A gap analysis is a process of comparing the current state and the desired state of a system or a process and identifying the gaps or differences between them. A gap analysis can help an organization to determine the steps and resources needed to achieve its goals and objectives. A gap analysis can be used for cloud migration to assess the readiness and suitability of the existing services and applications for the cloud, and to identify the gaps in terms of performance, security, functionality, compatibility, and cost. A gap analysis can also help to prioritize the migration tasks and to estimate the time and effort required for the migration1.
The other options are not appropriate for the recommendation:
Feasibility study: This is a process of evaluating the viability and benefits of a proposed project or solution. A feasibility study can help an organization to determine whether a project is worth pursuing, and to identify the potential risks and challenges involved. A feasibility study can be used for cloud migration to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of moving to the cloud, and to compare different cloud service models and providers. A feasibility study can also help to define the scope and objectives of the migration project2. However, a feasibility study is not sufficientto inform the CIO of the additional resources necessary for the migration, as it does not provide a detailed analysis of the gaps and requirements of the existing services and applications.
Future requirements: These are the needs and expectations of the organization and its stakeholders for the future state of the system or the process. Future requirements can help an organization to plan and design the system or the process to meet the changing demands and opportunities. Future requirements can be used for cloud migration to envision the desired outcomes and benefits of moving to the cloud, and to align the migration strategy with the business strategy and goals3. However, future requirements are not specific enough to inform the CIO of the additional resources necessary for the migration, as they do not provide a detailed analysis of the gaps and requirements of the existing services and applications.
Baseline report: This is a document that records the current state and performance of the system or the process, and serves as a reference point for measuring the progress and improvement. A baseline report can help an organization to monitor and evaluate the system or the process, and to identify the areas of strength and weakness. A baseline report can be used for cloud migration to measure the performance and functionality of the existing services and applications, and to compare them with the cloud-based services and applications4. However, a baseline report is not comprehensive enough to inform the CIO of the additional resources necessary for the migration, as it does not provide a detailed analysis of the gaps and requirements of the existing services and applications.
[References:, Gap Analysis for Cloud Migration, Feasibility Study for Cloud Migration, Future Requirements for Cloud Migration, Baseline Report for Cloud Migration, , , , , ]