Dell expands into cloud-based services

Dell has entered into an agreement with a Chinese provider of cloud-based customer relationship and call centre operations management platform, whereby it will offer the Chinese company's product to its existing enterprise customers, reports DatacenterDynamics.

Dell already has an extensive relationship with Salesforce.com, one of the most widely known cloud-based CRM platform providers. InfoBird, Dell's new Chinese partner, says the agreement was another step in Dell's pursuit of its strategy of expansion in the market for cloud-based services.

InfoBird cited recommendations the Boston Consulting Group made to Dell, suggesting the company pursue growth in three areas: cloud computing, wireless and channels.

UK businesses are primarily concerned with SaaS and cloud computing, with 31% saying it is driving increased use of data centre capacity, according to a national survey commissioned by Telehouse of over 100 senior IT professionals, states CIOL.

With Gartner forecasting that the cloud computing market could reach a global value of $150 billion by 2013, it is unsurprising that 83% of respondents predict their data centre requirement will also grow in the next three years.

Looking further ahead, over 80% of respondents thought securing access to additional data centre capacity would be either 'critical' or 'important' in the next five years.

The UK Forum of Private Business warns that severe weather conditions could cost businesses £230 million (R2.7 billion) per day if they do not take steps to enable staff to work from home, says Computing.co.uk.

The figure is based on one employee per company being off for one day and not working. FPB research manager Tom Parry says losing key staff because of the weather, even for just a day, is damaging, particularly in the current economic conditions.

“It's important that employers have contingency plans for these occasions and that these comply with employment law. Home working is the solution in many cases - although not for manufacturers and retailers - but business owners should be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure that employees' houses meet health and safety standards,” adds Parry.