Hosting can be the most important strategic investment a company makes in its lifetime and Gary Watson general manager of SunGard Availability Services points out that it all comes down to the outsource model.
“We see hosting as a benefit because companies outsource infrastructure to run your core business on. You can focus your efforts on driving value from your business without having to worry about the infrastructure it resides upon. So with a hosting partner you get clear, precise and cost-effective solutions to deliver your product.”
SunGard provides support to IT departments that need to ensure business viability by keeping critical information and applications up and running and Watson believes that providing such a service has given businesses more confidence when considering their hosting solutions.
“Ireland has taken hosting very well over numerous years. The Irish market, in certain technologies, has plenty of early adaptors that like to innovate and be the first ones out there. That is why cloud computing has rocketed the way it has.
“The cloud delivers more agility and flexibility because organisations only buy what they need when they need it, rather than purchasing IT solutions they will have to grow into over time. The timely provisioning of extra resources, as and when required, is another benefit. Thus IT assets are not left unused within ageing data centres, and capital is released for use elsewhere in the business, potentially paying for the development of increased services and functionality for customers.”
While Watson said he thinks that online presence is key for the majority of businesses, he believes certain things must be in place for a company have a successful relationship with its hosting provider.
“They need to ensure that their hosting partner is financially stable and has a good reputation that delivers on excellent customer service, focuses on the service they deliver, and the value that it brings to their business.
“There are a lot of start-ups coming into the market that want to go online that need to ensure the stability of their partner is there. If the partner fails, their business suffers. We not only focus on our customers, but on our customers’ customers.
“Service is the key differentiator between hosting providers now. Expectations at the beginning are critical – that is key to a successful partnership – understanding the clear demarcations where the customers’ business and responsibilities fall and where the hosting providers’ responsibilities fall.”
Silicon Republic has embarked on its Cloud Centre campaign to better inform businesses about opportunities in cloud computing. To visit our Cloud Centre, click here
