What Has The Cloud Really Changed?

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New IT model, new risks

At least that is the theory. In practice, however, customers may encounter several problems:

• Hard- and software makers and services firms with a successful tradition may introduce cloud computing solutions with some delay in order not to harm their current business model. That seems to be the case with Microsoft and its ‘hybrid’ solution Office 365. Others, like Dell, appear to be focused on their home countries, which limits their efforts in other markets. Lastly, services firms are often building cloud solutions around their core competencies. That means they are extraordinarily reliable partners in these specific areas, but probably less qualified when it comes to building complete – and entirely new – infrastructure.

• Some newer IT providers see themselves as members of an avant-garde whose main mission is to convince reluctant customers that cloud computing will solve all their IT problems. One example is Google, whose Apps services work well enough. But introducing a laptop that becomes dead weight as soon as it goes offline indicates the company may not yet be familiar enough with average, brick-and-mortar business requirements.

• Some competitors, such as the post-merger Oracle, are still in the process of consolidating their product and service portfolios, which could cause trouble regarding integration and service level consistency.

Along with these new problems, some well-known ones remain. Most important among them are legal implications that arise when companies opt to implement cloud solutions, i.e. to outsource IT functions or important parts thereof.

How can they ensure their data are stored safely and completely? How do they protect them against unauthorized access? How high is the risk of leakage and what happens if data get lost? Considering the aforementioned warning from Microsoft, potential cloud adopters will be well advised to only enter contracts with IT providers that have the manpower and expertise to guarantee strict data protection.

So what does all this mean with regard to purchase decisions? Whilst market transformation provides customers with a much larger set of vendors to choose from, it also means choices are harder to make and more critical: investing in the ‘wrong’ technologies and solutions may easily result in inadequate infrastructures and set organisations back a number of years.

In a situation like that, the safest decision is to enter (or maintain) a partnership with a vertically integrated vendor. Not only do these have the largest product and service portfolios, but also a well-defined strategic approach to cloud computing. This can  ‘moderate’ customers’ move from traditional architectures to the cloud and tend to them along the way, with a focus on solving problems.

Conclusion

Within just a few years, the rapid propagation of cloud services and infrastructures has radically transformed enterprise computing as well as the IT market. As a result, customers can now order tailor-made solutions and capacities on demand from more vendors than before.

However, with a growing number of competitors demanding their slice of the cake, it becomes increasingly complicated to pick the right partner. Against this backdrop, vertically integrated IT providers with a proven track record are currently the best choice for organisations that plan to readjust their IT in the medium and long term. But even with a competent partner, there are still legal issues to consider – as well as the risk of a vendor lock-in.

Bernhard Brandwitte is head of portfolio marketing at Fujitsu Technology Solutions