You are to develop a business case to support the implementation of a cloud computing solution to

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Question:

You are to develop a business case to support the implementation of a cloud computing solution to a business' computing needs. To achieve a satisfactory result for this task you are to develop a business case to a satisfactory industry standard, submitting your assessment following the instructions provided.

You are required to:

analyse the computing needs of a business through the use of a survey and interactions with the business manager
research and recommend a cloud computing solution
develop a business case to support the implementation of this solution

You are encouraged to use the Gaming Galore scenario as provided on the following pages or after seeking approval from your teacher, you may complete this task with a suitable existing business of your choice. For the purpose of the scenario, your Assessor will play the role of the business manager you will contact to survey and discuss the business needs.

Gaming Galore

Gaming Galore is a family-owned and operated business selling a broad range of Board Games and up-market gifts. The first store opened in Red Hill in 1999, but the business now has a total of 4 retail stores operating across Brisbane. The remaining stores are located in Yeronga, Indooroopilly, and Albany Creek.

Brenda Robson is the original owner and continues to work as the General Manager of the business. There are also 4 Store Managers, all of whom report directly to Brenda. Brenda works out of a small office at the Red Hill store, and a Bookkeeper works out of this office also. Brenda is aware that a number of the systems used by Gaming Galore are outdated and she needs you (Independent Consultant) to analyse the current setup and recommend improvements. Brenda is aware that cloud computing solutions exist, but does not know where to start! As the owner and General Manager of Gaming Galore, Brenda Robson is responsible for authorising any business process improvements.

Currently, all purchasing is made by Brenda from the Red Hill store, but each Store Manager receives the new stock as it is delivered directly to their store. Each store has a cash register and an EFTPOS terminal to record sales. Each store has one computer (Windows) for the Store Manager to respond to email inquiries and keep in touch with the General Manager and the Bookkeeper. The Red Hill store has 3 computers - 1 for the General Manager, 1 for the Bookkeeper, and 1 for the Store Manager.

Cash Registers:

Each cash register can be manually overridden as needed (in the event of failure).The EFTPOS terminals were all installed when the latest store was opened (Albany Creek) in 2011. All EFTPOS terminals are provided by Commonwealth Bank (CBA).As the EFTPOS terminals operate on power and phone line, if either of these fails, the staff can complete a manual voucher which can be authorised by ringing the CBA.

All stores maintain monthly sales of around $15000, of which, 33% is received in cash, and 67% is paid via EFTPOS. Gaming Galore has paid the same monthly fees per terminal since they were installed in 2011:

Monthly rental fee of $100
Merchant fees of 1.5% (paid monthly in arrears)

Store Computers and Printers:

All store computers were updated when the latest store was opened (Albany Creek) in 2011.Each computer uses Microsoft Office 2010 (one-off payment at the time of installation). Support for Microsoft Office 2010 ceases in 2020. The Store Manager at each store uses QuickBooks, Outlook, Word, and Excel. Brenda Robson also uses Publisher when organizing advertising materials. Gaming Galore does not have any training materials for these programs. New staff members are taught how to use the programs by existing staff members.

Each of the 4 stores had new printers installed in 2014. Each printer is connected by LAN and is able to print, scan and photocopy.Internet (provided by Telstra) is connected to an ADSL router by LAN. There have been no issues with LAN connectivity. Each store is on an independent LAN, and files cannot be shared between stores unless they are emailed.

Bookkeeping

In 2012, Brenda and the Bookkeeper installed QuickBooks Premier 2012 to record the transactions of Gaming Galore. Gaming Galore continues to use this accounting software, although support for this software was discontinued in May 2015. There are no ongoing fees.

Each Store Manager records their sales in QuickBooks daily. Weekly, the bookkeeper backs up the sales of each stores onto a portable hard drive and uploads them to the main copy of QuickBooks (kept at Red Hill).Purchases and Payroll are recorded by the General Manager and the Bookkeeper at the Red Hill store. When purchases are received at a store, the relevant Store Manager will email Brenda to advise what stock has been received.

The Bookkeeper produces monthly, quarterly, and annually for the group and for each individual store. The data is exported from QuickBooks to Excel and the Store Managers and Brenda can then manipulate the reports and chart them as needed.

Internet and Telephone

Internet (ADSL) and phone services are currently provided by Telstra but they are threatening to cut the service unless we switch to NBN.

Organizational Chart