eHosting DataFort demystifies cloud computing and its challenges in the region

Cloud Computing is fast emerging as the IT revolution that is set to change business models forever, even though a number of constraints need to be addressed before such services can really take off across all businesses and industry sectors in the region, according to Yasser Zeineldin, CEO, eHosting DataFort.

Zeineldin’s remarks came as part of his address delivered recently at the Cloud Computing/SaaS Summit in Dubai, the first event of its kind which attracted leading IT professionals from major enterprises across the region.

Titled ‘Data Centres in an on-demand world’, Zeineldin’s presentation explored the critical foundations of Cloud Computing, its implications that the emerging trend will have on the IT industry, and the drivers to move towards the Cloud. An emerging IT revolution that enables applications and ‘web space’ to be stored and powered via the web, ‘Cloud Computing’ is said to have 80 per cent of Fortune 1000 companies adopting the phenomenon by 2012.

Zeineldin added: “Even though end consumers have been using Cloud Services for some time now, in terms of emails and other non critical applications, Cloud computing is currently experiencing a hype from an enterprise standpoint. The question remains if Cloud services can succeed and prove sustainable for large organizations looking to have their applications and data hosted in the Cloud.”

He, however, added that service providers can offer successful Cloud services to enterprises based on a number of critical elements including high service levels, guaranteed uptime and availability of business applications. This would help reduce costs and more importantly, allow IT to shift focus and not worry about constant computing maintenance issues such as server and software updates.

Zeineldin concluded: “Managed service providers and data centre operators will be examining existing applications to move to the Cloud over the next year or so. It is important for events of this nature to occur more frequently in the region so that industry experts continue to meet, share and exchange their experience for the benefit of boosting the quality of IT infrastructure development in the region.”

With world-class data centres, resilient and scalable infrastructure and round-the-clock managed operations, eHosting DataFort has established itself as a market leader in the field of managed services, while having a wide network of technology and channel partners within the GCC/MENA, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific regions.