The Nebulous Enterprise Cloud Computing

Defining Cloud Computing for enterprises

With any emerging market place, there are different reference points depending on who you are. Today, Cloud Computing is probably more commonly associated with the offerings of Amazon as a commodity. On the other hand, telecommunication firms from Verizon to BT are the natural players for enterprise class Cloud Computing because they have the custmer relationiship and the network. Nevertheless, when a buyer is thinking about a no-frill commodity service, a la Amazon Cloud, it can be an uphill battle to sell highly sercure, available, full service solutions.

Where experiments are taking place

While the conventional telco sales channels may be somewhat stymied in getting enterprise adoption, a good deal of experimentation are happening with (relatively) smaller players.

Cincinnati Bell, a ILEC, is building up its data center footprint in the US, Asia (Singapore), and Europe (UK) to supports its clients. Integra Telecom, a CLEC, is offering a new Cloud suite targetting SME and regional enterprises. And, even Facebook is opening up its data center as a way to encourage conversations with equipment makers and software providers. These are the kinds of places where emerging buseinss models are likely to emerge and are well worth watching.

A little (ITIL) SPIT in your Cloud?

Of course, the major international telco players are not sitting on their hands. A pressing issue in Cloud today is how to talk about it. It has hardware and software like the traditional IT world. It has service elements like consulting and BPO. Then, the whole thing has the extra dimension of operating on top of telecom networks. Thus far, we have not yet taken into account industry requirements such as medical or national regulations such as export control. Nor have we touched on what the consumers of Cloud care about.

With that degree of complexity in mind, it would be interesting to see if the development of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and SPIT (Service Provider IT) could bring some sanity into Cloud conversation for enterprise users.

* Cloud |= telco enterprise services: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=211716&f_src=lrdailynewsletter

* CLEC getting into Cloud: http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/integra-telecom-adds-palo-alto-networks-platform-its-cloud-services-suite/2011-08-29?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

* Small ILEC getting into Cloud: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2011/08/cincinnati-bell-banking-on-big-growth.html?page=all

* FaceBook's (Cloud) data center: http://www.economist.com/node/21525583

* ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) for telco operators: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=211702&site=lreurope&f_src=lrdailynewsletter

* SPIT (Service Provider IT) for telco operators: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=187395