Month: December 2013

Claranet research points to importance of network integrated cloud services

Nearly half of businesses are concerned about cloud’s dependency on internet access, finds Claranet’s 3rd annual cloud adoption survey

Around half of UK cloud users are concerned about cloud’s dependency on internet access, potentially inhibiting organisations’ experiences of cloud computing, Claranet’s third annual cloud adoption survey has found. The findings, states the Managed Services Provider (MSP), serve as a reminder of the importance of the network to any cloud services offering.

The research, which polled 300 IT decision-makers from a range of small and medium-sized businesses, and enterprises, found that 73 per cent of respondents were using some form of cloud service, up from 62 per cent in 2012. However, 53 per cent of cloud users stated that cloud’s dependency on internet access was a cause for concern during the migration process.

Claranet’s UK Managing Director, Michel Robert, said that working with a provider with closely integrated cloud and networking services can help to allay concerns about cloud connectivity.

Robert said:

While worries about internet access haven’t held back the overall cloud adoption rate, it’s clear from these figures that there may be implications for the types of workloads and data that some businesses feel confident hosting in the cloud. After all, these services are only as reliable and secure as the network down which they are delivered. To take but one example, business-critical accounting and finance applications, which end-users must be able to access whenever they need them, are still held on in-house infrastructure by 85 per cent of organisations.

“Unreliable, unsecure networks will do little to reassure cloud users, but the connectivity question needn’t be a cause for concern when it comes to cloud provision. It’s possible to circumvent these issues by opting for an MSP that has a strong and deep understanding of network services and has closely integrated cloud and network services. In doing so, end users need only rely on a single supplier with a single SLA for the safe delivery of their applications,” he continued.

“Although it’s possible to outsource these functions to separate providers, businesses risk encountering supplier management issues. With responsibility for uptime split between two or more service providers, with separate SLAs, it is often unclear who is accountable in cases where service is disrupted or has degraded and how to get the service back online.

“As ever more organisations entrust their business-critical workloads, to the cloud, providing a complete, network-integrated service has never been more important, ensuring that customers can safely access their applications as and when they need them,” Robert concluded.

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Claranet appoints new CIO to lead technology development across Western Europe

Claranet has today announced the appointment of Andy Wilton as its new CIO. The move comes at a time of rapid development and strategic growth for the company in the UK and across Europe, with continued investment in its technology platforms and business systems.

As head of Claranet’s Technology Group, Andy will be responsible for existing IT systems, infrastructure and platforms, together with technology and service integration of newly acquired businesses.

His appointment marks the eve of the first anniversary of Claranet’s acquisition of Star (in the UK) and Typhon (in France) and the company’s establishment as one of the leading managed services providers in Western Europe to the mid-market, including its recognition as a ‘leader’ in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for European Managed Hosting.

Andy has qualifications in physics and computer science, having studied at the University of Nottingham and later Aston University where he received his PhD. His professional career includes senior positions at 3Com, Siemens Network Systems (now part of KCom) and more recently seven years as IT Director of 2e2.

Charles Nasser, CEO of Claranet says:

Since our acquisition last year we have taken the time to create a fully integrated business that takes an expanded range of services to market. Andy’s skill in handling company integration and experience in managing cloud hosting environments made him an ideal choice to join our team, helping to consolidate our share of market as a leading MSP in Europe.”

As one of the few European headquartered providers with a pan-European presence, Claranet is in a strong position as the market continues to mature.

Andy Wilton comments:

Claranet’s extended period of growth and innovation makes this a very exciting time to join the business. The big challenge for cloud providers is how to respond to the rapid changes in market demands in what is still a comparatively immature landscape. Ensuring a fully integrated service that is flexible to every customers’ need is no simple task.”

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