Cloud Vendors: Raising a Storm

Citrix

Citrix Cloud Center (C3) is an integrated portfolio of Citrix delivery
infrastructure products packaged and marketed to the cloud service provider
market. C3 integrates cloud proven virtualization and networking products that
power many of todays largest Internet and web service providers. This unique
combination allows next generation cloud providers take advantage of the most
widely adopted virtual infrastructure platform for hosted cloud services as well
as the most proven infrastructure to deliver those services reliably and
securely to both cloud consumers and enterprise data centers.

EMC

EMC provides products and solutions that are cloud complaint. It formed the
industrys first and most dynamic coalition alliance with Cisco and VMware
called Virtual Computing Environment (VCE) alliance aimed at hastening
collaboration in development, services and partner enablement that de-risks the
infrastructure virtualization journey of customers to private cloud
implementation. For customers, who want to build their own infrastructure, EMCs
portfolio offers products/solutions such as Atmos and Atmos onLine

VMware

VMwares vSphere 4 according to the company is the industrys first cloud
operating system that transforms data centers into dramatically simplified cloud
infrastructure. It enables the next generation of flexible, reliable IT services
to be delivered both within internal clouds as well as from external clouds. It
aggregates and holistically manages large pools of infrastructureprocessors,
storage and networkingas a seamless, flexible and dynamic operating
environment. VMwares vCloud is an important initiative that will allow
customers to break beyond the barrier of what virtual infrastructure provides
today and enable them to extend their computing model out on to the Internet.

Infosys

Infosys is already helping some of its leading customers adopt cloud by defining
their cloud strategy as well as in migrating existing apps to the cloud and
developing new apps on the cloud. In addition to the services role, Infosys is
also creating Business Platforms, a pioneering initiative that provides the
hardware/software needed to run an app along with the workforce needed to use
these applications in an organizational context.

Wipro Infotech

Wipro Infotechs Cloud Computing Services offer IT solutions to address customer
requirements on a pay-per-use model, with dynamic infrastructure provisioning
capabilities delivered from their world-class data centers Wipros Cloud
Computing Services portfolio includes infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and
software as a service (SaaS). It offers services like managed compute, storage,
back-up, security and DR.

Patni

Patni is in the integrator category of cloud services. Its cloud offerings
includeCloud Acceleration Program that provides a low-risk, seamless
transformation plan for enterprises to cost-effectively leverage the cloud. The
company also provides cloud based outsourcing solutions, where it has three key
frameworksaccelerated cost transformation, integrated global support services
and application portfolio rationalization.

Virtusa

"Virtusa is among the first business process management (BPM) consulting
firms to provide BPM services in the cloud platform. We recently unveiled cloud
services offering for Pegasystems BPMSmartPaaS," says Chirantan Chatterjee,
director, ECM and BPM practice, Virtusa. Company sources say that Virtusas new
package combines consulting, implementation services, deployment and managed
services to help customers who are interested in developing, testing and
deploying their BPM initiatives in the cloud.

Cognizant

Cognizant believes that cloud enabled next generation sourcing solutions
will be a source of significant value for enterprises. The company says that all
the new technologies and approaches that fall under the umbrella of cloud
computing represent opportunities for it to create a range of cloud enabled
solutions that were not feasible with older generation technologies. Cognizant
says that it is working on new offerings that could unlock new levels of
business value by implementing next generation delivery and commercial models
based upon a cloud computing backbone.

HCL Technologies

HCL is in the domain of application and infrastructure integration and the
company pitches itself as an early mover in this space as it has created utility
models like Business Ready Infrastructure (BRI), and the first to partner with
ISVs and technology companies to create cloud based services, delivery
platforms and service operating models in India.

Cisco

Ciscos vision for enterprise cloud computing is aimed at delivering value
by reducing operational and capital expenses, while increasing the agility and
reliability of critical information systems. Ciscos cloud computing strategy
has three core elements: One, delivering products, solutions and services to
organizations enabling them to build their own secure clouds capable of
supporting enterprise class SLAs. Two, enabling service providers to deliver
secure cloud solutions and services to their customers. Three, investing to
advance the market for cloud by driving technology innovation, open standards
(addressing vendor lock-in concerns) and ecosystem development.

Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems delivers the industrys most integrated set of
computing resources to create a single pool of virtualized block, file and
content storage, enabling organizations to adopt cloud services at their own
pace. This unique approach uses a single infrastructure which is reliable,
scalable, multitenant and multitiered. It provides integrated search, migration
and archive capabilities and is designed for great performance.

