Cloud Computing In Middle East ‘Here To Stay’

Cloud computing in the Middle East market is on the right track and is here to stay in the region for a ‘significant amount of time.’

Those are the words of Valerio Romano, managing director of Technology Consulting at Accenture, who spoke exclusively to Gulf Business at Gitex on Monday.

One year on from when cloud first made an impact on the regional market, Romano said that lessons have been learned over the last 12 months following a slow uptake of cloud’s resources, and that it is the region’s larger banks and telecom companies that are now investing in cloud partnerships as well as their own private technologies.

“What we’re seeing now in the Middle East market is right,” said Romano.

“Large companies are adopting cloud technology in private as well [as public], implementing their own clouds.

“This is the process which we suggest because we believe IT departments need to be ready and understand the fundamental changes that cloud is creating to the IT perception inside companies. That’s why starting their own system is the right thing to do, turning their own IT into a service.”

Romano said that as well as being a tool for storing data, the basis of cloud should open up the potential for solving all business problems with the latest technology.

“We think cloud is the paradigm that is creating the fundamental technology layer that is allowing companies to harness all new emerging technologies that they understand are important for business.

“Social networking, big data, analytics, mobility…everything is happening around this cloud. I think there is a lot to be done in this space.”

Romano also said the region is at an advantage over other global markets given its greater ability to access capital and its acceptance for digital content.

“Of course there is more ability to capital [in the GCC] than elsewhere in the world, and that will only act as an accelerator because it removes key barriers, which are getting people to invest and the relative ignorance of technology that you find elsewhere.”