Compute On Demand

According to a recent online poll of IT and business leaders conducted by IDG Research Services, virtually all enterprises are using or plan to use at least one application and/or a portion of their computing infrastructure via a hybrid cloud model.

A well-thought-out cloud computing strategy can give you the resources you need to streamline operations and scale your organization
In the information technology (IT) world, few phrases hold as much promise, potential, and confusion as "cloud computing." Headlines have promised small to mid sized businesses (SMBs) powerful applications, cost-savings, improved operations, easy scaling for growth, and a host of other benefits all there, in the cloud.

Business processes and functions are increasingly IT dependent and network based, and enterprises require agile IT infrastructure sourcing approaches to meet rapidly changing business objectives. Over the years, service providers have responded to this need with ever-evolving offering portfolios and service delivery models that address the age-old question of "build versus buy" - service bureaus for mainframes, IT outsourcing, datacenter colocation, and managed hosting, to name a few.

Cloud-based computing is one of the hottest topics in IT circles, as businesses of all sizes look for more innovative, efficient ways to do business while reducing the high cost of infrastructure. But what exactly do we mean when we talk about the cloud? What's real and what's hype? And what does it mean for your business?

Today's successful businesses often expect their IT resources to help increase profits by improving flexibility and decreasing time to market. But what happens when IT systems can't meet the demands of a growing company's need to scale? Upgrading or adding technology often isn't an option as IT budgets are stretched to the limit. So, how can a business expect to expand, explore and compete without a solid IT infrastructure standing behind it?

IT cites benefits, downplay security as they move applications to the cloud
Will security worries be the undoing of cloud adoption? Not likely, given other, more pressing threats like device theft, mobility and IT consumerization. And with new technologies able to mitigate the real and perceived risks inherent in hybrid clouds— the combination of internal and external services—IT leaders say they see opportunities to up the ante on security for greater end-to-end protection.

Qwest has implemented the Cisco Unified Service Delivery (USD) solution across its CyberCenters. Qwest CyberCentersSM provide a highly-secure, reliable, scalable foundation for the delivery of state-of-the-art hosting for mission-critical enterprise application services. Qwest VP of Product Management and National Network Services, Eric Bozich, talks about how Cisco Unified Service Delivery brings new flexibility to cloud service delivery.

Upon the completion of the CenturyLink-Qwest merger, the combined companies made CenturyLink the third-largest telecom operator in the United States¿behind AT&T; and Verizon¿in terms of access lines and high-speed Internet subscribers. Chris Ancell, president of CenturyLink's newly formed Business Markets Group, tells SearchTelecom.com how the completion of the merger has made the combined companies more competitive in selling IT services to enterprise and government customers.