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Cloud Computing in Africa
1. Cloud Computing in Africa
Separating Myth From Reality
June 2014
tonderai.sibanda@seacom.mu
Telephone : +27 82 887 6250
2. AGENDA
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1. What is Cloud Computing
2. Cloud Enablers
3. Types of Cloud Services
4. Challenges of Cloud Computing
5. Advantages of Cloud Services
6. Implementing Cloud Computing
7. Key Issues around Cloud Computing in Africa
8. Examples of Cloud Computing
9. SEACOM Products and Services
3. What is Cloud Computing ?
• Common questions :
– Where is the cloud ?
– Are we in the cloud?
– Where is the cloud
• Cloud computing means
storing and accessing data
and programs over the
Internet instead of your
computer's hard drive.
• The Cloud is a metaphor
for the ‘Internet’
• The internet allows
access of content from
any place at anytime.
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5. Cloud Enablers
• Cloud enabler refers to the technologies and manufacturers that serve as
the backbone for all cloud computing products and services.
• A broad term incorporating technology vendors and solutions, a cloud
enabler allows an organization to build, deploy, integrate and deliver cloud
computing solutions.
• Cloud enablers are primarily IT firms that develop hardware, software,
storage, networking and other related product serving as a cloud
environment component.
• Network providers like TelOne, Liquid, Dandemutande, Powertel,
SEACOM enable Cloud computing.
• A cloud enabler differs from a cloud service provider, as the latter utilizes
technologies built by the former to deliver cloud services to end users and
other organizations.
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7. Challenges of Cloud Computing
• Security and Privacy
Valuable enterprise data will reside outside the corporate firewall
raises serious concerns.
• Service Delivery and Billing
Customers are billed for what they use.
The service-level agreements (SLAs) of the provider are not
adequate to guarantee the availability and scalability
• Interoperability and Portability
Integrating to existing IT infrastructure is still required for Cloud
Computing Solution.
Migrating from one Cloud Service Provider to another is not
seamless.
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8. Challenges of Cloud Computing
• Reliability and Availability
Cloud providers still lack round-the-clock service; this results in
frequent outages. It is vital to have plans to supervise usage, SLAs,
performance, robustness, and business dependency of these
services.
• Performance and Bandwidth Cost
Businesses can save money on hardware but they have to spend
more for the bandwidth.
Delivering intensive and complex data over the network requires
sufficient bandwidth. Because of this, many businesses are waiting
for a reduced cost before switching to the cloud.
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10. Advantages of Cloud Computing
• Achieve economies of scale
Increase volume output or productivity with fewer people. Your cost
per unit, project or product plummets.
• Reduce spending on technology infrastructure.
Maintain easy access to your information with minimal upfront
spending. Pay as you go (weekly, quarterly or yearly), based on
demand.
• Globalize your workforce on the cheap.
People worldwide can access the cloud, provided they have an
Internet connection.
• Streamline processes.
Get more work done in less time with less people.
• Reduce capital costs.
There’s no need to spend big money on hardware, software or
licensing fees.
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11. Advantages of Cloud Computing
• Improve accessibility.
You have access anytime, anywhere, making your life so much
easier.
• Monitor projects more effectively.
Stay within budget and ahead of completion cycle times.
• Less personnel training is needed.
It takes fewer people to do more work on a cloud, with a
minimal learning curve on hardware and software issues.
• Minimize licensing new software.
Stretch and grow without the need to buy expensive software
licenses or programs.
• Improve flexibility.
You can change direction without serious “people” or “financial”
issues at stake
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13. Key Issues around Cloud Computing in Africa
• Broadband Internet
• Utility power
• Mobile Cloud
• Marketing of Cloud Services as an app.
• Banking and Education
• Data protection legislation
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14. Common Examples of Cloud Computing
• Hotmail
• Yahoo
• Gmail
• Google Drive: This is a pure cloud computing service, with all the
apps and storage found online.
• Apple iCloud: Apple's cloud service is primarily used for online
storage and synchronization of your mail, contacts, calendar, and
more
• Amazon Cloud Drive: Storage at the big retailer is mainly for
music, preferably MP3s that you purchase from Amazon.
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15. Examples of Cloud Computing Service Providers
• Pamoja ( SEACOM Subsidiary)
• Dandemutande ( Zimbabwe based company)
• Dimension Data ( South Africa)
• IBM ( South Africa)
• Data Centers : Dandemutande (Zimbabwe) , Teraco ( South
Africa)
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16. Pamoja Services
Customer
Customer
Customer
Customer
PaaS
SaaS
International
Cloud
Services
Pamoja Cloud
Pamoja
• Establish Cloud platforms
• Build SME Cloud
marketplace
• Establish & support
service assurance models
• Coordinate training
• Coordinate billing
• Establish compliance
governance
• Support resellers in sales
and marketing
Resellers
• Bundle Pamoja Cloud
services with traditional
business
• Position Cloud services
to customers
• Service & support
customers
• Execute marketing
campaigns
• Bill customers
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17. Pamoja Services
Active Services
Microsoft Exchange 2013
Microsoft SharePoint 2013
Microsoft Lync 2013
Online back-up and Recovery
Symantec.Cloud services
Business Management Solution
CRM
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
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18. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
5/1/02 6/1/02 7/1/02 8/1/02 9/1/02
HIGH
LOW
CLOSE
Dandemutande’s Cloud Services
Deployed Tier 3 Data Centre in Q4 2011
Infrastructure Hosting for Cloud Services
– Pastel’s MyBusinessOnline & SAGE X3
(Chips Computing)
– SAP’s BusinessOne (DBS)
Service Provider for Hosted Cloud Services
– Microsoft Exchange, Lync, SharePoint
– Symantec Back-up, Security, Archiving &
Protection
– Managed Firewall Services, BluWave CRM
and Zimbra Email among others
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19. Cloud Computing Terms
• Communications as a Service (CaaS) is an outsourced enterprise communications
solution that can be leased from a single vendor.
• Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which applications
are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a
network, typically the Internet.
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a provision model in which an organization
outsources the equipment used to support operations, including storage, hardware,
servers and networking components.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a way to rent hardware, operating systems, storage
and network capacity over the Internet.
• Network as a Service (NaaS): managed Internet (guaranteed speed, availability,
etc.), virtualized networks (VPNs) coupled with cloud computing services, flexible and
on-demand bandwidth.
• Private cloud is a particular model of cloud computing that involves a distinct and
secure cloud based environment in which only the specified client can operate.
• Public cloud is a set of computers and computer network resources based on the
standard cloud computing model, in which a service provider makes resources, such
as applications and storage, available to the general public over the Internet
• Virtualization is software that separates physical infrastructures to create various
dedicated resources. It is the fundamental technology that powers cloud computing.
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