One of the loudest issues being screamed by cloud computing naysayers is that a lot of the apparently innovative cloud solutions are actually old hat and represent nothing new.
Marketing departments claim that these cloud solutions are revolutionary, though the distributed model of IT infrastructure has a lengthy history and comparisons can be made between modern cloud systems and the old-fashioned client-server model. What is new however is the evolutionary nature of utility systems, and that’s just scratching the surface.
Some suppliers want to speak about on-demand offerings as if it appeared by magic just yesterday, others are being even more subversive and just rebranding existing offerings and systems as “cloud” technology. It quite a cynical idea and one that cloud experts can see carrying on in the future and there have been some very high profile examples.
One of the biggest and first sets to jump quickly into selling on-demand are computer resellers. They’re not known for being coy when looking at a possible sales opportunity. They’re finding ways to sell into the channel and making the most of the cloud opportunity is being actively encouraged. They’re selling hybrid cloud solutions now. Whether they should be or not is another discussion entirely.
The grounds for the swift spotlight from the computer resellers is straightforward. They are thinking that on-demand is the next way to make cash. The economic downturn means incomes are being pinched even more than before and companies are looking at spending less, especially on hardware that becomes quickly obsolete.
Are the resellers really the best channel to profit from the economics of scale associated with the cloud? Many IT outsourcing experts think that the hybrid cloud model will be here for the next few years as companies move very cautiously and they move applications to on-demand systems.
However, computer resellers are just one potential route to market and, by no means the most knowledge rich. There are many well-informed and dependable cloud providers within the channel but how can they be thought of as true gurus? The cloud, which is a cautious progression of existing IT models, is still a new and momentous experiment for a company that has decides on in house IT systems in the past.
In an age where IT is evolving quickly, would you rather risk an “all rounder” on-demand provider or aim to go with a recognised industry leader who really comprehends utility computing? Users must avoid on-demand providers looking to make quick money like the plague and look to proven IT outsourcing suppliers who can steer and support the organisation.
About the Author: Advanced 365 is an award winning provider of IT outsourcing and cloud computing systems.
Image: www.dshott.co.uk
