Telecoms service providers can potentially offer several advantages over traditional IT service providers when it comes to delivering cloud services and solutions.
So says Theo Bensch, managing executive: Telkom Business IT & Cloud Solutions, who adds that the entire cloud and hosted data centre - whether it is as complex as moving mission-critical data and applications to the cloud, or as simple as providing data centre hosting solutions - is an engagement embedded in trust.
Enterprises have valid concerns about security and availability when their applications are in the cloud, he notes, and telecoms service providers, in most instances, have had long-standing trust relationships and partnerships with their customers, with respect to security and availability in their network connectivity. Telcos' cloud and data centre solutions are a natural extension of these traditionally strong relationships, he believes.
In addition, Bensch says, telcos have several key advantages over IT service providers when it comes to cloud service provision:
* Reach - telcos have vast connectivity footprints, and in many instances, are tier 1 bandwidth providers.
* Scale - cloud computing depends on elasticity, making scale critical. Telcos have generally invested heavily over many years in IT and infrastructure, allowing them to deliver at scale.
* Commitment - telcos are subject to stringent regulatory compliance, and customers can benefit immensely from this.
* People - telco people tend to be pragmatic, and engineering- and process-orientated. This is necessary in delivering cloud infrastructure and services.
* Partnerships - telcos generally run massive internal IT environments in partnership with software and hardware providers, and have been doing so for many years, allowing them to fully understand second-, third- and fourth-level support. Telcos understand how to derive the most from relationships with hardware and software providers, and their cloud and IT solutions have these fundamental relationships embedded in their solution and service offerings.
* Innovation - telcos have evolved over the years in the face of new technologies. In order to thrive in a changing environment, they have developed a culture of innovation.
"IT and networks are converging at a rapid pace. As IT functions increasingly depend on connectivity, the communications layer becomes critically important. Innovation in our customers' IT environments will drive future business strategy, and telco-based cloud and data centre solutions are well positioned to allow customers a great level of new possibilities in delivering strategic IT solutions for 21st Century companies," says Bensch.
"In South Africa, for example, you have Telkom, which is a certified tier 3 data centre service provider and a tier 1 bandwidth provider - and you need both to deliver compelling cloud offerings."
Bensch will address the upcoming ITWeb Cloud Computing Summit on the subject of the cloud's role in transforming the way IT is delivered. For more information about this event, click here.