Cloud computing is becoming ubiquitous. However, to truly leverage the cost and efficiency advantages of cloud computing, it requires a robust, reliable and secure network and service provider that can deliver a single-point of contact able to meet the evolving IT needs of mid-sized and larger companies. That's why the recently announced Sprint-CSC Infrastructure-as-a-Service partnership is so important.
A newly announced partnership between Sprint and Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) enables Sprint to offer a unique set of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solutions to business customers.
These solutions not only deliver the advantages of cloud computing, cloud-based email, and managed hosting and colocation to mid-sized and large businesses, but do so atop the foundation of the robust, reliable, and secure Sprint network. Customers can contract with Sprint for the entire package of cloud services and the network, giving them a single contact for all aspects of the solution, from quoting, ordering, and billing to customer care.
This is a new way of looking at the network, which has now evolved into a "cloud-aware" infrastructure. In its new role, it provides optimal performance for cloud-based applications, with the flexibility and scalability to accommodate the dynamic nature of cloud performance. In addition, it provides consistent performance for anytime/anywhere/any-device consumption of cloud services.
The Sprint-CSC partnership tightly binds the cloud services to the network foundation, bringing customers a unified package. This package ensures secure, reliable, high-speed end-to-end connectivity to CSC’s Trusted Cloud and brings CSC’s cloud service catalog to Sprint customers. In addition, Sprint MPLS network customers can be even more closely integrated, thanks to direct interconnections to one of the CSC data centers. With those direct interconnections, the process of adding capacity is further simplified, through logical connections that are easily administered.
Specifically, the solutions portfolio features the following managed and unmanaged options:
•Cloud Computing/IaaS, offering utility-based computing. This virtualized solution in the cloud consists of processing power, memory, storage, and backup components. On-demand provisioning capability is available via a web portal. Available in Silver, Gold, or Platinum options, it also gives customers the opportunity to include security, load balancing, and managed operating system services.
•Managed Hosting and Colocation, a customer server hosting offering. This includes options for monitoring and management of servers and applications by either the customer or the provider.
•Hosted Email, in which customer email servers are hosted in the cloud, for either the Exchange or Zimbra platforms
A built-in benefit of cloud computing includes enabling organizations to enhance their IT agility. They can turn up additional computing resources as they need them, or scale them down as their circumstances change. It also allows them to move from a capital expense to an operating expense model, using and paying for services on an ongoing basis, rather than facing the sizable initial investment of a premises-based internal approach.
The Sprint-CSC solutions are scheduled for full commercial availability by the end of 2012.These services are a natural/logical extension of the wide area network. And with the network foundation being one of the most critical cloud investments that a company will make, our recent news announcement has already spurred significant interest in the solutions, among both existing and new customers.