Akamai

Traditionally, cloud providers (SaaS, PaaS and IaaS) have adopted the
approach of hosting/delivering their applications or services from a single
location or a small number of data centers. Even with a multi data center
approach, the cloud providers servers may be far away from most users resulting
in poor user experience. "Akamai solves this problem with its highly
distributed, secure architecture where servers are located at the edge of the
Internet, very close to end users, enabling reliable delivery and LAN like
responsiveness for applications or services over the public Internet," says
Bruno Goveas, application acceleration product specialist.

Sonata

Sonatas approach to cloud computing leverages its core strengths in
application development and IT infrastructure. "We have a track record of having
offered a travel back-office solution in the SaaS model to travel retail clients
in the German market and are currently partnering with SAP in the German market
on their SaaS initiatives. We are also leveraging this learning and exploring
pay-per-use solutions in select SME domains in India such as construction and
retail. We are forging multiple alliances with other players in the cloud to
offer comprehensive solutions," says Dinesh Ramachandran, head, product
management and M&A, Sonata Software.

Omnitech

Omnitech provides end-to-end IT services in the area of business availability
and business continuity. Omnitech managed IT services include infrastructure,
application and performance management services. Says Atul Hemani, MD, Omnitech
Info Solutions, "We are poised to launch our full-fledged cloud services for the
education segment. We would like to be a pioneer in this space. We believe that
the education segment will immensely benefit through cloud computing on the
technology, management and administration, flexibility and scalability fronts.
The segment does not need highly critical security aspects in majority of its
operational areas; and hence they could migrate to cloud quickly."

Accenture

Accenture provides cloud based solutions likeCloud Computing Accelerator
(infrastructure and platform clouds, using proprietary tools); and Cloud
Opportunity Assessment Tool, that facilitates a candid analysis of enterprises
opportunities. This assessment and decision support tool is driven by a
repository of cloud computing research and applications. It also offers cloud
computing data processing solutions, an assessment tool that enables the client
on the path to building a strategy model that weighs the as-is data center
against the to-be infrastructure, capturing external factors, risks,
expenditure, waves and any cost benefits.

Symantec

Symantecs cloud services are spread across key areas. It provides hosted
services to businesses and consumers like hosted messaging security, web
security and email archiving to more than 9 mn business users in more than
hundred countries through its hosted services. Symantec also enables enterprises
to build their own private cloud infrastructure with its software and services
through FileStore. The company also offers cloud ready consulting services for
cloud strategy development.

Trend Micro

This company sees cloud computing as an important space. According to Amit
Nath, country manager, Trend Micro, India and Saarc, "Trend Micros Smart
Protection Network, which is a next generation cloud client content security
infrastructure designed to block threats before they reach the network. By
combining Internet based or in-the-cloud technologies with smaller, light weight
clients, one will have immediate access to the latest protection wherever and
however one connectsfrom home, within the companys network or on-the-go.

CSS

The company says that its is one of the few ones that offers the triple play
of cloud serviceswhich includes design and enablement services, cloud
operations and management services and cloud application support services. "Our
services are delivered 24x7 from operations centers that are located around the
globe. Our center of excellence focuses on cloud computing and has developed a
portfolio of tools/platforms that accelerate the process of cloud enablement for
an enterprise. One of the key platforms is our CloudTestGo platform, that tests
applications to make sure they will perform optimally in a cloud environment,"
says Ahmar Abbas, senior VP, global infrastructure management, CSS.

Red Hat

Red Hat has a strong cloud initiative and provides a good cloud
infrastructure solution via the Linux platform (RHEL), Virtualization solution (RHEV),
JBoss Middleware and Messaging, Realtime, Grid (MRG) solutions. Says Ravindra
Ranade, head, global professional services, Red Hat India, "With this portfolio
of products, we are software infrastructure solution providers for cloud
providers like Amazon Web Services, IBM Cloud, NTT Japan, etc. IBM cloud is
powered by Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. Also Red Hat Enterprise Linux is
being offered as a guest operating system on the IBM cloud."

