Globe Telecom recently introduced its latest cloud computing services to enterprise customers. Offered through its Globe Business unit, the company said that as cloud services are the next phase in communications, Globe is ready to provide Infrastructure as a Service to business customers whose telco needs continue to evolve.
Globe Business has been providing a comprehensive range of ICT solutions relevant to the needs of various small, medium and large enterprises in the Philippines. This suite of solutions comprises fixed, data and mobile services, including managed services, and today Globe announces its venture into a series of cloud offers by introducing Globe Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
With IaaS, enterprises can have access to the latest technologies without the high costs of purchasing and maintaining hardware. As equipment that support operations are outsourced to a virtual environment, customers can get network access and solutions on-demand and pay only for what they use. Whether it is storage, back up, hardware, servers or network components, these resources can be provisioned fast and are highly-scalable suited to the specific needs of businesses. In addition, among the many advantages of IaaS are its relatively quick setup time and high availability.
Globe Business’ suite of IaaS solutions includes Backup as a Service, Storage as a Service and Compute as a Service. All these are hosted at the Globe Data Center (GDC), a highly-secure ISO-certified facility that manages the critical ICT resources and needs of enterprises requiring the highest level of availability, reliability and redundancy.
Globe’s first IaaS offering, Backup as a Service, was launched last June 16, 2011. The service allows users to backup and restore critical data to and from the GDC, using the best backup/restoration software offered in the market today.
Similarly, Compute as a Service will allow enterprises to acquire processing power without the high cost of purchasing additional servers. Server “instances” or virtual machines are available for customers to load with their choice of OS and applications.
Storage as a Service, on the other hand, will enable customers to upload and download data to and from an off-site or web-enabled data server, or a data repository for web-based applications.
Globe IaaS can be used in various enterprise-grade applications. For instance, IaaS can be employed to run large-scale operations such as that of a national election. Instead of purchasing physical servers then worrying about their subsequent disposal, the government can utilize the on-demand capability of cloud computing to manage and streamline their operations during the elections. IaaS offers users the convenience in maintaining servers and devices, with all the equipment maintained by certified engineers 24/7. Moreover, it provides a more cost-efficient alternative since customers only need to pay for their required service, for the duration of time that they require it.
According to Francisco J. Claravall, Head of Business Products and Services at Globe Business, “We are continuously expanding our solutions portfolio by offering the latest ICT innovations, such as Infrastructure as a Service, to our valued customers. Our goal is to keep enterprises abreast of new technologies and business solutions to help decision makers set future ICT directions for their organizations.”
“Globe remains steadfast in its commitment to provide superior customer experience as the solutions enabler and partner of the top corporations in the country,” said Jesus C. Romero, Head of Globe Business. “We bring in new services such as cloud computing to make sure that the enterprise market in the Philippines has access to the most advanced, relevant ICT solutions available in the market today,” he added.
Globe has partnered with respected industry leaders, SANDZ Philippines and Ayala Systems Technology, Inc. (ASTI), to bring Infrastructure as a Service to its enterprise customers.
ASTI President Anthony Lau said, “We are pleased to partner with Globe, whose visionary commitment to customer satisfaction has inspired a new era of utility model. With the broadest portfolio of technology solutions partners and expertise, ASTI can provide all the necessary pieces for a real cloud computing pay-per-use IaaS. I am very optimistic that it will help Globe maintain its lofty position as one of the telecom leaders in the country”.
SANDZ Philippines also shares the same sentiment. According to Managing Director Enrique Velasco, “We are delighted to enter into a strategic partnership with Globe for IaaS. Providing innovative cloud services to the local market has always been one of the key initiatives of the SANDZ Group of Companies. We aim to partner with no less than Globe Telecom, who has a solid reputation of providing quality ICT solutions and services to its customers.”