The trick for IT is to move quickly enough to make end users feel they are making some progress, according to Sean Hackett, analyst at The 451 Group. Modify or slim down traditional procurement processes so they can support quick decisions on cloud or SAAS. That'll keep IT in the game without giving up too much of its own prerogatives or requirements, Hackett says.

Marketing isn't just for marketing. If IT's only role in the cloud is to take away the fun, business units will avoid IT even if it provides a real benefit, Cramm says.

The beauty of cloud is that it shifts much of the dry, technical maintenance work to vendors while leaving policy and operational responsibilities with the customer- the IT department. So don't let cloud providers or users shove IT into the role of enforcing negative policy requirements like disk or usage quotas and maintaining internal hardware while the provider takes all the credit for the app they deliver.

Instead, have IT automate dynamic provisioning, create an app store interface through which business managers can distribute the apps they own, and provide backup, security and other insurance policies to save the day when there's a big problem. That's an IT department that is competing for the business of its end users, Schreck says.