
complete, and timely information for its business processes and functions.

Lack of real-time communication tools: Akhar’s current system of using phone calls and face-to-face
meetings for communication is outdated and inefficient. It creates dependency and delays in communication,
and makes it hard to reach and connect with the right people at the right time. This can affect Akhar’s
responsiveness, agility, and customer service. Cloud services can provide Akhar with more real-time
communication tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Outlook, to communicate and interact with its
employees, customers, suppliers, and partners, in a fast and convenient way. These tools allow Akhar to use
voice, video, text, and email, to communicate and exchange information, feedback, and updates, from any
device and location, and with anyone inside or outside the organization.

Delays in information sharing: Akhar’s current system of using email, intranet, shared drives or local servers
for information sharing is slow and cumbersome. It creates bottlenecks and gaps in information flow, and
makes it hard to share and receive information in a timely and consistent manner. This can affect Akhar’s
efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction. Cloud services can provide Akhar with more speed and
consistency in information sharing, by allowing Akhar to use online platforms and tools, such as Microsoft
Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Office 365, to share and receive information in real-time, from any device
and location, and with anyone inside or outside the organization. These tools also provide features such as
notifications, alerts, reminders, and approvals, to ensure that Akhar has the latest and relevant information for
its business processes and functions.

Data Security concerns: Akhar’s current system of using on-premise hardware and software for data storage
and protection is risky and vulnerable. It exposes Akhar’s data and files to potential threats and attacks, such as
theft, loss, damage, corruption, or unauthorized access. This can affect Akhar’s reputation, compliance, and
customer trust. Cloud services can provide Akhar with more security and peace of mind, by allowing Akhar to
store and protect its data and files in a secure and encrypted cloud platform, such as Microsoft Azure. This
platform can provide Akhar with features such as firewalls, antivirus, encryption, authentication, authorization,
and auditing, to ensure that Akhar’s data and files are safe and accessible only by authorized users and devices.

Backup and Disaster Recovery Issues: Akhar’s current system of using on-premise hardware and software
for backup and disaster recovery is unreliable and insufficient. It requires Akhar to manually backup and
restore its data and files, and to have a contingency plan and a backup site in case of a disaster or an
emergency. This can be costly, time-consuming, and prone to errors and failures. Cloud services can provide
Akhar with more reliability and resilience, by allowing Akhar to backup and restore its data and files in an
automated and seamless way, using a cloud platform, such as Microsoft Azure. This platform can provide
Akhar with features such as replication, synchronization, recovery point objective, recovery time objective,
and failover, to ensure that Akhar’s data and files are always available and recoverable, in case of any
disruption or disaster.
Test -3

Public cloud is cloud computing that is delivered via the internet and shared across organizations. Public
cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, own and
operate the cloud infrastructure and services, and offer them to the public on a pay-per-use basis. Public
cloud users have limited control over the cloud environment and resources, and share them with other
users. Public cloud is suitable for applications and data that are not sensitive or confidential, and that
require high scalability and availability.

Private cloud is cloud computing that is dedicated solely to one organization. Private cloud users, such as
Akhar clothing company, own and operate the cloud infrastructure and services, or outsource them to a
third-party provider, such as IBM or SAP. Private cloud users have full control over the cloud
environment and resources and do not share them with anyone else. Private cloud is suitable for
applications and data that are sensitive or confidential, and that require high security and compliance.

A hybrid cloud is cloud computing that combines public and private clouds. Hybrid cloud users, such as
Akhar clothing company, use both public and private clouds for different purposes and move data and
applications between them as needed. Hybrid cloud users have partial control over the cloud environment
and resources, and share some of them with other users. Hybrid cloud is suitable for applications and data
that have varying requirements, and that require high flexibility and agility.

Private cloud is the best choice for Akhar clothing industry because it offers the following benefits:

Features: Private cloud provides Akhar with a range of features and services that are tailored to its
specific needs and preferences. For example, Akhar can use SAP S/4HANA for fashion and vertical
business, a cloud-based solution that supports every aspect of its business, from manufacturing to
wholesale and retail channels1. Akhar can also use IBM Cloud Paks, a set of pre-integrated solutions that
enable Akhar to run its applications and data on any cloud platform, using artificial intelligence, machine
learning, analytics, and automation.

