want to resell. This customisation aspect extends to lookand-feel as well. Resellers are able to brand their webstores
according to their own corporate identity ensuring continuity
in branding as the end-user interfaces with the website.
* Ability to have over-the-top services along with core service provider services
In addition, each webstore offers the following further scope
for reseller customisation:
First for CloudTM offers an end-to-end management of the
lifecycle, from purchase to consumption of all cloud services
in its catalogue
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Modifying the store regional settings
Setting up store policies
Setting up store types
Setting up identity management
Customising customer email notifications
Configuring billing options
Configuring invoice settings
Setting up search preferences
First for Cloud also offers other value-added peripheral
services in addition to customisation.
Some of these include:
•
A fully pre-configured billing platform, aggregation
and reporting functions
•
Unlimited bandwidth
•
Unlimited services
•
Unlimited users
•
Professional reports
The ability to setup end-user accounts for buying
•
cloud services, resulting in optimal customer
control
The First for Cloud Platform
T
he core foundation for First for Cloud starts with
the platform, which automates all the processes associated with selling and delivering cloud
services. The following list highlights the key elements of the platform, as well as providing insight
into what First for Cloud offers with regards to each one.
Service Catalogue
First for CloudTM offers:
* Wide range of cloud services
* Flexibility to create an ecosystem of cloud service
providers
* Agreements with leading cloud service vendors
* Ability to onboard cloud services in the shortest possible
time
10 | www.firstdistribution.co.za
Order to Cash Management
Shopping Cart Experience
First for CloudTM provides a complete shopping cart
experience to end-users including:
* Productive user interface and superior user experience
* Ability to provide ratings and reviews of the cloud services
“
Over the next three years,
cloud’s strategic importance to
business users is expected to double from 34% to 72%.
”
IBM Centre for Applied Insights
Billing System
First for CloudTM provides a billing system that:
* Allows usage based billing for IaaS (e.g. VM / hour)
* Supports multiple payment methods such as pre-paid or
post-paid
* Integrates with leading payment gateways such as PayPal
* Provides metering and charge-back facility for
IT organisations
Security
First for CloudTM is built on a secure platform that provides:
* Role-based access control
* Support for security standards such as SAML
* Data encryption
* Compliance with security standards such as PCI
* Integration capability with 3rd party Identity and Access
Management (IDAM) solutions
* Integration capability with an enterprise active directory /
LDAP deployment