FD Insights Issue 4 | Page 19

Kevin Derman, Cloud and Hosting Business Unit Manager for First Distribution details how informed IT professionals can help allay fears regarding the Cloud. knows what their concerns are and addresses them without them having to ask, “Am I safe?”, “Is there redundancy in the cable you are using?” etc. Be the trusted advisor and help your customers on their journey to the Cloud. Make people aware of the Cloud services they use on a daily basis without giving it any thought. Never assume that your customer knows all the answers. From mobile devices to datacentres, Cloud technology is as ubiquitous as the wireless communication waves that connect it all together. It is everywhere, and there is hardly an element of our daily lives that is untouched by Cloud. The person shopping in the grocery store is reading a shopping list stored on their SkyDrive, off a mobile device connected to a cloud server for their email. They check out at the till which queried the stock price from a centrally located stock management system, located…in the Cloud. They check up on their kids at crèche through an internet webcam, while doing some online banking. All in the Cloud. So if there is such comfort in doing these day to day tasks, why the concern and fear when it comes to Cloud as a business solution. The answer lies in understanding and communicating, and as IT distributors and resellers we have a major part to play in clearing the fog, so that the sun can clearly shine through the clouds. 17 | www.firstdistribution.co.za