Finding the Perfect Cloud

Today we have the best in cloud technology, but enterprises have to wisely choose the applications and the cloud provider for smooth and secured functioning

Generally, there are 3 types of cloud offerings—platformas- a- Service ( Paas), Software- as- a- Service ( Saas), and Infrastructure-as-a-service (Iaas). We can get on to a debate regarding what is more important—platform, infrastructure, or applications. While applica ons are devised to be used by people, infrastructures and pla orms are designed to be used by applica ons. Applica ons provide more specific, higher level service, and it resolves a more targeted problem.

While a platform/infrastructure offers general, rela vely low-level service and resolves a broader problem faced by many different applica ons. Therefore of these the most sought-a er service by enterprises is Saas, also known as cloud applica ons.

There are lots of cloud solu ons available in the industry, but enterprises ought to warily choose enterprise applica ons and the cloud provider for smooth and secured func oning of cloud applica ons. Let us look at the key requirements/things that

IT has already realized that it is easier to use a Saas application than to build and support a custom application in-house

enterprise should be wary of while selec ng enterprise cloud applica ons.

SMBS & Cloud Apps

Alpna Doshi, chief informa on officer, Reliance Communica ons states, “The 3 main factors driving companies toward the cloud are: Efficiency (both opera onal and capital), simplicity (of opera ons), and agility“. These are quite well-researched and very compelling to almost everyone. But as the market matures, it will come to realize a set of business-related factors that may eventually outweigh these. Once enterprises have true cloud-enabled It—one that’s not a ball-and-chain to the lines-of-business—leadership will realize that IT can become a business driver and enabler“. Once IT is as nimble as any other part of the business, it will be viewed as a key compe ve weapon by many, and that will become the driving factor to the cloud.”, Doshi adds.

Small enterprises use business core applications like enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer rela onship management (CRM), salesforce, etc. Large enterprises usually use low cloud applica ons due to no proper regula on on data privacy and security around it. They are not going for core business applications, but they usually go for peripheral applica ons or support applica ons. Similarly, Rajeev Batra, CIO, MTS India says, “Businesses are eager to convert capex into an opex model. Commercially, the cloud is working out well for them. Businesses can get access to high-end applica ons which otherwise would be expensive. For SMES managing an IT infrastructure or ge ng the IT skills is a task.