Ram Ramachandran, the Senior VP for Middle East & Africa at Tech Mahindra, says edge computing gives the benefit of response time and latency – every second matters to any business.
What trends do you foresee for Cloud Computing in 2022?
Tech Mahindra sees cloud computing on an ascent currently and growing exponentially. The key trends we foresee are:
- Multi-Cloud plays are the game in large enterprises and telecoms. We are working with a telecom giant in the region on multi-cloud management and orchestration using a leading platform. This would enable the customer to have seamless management of cloud services.
- Sustainability is a key topic being discussed by clients and the cloud is the right platform for this initiative.
- As data science and AI are hot topics, we see these use cases benefitting from the cloud as the right launchpad. We are in the final stages of a large transformation project with a leading, large oil and gas client leveraging cloud computing with AI. AI and Data Science, coupled with the cloud, are big enablers for customers in this space.
What sort of benefits does cloud computing bring to eCommerce stores and e-tailers?
In short, immense! The retail industry is our focus industry segment. This pandemic has shown the world the power of eCommerce and e-trade. With its wide availability in our region from multiple hyperscalers, cloud computing is the platform of growth for this business model. The benefits are multiple:
- Scalability – Grow with the cloud as your business grows. We have been working with regional clients, advising and enabling its customers to grow and benefit from cloud computing.
- Spike management – eCommerce has its spike periods and cloud is the right platform to handle these
- Security – Cloud security is a big plus and a key requirement for eCommerce. We are working with a regional retail giant in transforming their security portfolio given their “cloud-first” strategy.
Is edge computing helping shape up the cloud computing industry as a whole?
Definitely, it’s a key exponential growth driver. We have our specialised practices for cloud computing, network services/transformation, and so on, as we see these as key growth levers. Edge computing gives the benefit of response time and latency – every second matters to any business.
In a recent use case, we are jointly working on a B2B model for edge computing with a large client in the region for tracking sensitive data using sensors and moving into an IoT platform/landscape towards predictive analytics, and so on. Edge Security is an additional layer and transmission costs decrease from being processed in the Edge.
Do you believe serverless functions have a big part to play in creating new user experiences?
Serverless functions have multiple advantages in enhancing user experience. They help in decreasing latency, improving scalability, and dispelling issues of a fixed amount of bandwidth.
Will combining AI with cloud services enable organizations to get the most out of both applications in a cost-effective way?
AI use cases span across industries and business processes. Cloud becomes an enabler for a given use case base due to the experience knowledge it can carry. Applying and replicating best practices from earlier AI use cases is possible even better with cloud services. Cloud is an enabler from the cost-effective angle; combining AI with cloud services is a good play to bundle and enhance benefits.
With Metaverse becoming the “keyword” for 2022, do you believe the cloud has a major role to play here? What opportunities exist for both vendors and channel partners?
Metaverse is the “Magic Stanza” as we all know. In the post-pandemic era, Metaverse and the virtual space help to bridge the real and digital worlds which in turn enhances the experience factor. Metaverse is bound to transform the “Live, Work and Play” lifecycle as we see it today. Smart initiatives could get even smarter. Due to this, and the growth of technology in VR, AR, and XR, we see opportunities coming up for transformation advisors/partners like us in collaboration with our cloud/OEM partners and service providers.
