‘Transformation’ is a loaded term that today’s business leaders seem to be hearing more of, especially when IT concepts are being explained around boardroom tables. But there’s still much about transformation that very few are aware of, and the rate at which technology is evolving makes it even more difficult to understand exactly how to future proof your business. One thing is certain though: the cloud has become an integral part of running businesses today and it continues to present opportunity for business growth.
On Thursday May 4th, First Technology and VMware hosted a breakfast at Century City’s Conference Centre. VMware’s CTO and Evangelist, Ian Jansen van Rensburg and Senior Systems Engineer, Rouan Hugo took to the stage to demystify the modern cloud.
The caveat of a connected world
In his opening address, Fairoz Jaffer, First Technology’s CTO, pulled back the curtain on advancements taking place in the consumer wearable technology market today. Among the many observations made by Jaffer, one of the keen insights was that wearable technology presents a lot of opportunity for users to become part of a connected world, but this opportunity must be carefully examined.
Consumers will be able to do more and learn more. However, in this ‘new connected world’, serious considerations must be made when it comes to the security and privacy of your data, who has access to it, and what they’re going to do with it.
The evolution of business technology
Much like the opportunity presented by wearable technology, a cloud environment for your business also requires a thorough consideration.
Ian Jansen van Rensburg took to the stage to share the evolution of the cloud. He highlighted that the inner workings of cloud technology are complex, but the purpose of the cloud is simple: it is a technology that enables ubiquitous access to system resources and services which can be provisioned with little management effort.
For business leaders, the cloud presents the opportunity to quickly deploy resources or scale back on them, depending on what your business requires. This means that the cost of investing in your own IT infrastructure is dramatically decreased.
While the value of moving to the cloud is clear, the issue of security is growing. This is where VMware has become the choice of many brands. Jansen van Rensburg explained that for organizations to gain competitive operational advantages while using cross-cloud computing (using multiple clouds), they would need to have an intimate knowledge of modern networking and security constructs, a challenge that many companies struggle to rise to.
VMware’s cloud infrastructure helps extend your data center to any cloud by creating a way for your business network to run in a secure environment. This means that you can run a hybrid cloud, consisting of private cloud technologies (think virtualized servers), application frameworks, mobile and desktop environments, Telco networks, and even public cloud services such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.
The ultimate user experiences
Next, Rouan Hugo, gave the audience a fresh perspective on the intersection between applications, devices and users, and why this has become a challenge many leaders must address.
For many CIOs, poor user experience is a problem not easily solved. Millennials want workplaces which allow them to get the job done using technology they choose. This is an issue that cannot be ignored, and the upside is worth it. In many cases, empowering millennials has led to increases in collaboration, productivity and revenue.
The challenge for the CIO is finding a way to make all technology available to every user. Platform restrictions, and device limitations create complexities that stall operational advancements, but this is where VMware is making strides.
VMware allows businesses to empower the modern workforce by creating an environment where users, regardless of their location, can access any application, on any device, and for today’s employee this is a dream come true.
Conclusion
Cloud technology adoption is growing, and while many will make it into the cloud, it is smart business leaders who will rise to the top. CIOs who understand the value of leveraging on-demand IT resources and the inherent risks of security stand to gain operational wins by creating a cloud environment which easily addresses the need for security and empowers employees.
If you are interested in joining any of our future events, please contact Jolene de Lange at jolened@firsttechnology.co.za
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