Monthly Archives: September 2021

The evolution of cloud computing technology provides healthcare enterprises with a widening range of options to support their digital transformation efforts. A report by Chilmark Research sponsored by Innovaccer offers a deep dive into what factors healthcare organizations should consider when evaluating health cloud vendor options.

The health cloud is essential to supporting healthcares ever expanding needs for storing, sharing and analyzing data the lifeblood of the healthcare industry. Organizations can use it to transform patient experiences, to support analytics that would be too costly for conventional technology platforms. Adopting a health cloud removes the burden of managing this infrastructure internally, such as on a server. By eliminating this burden, organizations can focus on optimizing plans and processes to pursue clinical and business goals. It can also help healthcare organizations shift from fee-for-service care delivery models to value-based payment models and hybrid care delivery programs, according to the report.

Importantly, a Health Cloud is responsive to the needs of every healthcare market segment providers, payers, life sciences, digital health, pharmaceutical companies, and device manufacturers, the report states.

There are a few different types of cloud vendors to choose from, depending on your organizations needs. Each comes with its own set of merits and disadvantages. The public clouds are the most familiar, such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google. There are also private clouds, hybrid clouds, and clouds that can host multiple public vendors. But there are still more categories, depending on the use case. There is an on-premises cloud that is designed to serve the needs of one company; infrastructure as a service, software as a service, and platform as a service.

Source: Innovaccer

The report highlights how healthcare organizations can use the cloud to scale up or down, data management options, and key questions that should be asked of health cloud vendors and enterprises so that reasonable expectations are mapped out to ensure the best match.

To download the report The Health Cloud: Key infrastructure for digital transformation, fill in the form below:

Photo: shylendrahoode, Getty Images

Go here to see the original:

Choosing the best health cloud for your digital transformation priorities - MedCity News

There is a detailed examination of the company and a growing level of complexity in the fundamental analysis that is forecasted by MarketQuest.biz research Global Cell Biology Cloud Computing Market from 2021 to 2027. Described in this chapter are the survey questionnaire and survey technique we used for our initial assessment survey. Beyond program, kind, and location, this years analysis includes productivity and profitability. Research seems to have been conducted on international corporations.

Constrictions, opportunities, as well as problems, characterize the markets horizon. Throughout the future quarters of 2021-2027, the company will be able to better understand exactly competitive landscape breakthroughs that will negatively affect its whole performance, according to the same findings of this study

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT: https://www.marketquest.biz/sample-request/48577

Market division by topographical areas, the report has examined the accompanying locales:

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Rest of South America), Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa)

That would also cover the weight proportion of research and development, production and distribution numbers, firm profitability, foreign investment, and even perhaps aesthetic competitiveness top-level domains, among other things. This will contain, along with many other elements, a complete review committee, contractor framework, and main product strategies during the next ten years,

Market segment by product type:

Public Cloud Computing, Private Cloud Computing, Hybrid Cloud Computing

Market segment by application:

Genomics, Diagnostics, Clinical Trials, Pharma Manufacturing, Others

As nothing more than a result of the present study, there seem to be effective promotional possibilities and a better knowledge of international encryption algorithms.

In the global market, the following companies are covered:

Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Benchling, Cisco Systems, Dell Emc, IBM, DXC Technology, Oracle, ScaleMatrix, IPERION, NovelBio

ACCESS FULL REPORT: https://www.marketquest.biz/report/48577/global-cell-biology-cloud-computing-market-2021-by-company-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2026

A list of Cell Biology Cloud Computing international industrial vocations and levels for each other destinations is provided below. When completing their inspections, our personnel have made a concentrated effort to be as straightforward and comprehensive as possible.

Customization of the Report:

This report can be customized to meet the clients requirements. Please connect with our sales team (sales@marketquest.biz), who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs. You can also get in touch with our executives on +1-201-465-4211 to share your research requirements.

Contact UsMark StoneHead of Business DevelopmentPhone: +1-201-465-4211Email: sales@marketquest.biz

Read the original here:

Global Cell Biology Cloud Computing Market 2021 Research on Import-Export Details, Business Standards and Forecast to 2027 Stillwater Current -...

After a long race, you arrive hot and breathless at the finishing line, only to find your biggest competitor is already there, cool and relaxed, saying: Welcome to the club!

At the risk of seeming facetious, this is roughly what is happening right now in the world of cloud computing solutions and operating systems.

Microsoft recently announced the upcoming global release on October 5, of Windows 11, the next iteration of its operating system for desktops and laptops, now six years old.

It promises multiple tweaks and improvements which make multitasking and shifting seamlessly from platform to platform a cinch.

