I recently visited a customer …

… or rather several customers who brought up the issue of cloud computing and security. Many had read negative views and were concerned that the cloud was not secure. They asked me, “What is T-Systems doing in this area? Would you deploy cloud computing in your company?”

And I replied with a resounding yes. Because I believe that, when it comes to discussing the risks of cloud computing, some skeptics are mixing together arguments that are not really relevant. The cloud we know from Google is not the same cloud we use for our customers – even though we do deploy similar virtualization technologies in our data centers. Server farms simply cannot be cost and energy efficient without virtualization.

But when T-Systems provides ICT resources and storage from the cloud, the services are delivered from our own high-security data centers and defined by robust service-level agreements. Our experts are familiar with the servers and monitor them on an ongoing basis. What’s more, customers can decide whether we deliver our offering from data centers in Germany, Europe or worldwide. Our cloud is a private cloud – and security is our top priority.

Businesses and IT departments that embrace this offering benefit from outsourcing models that enable greater agility, dynamism and transparency. Companies such as Shell, MAN and Linde for example, receive demand-driven ICT services from T-Systems. What’s more, cloud computing is more environmentally friendly – even if Norbert Walter, Chief Economist at Deutsche Bank, questions that in this edition. We actively encourage critical debate of this hot topic.

Best regards,
Olaf Heyden