With 94% of enterprises already using a cloud service, and 30% of all IT budgets being allocated to cloud computing, companies are cognisant that not all clouds are created equal and have started looking for the infrastructure as well as the managed services that will allow them to get the full benefits a hybrid cloud-first architecture offers.
This goes much further than storage space or processing power. Today’s businesses need to leverage their technology to gain and maintain a competitive edge. They need fast, reliable access to data-intensive applications. They need resilience. They need direct access to the world’s cloud, network and service providers. Most importantly, they need to know that their clouds – both private and public – are built on the best technology available and have been designed with their business in mind.
The right infrastructure for the job
There’s more to cloud infrastructure than merely moving to an OPEX model. Whether your business uses a private cloud, public cloud services, or a hybrid approach, you need guarantees that you have access to cloud-ready architecture with the lowest latency, as well as the right interconnection services.
Essentially, you need assurances that versatility and agility are built in, as is security. Cost savings across network and data centre infrastructure are rarely the primary consideration, though of course important. The business value always goes deeper: highly scalable, highly secure infrastructure that sits in the middle of a dense ecosystem to allow an interconnection defined architecture, future proofs a business. It ensures resiliency, most needed in today’s climate. It is not as easy to achieve as some service providers would have you believe, even if they have built their own data centres.
This is why iOCO has a longstanding partnership with Teraco Data Environments. For close to a decade, our clients have had access to the power of a cloud onramp platform for direct, flexible, secure network connections to a wide range of local and global cloud service providers. With guaranteed network performance, resilience and security, our partnership with Teraco has enabled enterprises to gain access to the best cloud infrastructure in Africa.
Not only does Teraco have the largest data centres on the continent, but its cloud interconnection services also provide cost-saving opportunities on existing line rental services, increased network reach, improved, network reliability and lower latency. Most importantly, Teraco’s increasing investments into its offering, such as the new 38-megawatt hyperscale data centre being built in Johannesburg, ensure that we can always offer our customers the perfect cloud ecosystem to meet their business needs.
More than managed services
There is a growing trend toward more holistically and thoughtfully rationalising cloud portfolios on a case-by-case basis. Put another way: Forward-thinking organisations are better able to match workloads to the best environment based on a range of criteria that matter to them most – cost, performance, compliance, skill sets, industry-specific needs, and so forth.
However, most companies don’t have the necessary skills to optimise their cloud environment specifically for their needs. When it comes to a hybrid cloud strategy in particular, the choice of ecosystem influences performance, security, and all of the commercials – and getting this right requires specialist expertise.
Unfortunately, all of the benefits offered by the DIY nature of the cloud have resulted in companies trying to do everything themselves, missing the many opportunities offered by partnering with a certified provider. Without a next generation, managed services provider to help them implement fit for purpose solutions, organisations are not able to gain the full benefits offered by the cloud.
Together with Teraco, we have perfectly tailored, customised cloud solutions that are built on the best infrastructure, backed by highly skilled and experienced managed services consultants. Offering a complete solution to meet each company’s unique needs, we ensure that your cloud environment delivers business results every step of the way.