Cost Effective: Private cloud reduces Akhar’s operational and capital expenses, as it does not have to
invest in and maintain expensive hardware and software, or pay for unused or excess resources. Akhar
only pays for the resources and services it uses, and can optimize its resource utilization and allocation.
Private cloud also reduces Akhar’s energy consumption and carbon footprint, as it uses less physical
servers and equipment.

Performance: Private cloud enhances Akhar’s performance and productivity, as it provides Akhar with
faster and more reliable access to its applications and data, without any network latency or congestion.
Private cloud also improves Akhar’s quality and customer satisfaction, as it enables Akhar to deliver its
products and services more efficiently and effectively, without any downtime or errors.

Integration: Private cloud facilitates Akhar’s integration and interoperability, as it allows Akhar to connect
and communicate with its internal and external stakeholders, such as employees, customers, suppliers,
and partners, using common platforms and standards. Private cloud also enables Akhar to integrate and
synchronize its data and applications across different systems and devices, using data integration, data
governance, data quality, and data security features.
Security: Private cloud ensures Akhar’s security and privacy, as it protects Akhar’s applications and data
from potential threats and attacks, such as theft, loss, damage, corruption, or unauthorized access. Private
cloud provides Akhar with features such as firewalls, antivirus, encryption, authentication, authorization,
and auditing, to ensure that Akhar’s applications and data are safe and accessible only by authorized users
and devices.

Efficiency: Private cloud increases Akhar’s efficiency and innovation, as it allows Akhar to use online
platforms and tools, such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Office 365, to communicate
and collaborate more effectively and efficiently. These tools allow Akhar to create, share, edit, and access
documents, files, and data in real-time, from any device and location, and with anyone inside or outside
the organization. They also provide features such as chat, video conferencing, co-authoring, version
control, and workflow management, to enhance teamwork and productivity.

Reliability: Private cloud provides Akhar with more reliability and resilience, as it allows Akhar to
backup and restore its applications and data in an automated and seamless way, using a cloud platform,
such as Microsoft Azure. This platform provides Akhar with features such as replication, synchronization,
recovery point objective, recovery time objective, and failover, to ensure that Akhar’s applications and
data are always available and recoverable, in case of any disruption or disaster.

Management: Private cloud simplifies Akhar’s management and administration, as it allows Akhar to
monitor and control its cloud environment and resources, using a single dashboard or interface. Private
cloud also provides Akhar with features such as automation, orchestration, configuration, and
optimization, to ensure that Akhar’s cloud environment and resources are aligned with its business goals
and strategies.

Scalability: Private cloud provides Akhar with more scalability and flexibility, by allowing Akhar to
access and pay for only the resources and services it needs, when it needs them. Private cloud also
provides Akhar with more options and features, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics,
and automation, to improve its performance and innovation.

Flexibility: Private cloud provides Akhar with more flexibility and agility, by allowing Akhar to use
hybrid cloud for some of its applications and data that have varying requirements, and that require high
scalability and availability. Private cloud also allows Akhar to move its applications and data between
different cloud platforms, as needed.

Customization: Private cloud provides Akhar with more customization and personalization, by allowing
Akhar to design and configure its cloud environment and resources, according to its specific needs and
preferences. Private cloud also allows Akhar to modify and update its cloud environment and resources,
as needed.

Availability: Private cloud provides Akhar with more availability and accessibility, by allowing Akhar to
access its applications and data from anywhere and anytime, using any device and network. Private cloud
also ensures that Akhar’s applications and data are always online and operational, without any
interruption or outage

Availability Private provides akhar with availability and accessibility private cloud storage without
allowing interputting Akhar application and data are always online and operation any interruprion
Private cloud storatge customization ensures that application data are always online operaton
withour any interryption or storage interruption availability Private cloud storage interption
preference also akhar application and data are always online ansd operational without any
interputtion p