Alcatel-Lucent forays into surging cloud computing

“In Thailand, the government-agency cloud can improve the efficiency of individuals and also increase the competitiveness of businesses and the economy,” BG Poon, vice president for Asia-Pacific of Alcatel-Lucent’s enterprise network division, said yesterday. Worldwide, cloud computing shows high potential for growth, he said. The global market last year was worth about US$29 billion (Bt900 billion) and is expected to rise to $55 billion by 2014.
Alcatel-Lucent is now offering two data-centre switching solutions that support cloud computing, designed for enterprises and large organisations.
The OmniSwitch 6900 stackable LAN (local area network) switch allows enterprises to connect switches without relying on a core switch to carry server-to-server traffic. It |provides up to 240 server-facing |10G ports.
The OmniSwitch 10K modular LAN chassis is a data-centre switching fabric core of a network that delivers real-time applications to users across the enterprise. It employs virtual-queuing technology that enables fine-tuned application delivery control that prioritises traffic. “Thailand has moved ahead of other countries, even Singapore, because it is big and has a lot of domestic consumption. The cloud is always increasing domestic spending. It is very crucial that the cloud creates jobs,” Poon said.
“It is an innovative product that can be used worldwide. Government services and e-health are the key drivers for the cloud so that the government and e-health can offer good services to |citizens.”
Cloud computing in the Asia-Pacific region is at a nascent stage and is very much driven by the government and healthcare.
Governments are trying to reduce costs and improve procedures as well as make it easy for citizens to get services. However, when they want to attract investment from abroad, they should have strong infrastructure and an electronic highway to support the business, Poon said.
 It is also important for homes to access high-speed Internet because information is available and business decisions can be made very fast today. People can use their home to build a business and easily change access to business, since today a lot of people buy products and services online, he added.
Sathit Panpaisan, general manager of the enterprise solution division, said the company would provide data centres to support cloud computing via 15 business partners, focusing |on medium and large enterprises nationwide.