CA Technologies

CA has what is called the Cloud Connected Enterprise. According to Amit
Chatterjee, MD, CA Technologies India, "Our development strategy is a
combination of build (through our own investment in innovation and product
development) and buy through acquisitions such as 3Tera, NetQoS and Oblicore.
Targeted acquisitions enable us to move quickly to enter new, adjacent markets
or substantially upgrade existing offerings for our customers. A good example is
our aggressive move in the management of cloud computing. We have many of the
components in-house already, but buying companies such as Cassatt, NetQoS,
Oblicore and 3Tera have enabled us to take giant leaps forward."

Novatium

This company offers consumer computing through the cloud. Called as Novatium
NetPC, a streamlined technology with lower price which is based on inexpensive
cell phone chips and comes without the HDD, memory and OSthat add hundreds of
dollars to the cost of regular PCs. Instead, they are little more than a
keyboard, a screen and a couple of USB portsand use a central network server to
run software applications and store data. Novatium already sells the Nova NetPC
home user package for only Rs 4,999 in addition to a monthly subscription
starting at Rs 450, including a 30 hour Internet access.

Dell Services

Dell offers cloud computing across four key strategic areas: One, it
provides products and services that will enable enterprises to the cloud in the
most efficient and effective ways. Two, to transform its IT operations to the
next generation of computing, that is to the cloud. Three, enable Dell Services
next generation of service offerings around SaaS, IaaS, and desktop and vertical
solutions; and four, support a cloud based ecosystem of private, public and
hybrid clouds, being a single point of services for all aspects of cloud
enablement and management.

Altair Engineering

Altairs cloud computing offering called PBS Works provides complete
solution to companies which want to build IasS. The company says that most of
the companies are taking advantage of their existing infrastructure and
converting them to enterprise cloud. This allows them to virtualize their
infrastructure and increase productivity and RoI from the existing investment.
Altair also has offerings at SaaS level, where it provides PBS Analytics and PBS
Catalyst. PBS Catalyst is an easy to use interface to cloud for users. It has
both web based interface and a desktop client interface to access the cloud.

RSA

Company sources say that RSA has one of the worlds largest SaaS security
practices, with more than 3,700 organizations relying on RSAs hosted operations
for a variety of RSA products offered in this delivery model. RSA has been
offering SaaS in India for a little over two years, now. The RSA Identity
Protection and Verification Suite is a complete SaaS portfolio of strong
authentication and anti-fraud solutions. Organizations are using RSAs SaaS
products for authentication, fraud detection and monitoring. Globally, RSAs
hosted operations have been offering SaaS products for more than seven years in
the areas of web authentication, card authentication, and identity verification.

Ramco Systems

Ramco OnDemand ERP (RODE) is one of the prime cloud offerings of Ramco Systems.
Based on a SaaS mode of IT delivery, RODE is a one-of-a-kind full-fledged ERP
solution, which caters to the needs of fast growing businesses. This solution
streamlines and integrates multiple functions and systems into one solution, and
gives total visibility and control of operations. It is configured as per
business requirements,

Whitewall Networks

This company offers niche category of enterprise class appliances for
on-demand cloud computing, be it be infrastructure (IaaS) or platform (PaaS).
Company sources say that it enables this with cloud arbitrage abstracted with
current trends and provider offered services, maintaining transparency,
interoperability and enable migration to cloud. The company says that its
strengths lie in enabling cloud provider agnostic IT deployments that can grow
and shrink with demand. And it has the capabilities to provide complete data
storage and security and can enable cloud based IT services to become mission
critical with SLAs.

Safenet

The company enables security on the cloud. Says Rana Gupta, business head,
Safenet India and Saarc, "We are of the view that security is the enabler to the
adaption of cloud computing technologies. Data is at the center of
everythingallowing businesses to run and enable the products and services that
will drive competitive advantage for them in the future." The company also
offers data centric security solutions like Intelligent Authentication Tokens,
Secure Cryptographic Key Storage and Secure storage in the cloud across file,
application, and database systems to protect data in the cloud.

Netmagic Solutions

Netmagic sees itself as an early mover. Netmagic Cloud 2.0 is its key offering.
The solution has been customized keeping in mind an enterprises on-demand
business needs. The company says that enterprises will now be able to scale
their IT infrastructure to near real-time without compromising on operational
efficiency and worrying about hardware management issues. The solution enables
online provisioning, management and pay-as-you-use model for IT infrastructure
via web, anytime, anyplace. Customers can choose from a fixed monthly billing
plan with virtually no variable cost component or an elastic plan, where they
can pay per hour based on their usage.

Shrikanth G

shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in