New Artificial Intelligence-powered widgets help users personalise their desktops with custom feeds, to an extent never possible before. Like Windows 10, the new edition will be a free download for legal users but they are not likely to be invited to upgrade till sometime in 2022.

New desktop and portable PCs bought later this year, may come pre-installed with Windows 11 or with a free assured upgrade of Windows 10 (Details here).

Microsoft preceded the announcement of Windows 11 with a curiously timed announcement: that 10 years after it converted its office suite into Office 365, a cloud-based pay-and-use utility, it was going to do likewise with its operating system, Windows.

Windows 365: anytime-anywhere computing

Windows 365 is said to be a cloud service that delivers a new way to experience Windows, streaming personalised apps, settings, and content from the Microsoft cloud to any device.

Users select Windows 11, once it is generally available, along with a configuration of processing power, storage and memory that suits their needs.

They then access their Cloud PC through a native application or web browser on any device, from anywhere with an internet connection.

Microsoft is touting this as a new working model in the New Normal of Work-From-Home or, at any rate, Work-From-Anywhere: Remote workers flip the lid on their laptop, bootup the family workstation or clip a keyboard onto a tablet, launch a native app or modern web browser and login to their Windows 365 account. From there, their Cloud PC appears with their background, apps, settings and content just as they left it when they were last there in the office, at home or a coffee shop!

Such smooth working comes at a price. Your devices (you can work on up to 5) need to have 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. It then costs a minimum of Rs 2,410 per user, per month, to subscribe to Windows 365 and that can amount to a pretty pile of cash even for a small office of a dozen users (check plans here).

But it is in sync with current industry trends that make you subscribe to popular business software rather than buy it outright making you pay again and again for perpetuity.

Already there: Googles Chrome OS

While Windows 11 will continue to be free for existing users of a legal version of Windows 10 or earlier, at the least, till its support ends on 14 October 2025, home users are already having to pay Rs 4,899 annually for a single user and Rs 6,199 for up to six users in a family, if they want to access what used to be the Microsoft Office suite for document creation, presentation and spreadsheet: what is now Microsoft 365, the cloud-based service, with 1 terabyte of cloud storage free.

This is where Google is able to make a Godfather-like offer you cant refuse, because its alternative operating system and office suite is free-to-use for lay users.

ChromeOS, the operating system that Google created for a predominantly always-online user, is 10 years old this year. Most of us installed ChromeOS as a second string to a primary desktop or laptop OS like Windows.

But over years, its USP being lite, lean-and-mean saw it creeping on to more and more desktops, laptops and of course Android phones.

But a laptop with Chrome as the only OS? That looked like a case of living dangerously.

Not so. At least, not for todays mobile-first generation which is used to switching smoothly from smartphone to laptop or desktop multiple times a day and wants a consistent experience: carrying on a task on phone that one had initiated on a laptop or vice-versa.

The other fact of life that underpins a Chromebook as Chrome-driven devices like tablets, laptops, are known is uninterrupted Internet. If your mobile phone has a data plan for Internet, it is easy enough to rejig it into a private hotspot so that you can use the same data plan to access the Internet on your nearby laptop.

Possibly to smoothen the learning curve for a laptop that runs only on Chrome, Google uses the term confusingly and interchangeably for the Operating System as well as for its free browser that comes by default on any handphone powered by Android... even the logos are identical.

Once you have continuous access to the Internet, it no longer makes sense to use the laptop or tablets real estate to store heavy office applications or even to store the data or video files you save.

It can all be done in the cloud which is where Google has put all its free-to-use office and productivity apps: Google Docs, G Suite, Google Drive, Google Workspace, Gmail, Google Playstore This means you can get away with a minimally powered platform with just enough memory and local storage to run all these applications after going online.

Chromebooks: Is there life without Windows?

Asus has recently launched a quartet of Chromebooks and the smallest and lightest of them is the Chromebook C223 which I have been using for a couple of weeks.

It is arguably the cheapest fully-loaded laptop you can buy today which also raises the question: Can you live without Windows?

Weighing just 1 kg and with a 11.6-inch diagonal LED screen with a HD resolution that approximates to 720p, the C223 has a 38 watt-hour battery that is good to go for a full working day of about 10 hours.

These days, video conferences have become central to our work style and the 720p HD camera and stereo speakers are more than adequate for Skype, Zoom, Cisco-Webex or whatever.

Like all Chromebooks, the C223 uses solid state storage, for a quick start and faster data exchange and 32 GB storage is just about enough provided you live online using only cloud storage; As long as you have no issues being a Google Guy all the way, you will be surprised how much you can do without a lot of hardware-installed tools and apps.

