Samenvatting

This thesis is focused on cloud computing and what the impact is on the enterprise architecture and projects success. Cloud computing is a way of offering services to a customer, it is based on a number of characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, measured Service, resource pooling and rapid elasticity. These characteristics promise faster implementations times, lower cost, bigger scalability and more end user satisfaction.
Cloud computing can be delivered on several layers, the first layer is the Software As A service (SaaS) layer in which software applications are delivered, these services are mainly intended for end users. Below the SaaS layer the Platform As A Service (PAAS) layer is positioned this layer offers a platform on which applications can be developed. The lowest layer is the Infrastructure As A Service (IAAS) layer in this layer the physical servers and network infrastructure is offered as a service.
These services can be deployed throughout the public internet, then it is called a public cloud or throughout the internal infrastructure then the cloud is called a private cloud. Some combinations of these deployment styles are also available.
To provide an answer to companies that play with the idea of using cloud computing, but are discouraged by the feeling that there is little knowledge about the impact of this concept this study will assess the impact of Cloud computing on the architecture of an enterprise. One of the big promises of cloud computing next to cost and time to market is the implementation project result which will be better(Joint, 2009), due to a clearer view on the offered service and a shorter time to market. To validate if this promise results of the implementation’s success are also investigated.