More local firms seen embracing cloud technology

MANILA, Philippines - Enterprises getting into the cloud are seen to rise in the Philippines this year as more firms look to increase their information technology (IT) capability at minimal costs, and more cloud solutions are provided in the market, officials of cloud service providers said.

Grace Castillo, head of Enterprise Segments Group at Globe Telecom said on the sidelines of the launch of the firm’s new cloud solution Dynamic Infrastructure Services (DIS) that more firms are seen to start using cloud solutions as they seek to improve their IT capability in a cost efficient manner.

“I think we are seeing enterprises to start embracing the cloud technology as they look at technology as a way to enable their business to grow at a low cost,” Castillo said.

She said that given the need of businesses for a range of information and communications technology (ICT) solutions, enterprises are expected to start using cloud solutions since it can provide them opportunities to use technology which they could not use before, without having to spend for hardware and IT staff.

Castillo said that compared to cloud technology services which allows firms to use and access applications for their businesses needs without having to make a huge investment, traditional infrastructure limits firms’ IT capacity and requires a lot of spending since there is a need to pay for the hardware itself and the maintenance of the system.

She said that firms adopting the cloud technology are also seen to increase this year as more cloud solution services become available in the market.

Castillo said that as firms become familiar with the technology and what it can do for their businesses, more of them are expected to start adopting the technology or to try using new cloud solutions.

Firms, she said, can choose between using public cloud, private cloud or hybrid solutions, depending on their requirements.

Francisco Claravall IV, head of Business Products and Services at Globe Telecom said in the same event that some firms require a solution that will allow them to use applications online, but at the same time have control over certain data.

Castillo cited that the newly-launched DIS of Globe Telecom for instance, can address the need of firms in need of a private and dedicated cloud infrastructure solution without increasing their IT expenditure.

The DIS, she said, can be quickly deployed at the customer’s premises, integrated to existing infrastructure, and subscribed on a monthly basis.

“We’re customizing the pricing, depending on the requirement of the customer,” Castillo said.

Meanwhile, Joel Garcia, lead for server and tools business group of Microsoft Philippines said in a server summit which opened on Wednesday that as more cloud computing solutions are branded as a service and become available in the market, more firms are bound to pick it up.

“When somebody takes a lead and they see an example…then they jump on it,” he added.

Microsoft, he said, has new solutions which allow better management and delivery of service from the data center for firms such as System Center 2012 which helps manage IT environments across traditional data centers, private and public clouds, client computers and devices; and SQL 212 which allows firms to approach cloud opportunities, whether public or private at their own terms.