Over the past few years, there was a lot of hype around cloud-based technologies and their benefits. Today, most enterprises have done / continue to do cloud pilot projects, proofs of concept and initial implementations. However clients still must get comfortable with new contract structures and address concerns on security and data privacy.
Cloud broadly encompasses three main opportunities – (1) SaaS – provision of software; (2) PaaS – an application platform; and (3) IaaS – storage and infrastructure. Opportunities also exist for consultants, integrators and aggregators who help clients progress into the cloud and manage a range of services on the cloud.
Cloud – Service Offerings
Cloud strategy and planning – Developing a Cloud roadmap and assess cloud readiness
Cloud enablement – Build a robust and secure Cloud computing environment to deliver IaaS and PaaS
Cloud brokerage – Bring together private and public Clouds, and enterprise assets
Cloud migration – Service on-boarding and best-in-class business services
Cloud application development – Build native Cloud services involving collaborative and ubiquitous services
Cloud security – Deliver a risk-based security framework that addresses and integates with existing compliance and privacy regulations
Cloud sustenance – Manage Cloud governance and Quality of Service (QoS) issues
Cloud usage in the consumer segment has been driven by media streaming and access to cloud storage with an easy interface at minimal cost (applications like Dropbox and Google Drive). On the enterprise side, clients are seeing a need to provide access to large data archives (for eg: access to case studies on best practices to employees, access to a data library to customers).
Client IT departments are stretched and need cloud functionality within their private cloud set-ups. Near term, cloud is a significant opportunity; longer term will depend on strategy and investments – for example, IBM expects to be a “net gainer” with the shift towards cloud.