e-Revolution: Public cloud on the rise

CHANDIGARH, INDIA: With the growing need for innovative and sustainable business model, cloud computing is emerging as an unparalleled technology driver. That’s what came out from a panel discussion organized on the first day of e-Revolution, 'SaaS and Cloud Computing-Opportunities they provide to enterprises'.

The panel moderated by Chandramouli C S, director - Offshore Advisory, Zinnov Consulting, included Natraj Akella, SaaS leader - Software Group, IBM India; Kulbushan Chand, director partner, Solution Center, Oracle India and Ashutosh Agarwal, cloud computing COE lead, Infosys Technologies.

As per Gartner, 80 per cent of Fortune 500 companies will use SaaS by 2012. Emphasizing the growing importance of cloud technology, Agarwal pointed out the increased adoption of cloud-based services by large enterprises and the benefits they are getting out of it, like cost reduction and enhanced business efficiency.

Chand recommended cloud computing as the ultimate growth driver for SMBs and start-ups in particular. “It’s the way utility computing should happen. It's low on investment, offers pay-for-use pricing, multi tenancy and most importantly, it’s scalable,” he said.

According to Chand, public cloud will grow to 9 per cent of enterprise IT spend by 2012. “It’s an unmatched and innovative technology for the SMBs and start-ups and they must experience it once.”

According to Akella, “For IT powered evolution, huge amount of IT application and infrastructure is required. That will give rise to humongous amount of data. And some concept or technology is required to manage these huge IT infrastructure and data.”

He said cloud computing offers businesses the right solution which they can leverage on to achieve various business needs. “The technology creates lots of business flexibility and newer business outcomes,” he added.

Speaking further on the benefits SMBs can avail through cloud-based services, Akella said, “The SMBs can not only get access to world-class tools without buying them but it also saves them from headaches like installation, maintenance and manpower cost. While they can achieve Opex business model opposed to that of Capex, they can also actualize fresh business models and opportunities.”