Most enterprises are migrating to the cloud - it is the buzzword and the solution everybody is talking about. Enterprises need solutions which are flexible enough to adapt to fluctuating demand, deliver high-end security, reliable connectivity and keep the costs and time management to a minimum, says Portia Mokoena, Product Development Manager, Neotel.
Cloud comes with numerous advantages and capabilities, but there are challenges which must be addressed to ensure it works seamlessly for the enterprise. The most obvious of these is that companies are moving from a CAPEX to an OPEX model, from physical to virtual IT infrastructure, so all aspects of the solution are accessible from one cloud service provider. The challenge this presents is in enterprises establishing new baselines for connectivity within the organisation and sourcing connectivity models which are capable of delivering uptime 24/7.
Mokoena says that the challenge which arises from a move to the cloud is that the IT infrastructure is no longer dedicated and onsite - it can be located anywhere in the world. This introduces important legal and compliance issues which the enterprise has to be aware of - where the data is stored, how secure the solution is and who has access to it as well as POPI, PCI compliance and adherence to EU and USA data laws.
In addition, the reliability of the connection is of vital importance. With cloud, connectivity is impacted by service provider, location and network. In addition to this, many global cloud service providers (CSP's) don't have a presence in South Africa which causes significant latency issues, she says. This can potentially result in an unpredictable network which will impact user experience and accessibility.
"For many organisations, the biggest issue beyond PCI compliance is the cost of international bandwidth," says Mokoena. "They need to access multiple cloud providers and establishing these links can drive up the cost considerably. Alongside the cost and unpredictability is, of course, security. It is a risk and the enterprise has to find a solution which is reliable and cost-effective."
This is causing most organisations to opt for private connections with various service providers so they are assured of improved network performance. However, this introduces a new challenge - customers need to establish connectivity to each cloud provider and manage them, she says. And this is a time consuming and complex kettle of fish.
Tata Communication paid attention to the problem. They set up their own connections to the major global cloud providers, such as Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.
"Customers only need a single link to the Neotel MPLS network and we can connect them to any of the CSP's which are part of the Tata ecosystem," says Mokoena.
This solution, known locally as NeoPrivate Connect, immediately addresses the issues of latency and redundancy as it ensures the shortest routes and 99.999% uptime. With one service provider, the enterprise now has access to all these cloud service providers at speeds which will make a significant difference to performance, she says.
"The cost saving of the solution is also significant in terms of time saved and the price tag," concludes Mokoena. "It takes away the hassle of managing relationships and setting up connectivity with the various cloud service providers. This is connectivity done the easy way with minimal admin and stress, but with maximum efficacy."
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