IaaS captures a sizable chunk of the IT outsourcing market
In 2012, IaaS has already captured around 38% of the outsourcing market (according to Gartner). While you might be inclined to say or think that this is still a paltry percentage, keep in mind that the figure was 8% in 2011. That’s right, where outsourcing is concerned; IaaS has actually grown by around 30% in less than one calendar year! What’s even more interesting is that experts aren’t predicting this rapid wave of growth to subside any time soon either. In other words, IaaS is quickly becoming synonymous with cloud computing and business-related services.
Why is IaaS such a hot item? One of the first problems that organizations and providers ran into with earlier types of cloud computing solutions was a lack of direct client control. Basically, businesses would sign up for cloud services and be forced to build their package from a list of options and then more or less hand the reigns over to the vendor’s IT squad for basic management. Suffice it to say, this sort of approach didn’t go over so well with certain types of companies.
There are a number of issues which might make this type of arrangement less-than-ideal for bigger institutions. First off, if you are very dependent on critical IT services, what better system for managing risk is there than ensuring things yourself? Likewise, if you deal with sensitive data on a regular basis (compiling valuable information that malicious or competitive groups would pay for access to) security is going to be of a much higher priority as well.
Additionally, there may even be direct cost-based reasons for wanting to manage one’s own IT services. You can rest assured that vendors are going to make sure that cost of utilizing their management squads is going to be “offset” somewhere. In the end, it might actually be cheaper to simply outsource all the hardware considerations and keep current IT personnel on to manage the new infrastructure. (This is where cloud computing certification and IaaS training come into play of course).
The answer to these cloud questions and concerns is IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-service). IaaS is able to give businesses (with more specific needs) the appropriate level of control which they desire; this is what makes it such a popular IT / computing / networking solution. This also explains why IaaS is growing so quickly and capturing big portions of the outsourcing market, funds that were being spent on the usual expensive hardware and software upgrades are now being diverted toward other areas, like project development and/or personnel.
Through the use of IaaS, an organization can remotely manage their IT infrastructure while implementing completely new bespoke forms of cloud design. Just think about those businesses that are transitioning to the cloud and are bringing a number of integral legacy apps with them. These types of groups often can’t allow random strangers to oversee the integration, assimilation or alteration of their legacy software; this is true for a number of different reasons. For starters, you can’t be sure that any process has been successfully completed unless you have access to the results and / or can gather analytical data.
In truth, there are an almost infinite number of reasons why businesses would want to maintain direct control over their cloud infrastructure. When a business takes a more proactive approach to setting up their cloud, they’re much more certain about how and why things are working and behaving a certain way. Furthermore, if a certain level of expertise is required, isn’t it better for an organization to spend whatever is necessary in order to ensure that things were done right the first time (in a secure manner / environment)?
Now that we’ve established why IaaS is such a powerhouse, you’re probably wondering who the “big dogs” of IaaS are, right? As this Gartner release clearly details, when it comes to IaaS Amazon Web Services (AWS), Savvis and CSC are the main contenders as they all possess superior vision and ability to execute plans. The clear leader, AWS, also has what is arguably the most successful cloud computing company in history (up-to-this-point) financing its IaaS program.
Quite simply, Amazon always seems to be one or two steps ahead of everyone else when it comes to innovation in the cloud; this applies both in terms of use of new technologies and implementing new concepts. AWS is also focused on what’s going on in the market, and are making very smart moves to ensure that they remain on top. Aside from these big benefits, Amazon’s AWS also touts the most extensive capacities and is quick to forge new partnerships with other vendors. The end result of all of this activity is an ever-growing list of newer and better services which are only becoming more secure and less expensive with each passing day.
Whether or not IaaS is right for your company depends on what your capabilities are and how much direct control you require. If your business is not capitalizing on IT innovations or even using technology to drive everyday operations, then a more standardized form of vendor-managed cloud computing might be sufficient. However, if your organization is on the cutting-edge or very reliant on one or more forms of IT services, IaaS is really the only way to go.