Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS (News - Alert)) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) are three examples of service models for the cloud that enable businesses to gain on-demand network access to resources and assets. Dimension Data (News - Alert), a specialist IT services and solution provider that helps clients plan, build, support and manage their IT infrastructures, recently unveiled a new managed services offering aimed at moving hard-to-manage IT maintenance agreements into the cloud. Its approach addresses readiness across four critical aspects of cloud computing: business alignment, organization, infrastructure and applications.

The new offering for the first time provides the system integrator’s 6,000 clients worldwide with a proactive, multivendor managed services offering that replaces standalone IT break/fix support maintenance agreements. Clients now have the option to buy a single Dimension Data “Global Uptime” managed services offering that includes cloud-based IT asset tracking with proactive, uptime monitoring from a smartphone or tablet.

“Moving to the cloud is a complex process. There are many aspects to consider such as security, application migration, internal readiness, billing, authentication, single sign-on and integration with other applications,” explained Jeff Packard, Dimension Data’s global head of consulting and professional services, in a statement. “Even the most sophisticated IT organizations find the process of migrating to the cloud challenging.”

The Global Uptime offering incorporates managed services support for Cisco, Riverbed (News - Alert), Blue Coat, F5, Checkpoint, Fortinet and Microsoft Lync.

The new service has the potential to save customers anywhere from five to 25 percent by consolidating multiple break/fix maintenance agreements into a single managed service, added Tom Praschak, vice president of service operations, Dimension Data. That includes savings resulting from considerable IT resources that companies are spending to track IT assets themselves. “Clients are under constant pressure to reduce spend in this area,” he said.

To learn more about Dimension Data and its cloud services, click here.

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