Being on “Cloud 9” is a state of blissful happiness, a place the community of regional, global, commercial and public sector cloud users will be once barriers to cloud adoption and APJ cloud fragmentation are eliminated.
Do you remember the term “on cloud nine?” It turns out that phrased was popularised in the 80s thanks to music videos, and before then, was used in different ways - whether on cloud 7, 8, 10 or even 39.
Of course, having your heads in the clouds, or even being in cloud cuckoo land is a different meaning to the term, as was the 1930s origin for cloud 8, which involved imbibing too much liquor, resulting in very cloudy thinking.
All of this leads us to Cloud 28+, which has no connections to the original cloud numbers listed above, but is instead an “initiative in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ)” that “brings together a community of regional and global commercial and public sector organisations with the common goal to remove barriers to cloud adoption imposed by the fragmentation of the APJ market.”
{loadposition alex08}The initiative was originally dedicated to the European market, but continues to grow worldwide, with the APJ region the latest to launch.
Cloud28+ sees the creation of a “one-stop-shop for cloud services” that has the goal of helping customers “better address their right mix of hybrid IT requirements by choosing to work with the partners and cloud environments of their choice.”
Enterprises are promised the ability to “easily identify and implement the cloud services they need, while complying with local regulations,” with the site “currently available in English, Korean and Japanese.”
Beyond searching for cloud and professional searches along a whole host of criteria, we’re told that “customers also gain access to a knowledge-based portal, where they can share and learn more about cloud-related topics. Customers can also partner with Service Providers in the community to resell their own digital offerings and form new go-to-market avenues.”
Since worldwide expansion of Cloud28+ earlier this year, HPE proudly boasts that 40 of its partners across APJ “quickly became members of the community,” including Australian partners Somerville, Brennan IT, BlueApache, AC3, ASG and NEC, with the site and service providing those partners “with innovative ways to grow their visibility and revenue opportunities, while facilitating new business alliances and lowering their marketing costs.”
Stephen Bovis, VP and GM of HPE’s Enterprise Group, South Pacific said: “Cloud is a critical component to ensuring a stronger digital economy in Asia Pacific and Japan.
“Hosted and secured in Asia Pacific and Japan, Cloud28+ gives local and regional organisations the opportunity to find the best mix of services by trusted HPE partners, while allowing partners to demonstrate their unique value add.”
So, what else does Cloud28+ have to say for itself?
Plenty more, with Cloud28+ stating it is a “fast-growing, open community of service providers, solution providers, ISVs, systems integrators, distributors, and public entities, all committed to boosting enterprise cloud service availability for customers across Asia Pacific and Japan.”
You are promised access to a “single, federated catalogue of cloud services” to ensure that it is “as simple as possible for users to find the services they need, freeing organisations from the limitations of a fragmented marketplace and fostering agile services, job opportunities, creativity and competitiveness across the region.”
And, as part of its dedication to increasing enterprise cloud adoption, there is yet another alliance of note.
It involves HPE and Microsoft, who explain they have also “formed a go-to-market alliance with Microsoft through Cloud28+.” As a member, Microsoft says it will “combine forces with HPE to provide partners with new business opportunities and tools, while accelerating customer business outcomes powered by a rich hybrid IT ecosystem.”
The explanation continues, with HPE and Microsoft stating that, though Cloud28+, they will “create a joint Azure Stack ISV onboarding program focused on connecting software vendors to HPE and Microsoft solution and service providers, helping them to grow their market visibility and develop new revenue streams.”
In turn, we are told that “HPE and Microsoft solution and service providers will benefit from dedicated lead generation campaigns and sales enablement activities to bolster their Azure Stack sales,” and that “customers will gain access to an even more comprehensive community and cloud service catalogue, allowing them find their own right mix of partners and hybrid IT solutions to match their specific workload, industry and data sovereignty requirements.”
Crawford Del Prete, Executive VP of Worldwide Products and Chief Research Officer at IDC said: “HPE and Microsoft are taking a step together to enable the channel in a new way and its ability to compete effectively in a digital, platform-driven world.
“This is an important partnership for HPE and Microsoft. Combining the power of the HPE channel community through Cloud28+, with all the possibilities of Microsoft Azure Stack, makes for a strong partner value proposition and a compelling environment for customers to more easily engage.”
Today, Cloud28+ reports “more than 570 partners, contributing to a catalogue of close to 20,000 build and consume services.”
As you’d expect, Cloud28+ says it is “focused on providing high levels of data sovereignty and customisation,” with its "partners offering services out of more than 350 data centres in every region around the world."
Cloud28+ is open and available “to all customers to join free of charge,” with “no cost to search the catalogue or connect with partners.”
Likewise, we’re told “customers can submit their request for proposals directly through the Cloud28+ portal for a customer response from the community.”
Microsoft ISV and HPE Partner Ready partners will now have “immediate member access to Cloud28+, as part of their respective Microsoft and HPE partner programs.”
In addition, there is “no cost for partners to join Cloud28+, nor are there any brokerage fees through the platform.”
So, if the idea of being part of Cloud28+ as either a partner or a customer leaves you floating towards Cloud 9, then click here and may your blissful journey towards a harmoniously cloudy future begin!
