Preparing the network for cloud computing
December 5, 2011
Though the concept of “cloud computing” is not new, it is undisputable that it has captured the imagination of the IT industry and will play a large part in the ICT domain over the next decade and beyond.
One critical component of cloud computing which is seldom mentioned, and goes a long way to addressing concerns over the performance / reliability issues, is the role of the network. As applications become virtualised and are transferred at will between data centres, more and more cloud implementations will require lower latency to continue to function. One method of solving this problem will be to use faster, more reliable networks which in turn help customers address questions around service levels. After all, how can any cloud service level agreement (SLA) be worth anything if the performance and availability of the network is not an integral part of it?…
With the availability of cloud servers and storage sizes growing at an exponential rate, the speed of the network really becomes the deciding factor when understanding the impact cloud computing can have on the way businesses function. This has led to the opportunity to create a hybrid cloud; an enterprise cloud model that takes a network-centric approach providing a best-fit between an in-house environment and a securely provided external infrastructure.
For example a financial institution using an enterprise cloud model enables them to move from a capital intensive cost model to one which is based on the consumption of services. No longer will customers need to over-provision computing resources – the scale of the enterprise cloud service allows high volume workloads to be consumed on demand, through a highly reliable and secure fibre network.
For the channel, the hybrid cloud model provides the ability to offer customers the perceived security of a private cloud with the flexibility and cost saving ‘pay as you go’ model of the public cloud. There is nervousness among some resellers regarding the cloud model, often because when vendors deliver software-as-a-service (SaaS) they feel it could potentially cut them out of the loop. But no matter how the service is delivered, customers will always need expertise in what IT solution is right for their business, a local presence that understands their unique needs.
As trusted advisers, people turn to VARs to help keep up with all the latest technology trends. It’s an open-ended question: “Is there anything else I should be thinking about?” At the end of the day, everyone wants to deal with a person. Resellers that are able to advise on the issues presented by the cloud and offer solutions that strike a balance between security, cost and compliance will be well placed. Resellers will have the ability to market and sell complementary offerings, and get customers up and running. They can also set commercial terms with their customers, manage all customer billing, and can thereby grow their client relationships. Partners can receive recurring revenue streams for the lifetime of the customer. In addition, ISVs will be able to offer their own white-label cloud offerings and sell via their existing channels.
The path to cloud deployment is dependent on the current state of each organisation’s IT, business objectives and priorities, and strategies for risk mitigation. Thus, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each journey has to be tailored to a particular customer’s situation, working to assess, evaluate, and determine the most appropriate path that accelerates the transformation and produces the highest business value to the organisation, while appropriately offsetting risks. To provide such secure business-driven services, based on real end-to-end performance and quality, you can’t separate cloud services from the network over which it is provided.
Only with a reliable network integrated as part of a complete cloud service can channel resellers truly assure their customers of service levels through effective SLAs they can really rely on.