Beyond the hype: What it really means to have an enterprise-strong cloud

Cloud computing is the foundation upon which enterprises are transforming their businesses by making it easy to gain new insights from their data to drive innovation and competitive advantage.
The cloud makes these new technologies and architectures accessible to all. With that said, digitizing a business can be a complex and unpredictable process.
Enterprises have moved well past the stage of viewing the cloud in isolation or strictly as a cost-savings tool. Higher-value services that manage and analyze data have become the focal point. As cloud computing evolves, there has been a lot of hype around what it can and can’t do. In a blog post earlier this year, I laid out what it means to have a cloud that is tailored for AI, so today I’d like to discuss what it means to have a cloud that is enterprise strong.
First of all, there are several key factors that all enterprises should carefully consider when making a move to the cloud, including existing infrastructure investments and architectures; industry specific business model needs; internal IT skill sets and gaps; security, geographic, environmental and regulatory considerations; and availability of services including Internet of Things (IoT), AI, analytics, serverless and more.
The advantages of an enterprise-strong, AI cloud are achieved when you have the ability to build truly cloud-native solutions that work across public, private and hybrid deployments. While enterprises continue focus on data and move towards public cloud, the long-term value lies in an elastic infrastructure that enables enterprises to bring data to life no matter where it resides.
Enterprises should blend their environments, creating new, cloud-native solutions that interact with their existing infrastructure and applications. This includes a cloud strong enough to run traditional enterprise applications and architectures (such as SAP) so that they can innovate where they want without having to rewrite or port everything. An enterprise cloud has to provide the ability to connect to the core business (through services like API Connect), provide the ability to deploy components in multiple environments (on premises, dedicated, public), and have a public cloud that supports these traditional architectures.
With a secure, one architecture approach to its cloud platform, IBM is well positioned to help enterprises protect and get the most from their data while seamlessly managing local data requirements. Our clients’ needs are at the center of our strategy, and IBM has established a larger global footprint because we know our clients want to keep their data in the country for a variety of reasons. IBM investment in its cloud data center footprint continues to grow, with nearly 60 data centers across 19 countries, including 16 data centers in Europe alone. IBM also is one of the first global cloud companies to adopt the EU’s Data Protection Code of Conduct for Cloud Service Providers, demonstrating a firm commitment to data privacy and security in its cloud infrastructure services.
Additionally, the IBM Cloud is supported by IBM Security, which serves 10,000 clients in 133 countries, with a global network of 8,000 security professionals monitoring 270 million endpoints. Watson for Cyber Security is already helping pinpoint threats and attacks.
Because the vast majority of companies have invested heavily in their infrastructure, applications and data, the IBM Cloud provides a strong public cloud for maximum flexibility with compelling economics. It offers private cloud capabilities for clients who want to keep sensitive data on-premises for security or regulatory reasons, and expertise in hybrid to connect private/public clouds, as well as data, applications, transactions and workflow. This combination enables the enterprise to invest in new technologies and architectures while preserving investments in traditional architectures, software and tooling, effectively eliminating an all-or-nothing proposition for moving to the cloud.
That’s why many Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s most notable brands turn to the IBM Cloud.
As you listen to cloud providers talk about intelligence in the cloud and providing services that are enterprise-grade, remember to look beyond the hype and find the solution that is right for you.
Learn more about why IBM Cloud is the right choice for so many businesses.
The post Beyond the hype: What it really means to have an enterprise-strong cloud appeared first on Cloud computing news.
Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud