Verizon Enterprise Solutions recently launched their new cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform and cloud-based object storage service – Verizon Cloud- that aims to fundamentally change how public clouds are built.
Verizon’s vision is to deliver “Everything as a Service,” from network to cloud to security. With this goal, the company has developed an array of platforms that addresses the business needs of various verticals.
In an exclusive interaction with InfotechLead, Prashant Gupta, head of Solutions, Verizon Enterprise Solutions, discusses the latest trends and challenges in cloud deployments and how companies can improve business performance through their offerings.
What are your tips and solutions to enterprise CIOs to improve RoI from cloud deployments?
Enterprises and governments across the globe have unique challenges and requirements when it comes to cloud computing. These organizations have ever-increasing needs for secure, reliable, and redundant access to the cloud. To fully embrace that cloud, they demand business continuity services and dedicated connectivity to mission-critical data and applications.
We recently launched our 2013 State of the Enterprise Cloud Report that examines factors driving cloud adoption; the growth in demand for virtual machines, memory, and storage; and expectations for the future of the cloud.
Findings/learnings:
Our findings revealed that although many enterprises are still in phase one of cloud adoption—moving low-priority and commodity services to the cloud, forward-thinking organizations are looking for closer integration of cloud services with their own infrastructures and applications by leveraging a hybrid model to create differentiation and competitive advantage. There are still first-mover benefits to be gained from the cloud, but that window is rapidly closing. Already some companies are developing cloud strategies in response to their competitors’ actions, fearing that if they don’t, they’ll be at a disadvantage.
Again, as critical applications migrate to the cloud—even hybrid clouds—the cloud needs to mature to support the needs of the enterprise.And as technologies continue to mature, services could feature capabilities such as auto-scaling and customization, and configuration of individual application performance levels.
Eventually, cloud offerings will become tightly integrated with clients’ own databases, platforms, and applications, simplifying and harmonizing orchestration across the business.
Cloud services are also changing who purchases IT services. The traditional model—enterprise IT professionals buying infrastructure-intensive hosting, colocation, and professional services—is being challenged with line-of-business managers and heads of enterprise business units now purchasing cloudservices instead.
How is Cloud contributing to security issues?
Enterprise cloud has reached a tipping point. Organizations have seen the benefits cloud can provide—both in terms of efficiency and cost—and are ready to move an increasing number of mission-critical applications to cloud-based infrastructure. However in order for this to happen, cloud service providers must deliver to enterprise-grade availability and security.
A Data center-centric approach should be followed for Cloud security as it helps addressing issues around privacy, laws of the land etc. In a nut shell, if you know where your data is then only you can protect it.
If organizations maintain a steady focus on the business benefits of cloud computing, they will be well-suited to meet the objectives of C-level management with a positive effect on cohesion, collaboration and revenue.
Which are the main industry verticals that are deploying cloud?
Many exciting new applications are already in widespread use. Healthcare providers are taking advantage of the increased reach and scalability of cloud computing to deliver new services—such as tele-radiology and real-time remote diagnosis— quickly and cost-effectively. Content providers are leveraging the cloud’s reach and capacity to stream music, movies, and TV shows directly to customers, bypassing established networks.
Cloud’s disruptive potential has already impacted many industries, and we expect that disruption to continue, generating considerable new opportunities for growth and innovation.
What are the latest cloud trends?
The 2013 State of the Enterprise Cloud report that draws upon Verizon data between January 2012 and June 2013 examines current cloud adoption and usage trends—both in terms of how organizations are deploying cloud technologies and what they want from enterprise-grade cloud services. It considers the factors driving adoption; the growth in demand for VMs, memory, and storage; and expectations for the future of the cloud.
- The use of cloud-based storage has increased by 90 percent during the time period studied, and cloud-based memory by 100 percent; this has been driven largely by the shift of business-critical applications to the cloud.
- Increased cloud efficiencies means that the number of VMs deployed is growing more slowly than memory and storage requirements—35 percent over the same period.
- Organizations are now using cloud for more than just development and testing. They’re running external-facing and critical business applications in the cloud—production applications now account for 60 percent of cloud usage.
- Enterprises increased their average monthly spend on cloud by 45 percent. As cloud environments become more mainstream, enterprises use it for more business functions.
- With more critical applications residing in the cloud, uptime and availability are now essential.
- Security and related compliance requirements are driving hybrid cloud growth in the enterprise and public sector, and require increased focus on your cloud provider’s data center.
- Growth in big data will drive cloud adoption as a result of the increasing demands and volumes associated with data management and analysis.
- Many organizations are leveraging Cloud as a DR in the Cloud that reaps benefits of cost Flexibility and agility.
What are the pricing related concerns on cloud deployments from CIOs?
The Enterprise cloud has reached a tipping point. Organizations have seen the benefits cloud can provide—both in efficiency and cost—and are ready to move an increasing number of mission-critical applications to cloud-based infrastructure. However in order for this to happen, cloud service providers must deliver to enterprise-grade availability and security.
Almost any enterprise faced with building, managing, maintaining, and supporting in-house infrastructure are considering cloud services, which have become far simpler, efficient, and more effective. In fact, nearly half of respondents in a recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit said that when considering new investments, they evaluate cloud options even before traditional models as it makes managing expenses easier by offering the ability to pay for reserved, dedicated capacity, or by the instance.
Rajani Baburajan
