A Road Map to Risk Management Framework for Successful Implementation of Cloud Computing in Oman

Cloud computing nowadays is adopted by many organizations around the world because of its potential benefits such as cost reduction, high availability and elastic scaling. In spite of all the claimed benefits and to deal with any potential risk and vulnerability of cloud computing, risk management is becoming a critical domain that requires a fundamental review in the business strategies and can be linked to cloud computing, in order to have a successful cloud implementation. Risk management can help in avoiding, transferring, mitigating or minimizing the risks associated with being on the cloud. The main objective of this research is to explore the existing risk management frameworks in order to recommend an appropriate risk management framework for cloud computing environment. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed based on interviews conducted amongst the information technology and risk management professionals in Omani organizations (public and private). The recommended framework can be used in conjunction with other risk management approaches for industries which already moved to cloud or in transition of moving towards cloud environment in Oman.