The laptop is fuelled by an Intel Celeron N3350 with 2 MB of cache and this is just about adequate to perform most office functions. Ultimately all Chromebooks stand or fall depending on how good your Internet connection is.

After a fortnight using only the C223 for all my work, I have to admit: yes; you can do your basic office computing without Windows but there is a learning curve. Considering its very light build, the Asus Chromebook C223 is fairly light on purse at an affordable Rs 17,999.

By eliminating Windows and the Microsoft Office suite, the makers are able to shave off at least Rs 10,000- Rs 15,000 from the asking price of a similarly sized laptop.

Welcome to the new club of always-on-Internet cloud computing!

See original here:

Upcoming Windows 11 Launch Is Part Of Push To Cloud Computing But Isn't Google's Chrome Already There? - Swarajya

HYDERABAD, India, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient today announced that it recently was recognized by Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Select-Tier Consulting Partner in the AWS Partner Network (APN). The APN is the global community of Partners who leverage AWS to build solutions and services for customers. Achieving this level of partnership differentiates Cyient as a provider of specialized demonstrated technical proficiency with demonstrated customer success in delivering cloud migration strategy and implementation services and leveraging AWS's computing and managed resources to architect and develop advanced solutions in the AWS environment.

"We are excited about advancing our longstanding relationship with AWS to enable us to deliver accelerated value to our customer organizations on their digital transformation journey," says Pierre Carpentier, AVP Partnerships & Solutions Head, Digital BU of Cyient. "As we continue to see traction around transformation driven by the cloud across many of our customers, the ability to tap into AWS's resources enables Cyient to develop and deliver solutions using industry-leading best practices and latest advances in cloud computing and managed services for our customers to accomplish their strategic objectives."

As a recent example, Cyient has deployed two scalable solutions within its IntelliCyient digital solutions portfolio on AWS, the Asset Tracking and Management System (ATMS) and Virtual Asset Management System (VAMS), which enable organizations to gain greater visibility into their assets and operations resulting in improved operational efficiencies.

ATMS is an integrated asset tracking solution employing multiple technologies that can be deployed indoors as well as outdoors to track assets as well as measure their utilization rates. VAMS is an interactive Digital Twin of telecom and utility towers that uses the power of artificial intelligence to turn LiDAR data and other drone imagery into actionable insights.

For more details on Cyient's digital transformation solutions, please visit https://www.cyient.com/digital.

About Cyient

Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) is a leading global engineering, manufacturing, and digital technology solutions company. We are a Design, Build, and Maintain partner for leading organizations worldwide. We enable our customers across industries to apply technologies imaginatively to solve problems that matter and stay ahead of the curve. We are committed to designing tomorrow together with our stakeholders and being a culturally inclusive, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable organization.

For more information, please visit http://www.cyient.comFollow news about the company at @Cyient

SOURCE Cyient

http://www.cyient.com

See original here:

Cyient Achieves Select Tier Status in the AWS Partner Network with its evolving expertise in Digital Transformation solutions - PRNewswire

Microsoft is one of the best cloud storage providers, and offers some of the best cloud storage for business too. But before you can dive into Microsoft cloud storage, you have to choose between two different products: OneDrive and Azure.

Microsoft OneDrive is a file storage service that integrates with the Microsoft 365 productivity suite. Employees can collaborate in real time on documents in either web or desktop versions of apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Plus, employees get their own cloud storage vault where they can keep their files.

Microsoft Azure, on the other hand, is a comprehensive cloud hosting service that enables you to store files, run servers in the cloud, and much more. Its best suited for developing software, running big data analyses, or handling massive databases for the apps your business runs on. Azure storage is more expensive than OneDrive, and doesnt integrate with Microsoft 365 apps.

In this guide, well cover how OneDrive and Azure work with productivity tools like Microsoft 365, how file sharing and collaboration work, and how data is stored in the cloud on the two platforms. Whereas OneDrive is best for businesses that simply want to enable cloud storage and file sharing using Microsoft 365 apps, Azure is best for businesses that want a scalable and highly advanced cloud computing platform.

We compared Microsoft OneDrive and Azure not just on their file storage capabilities, but also on the totality of what these two services are capable of. Well cover the following topics:

Its relatively easy to get started with OneDrive. You can add employees to your business account using their email addresses, and each employee gets their own dashboard. The dashboard is accessible on the web, as a desktop app, or as a mobile app.

OneDrive also integrates with the Windows File Explorer, enabling you to access your OneDrive cloud storage alongside files stored locally on your computer.

Azure is a bit more complicated to set up. Once you sign up, you can access the dashboardcalled the Azure Portalover the web or through desktop and mobile apps.

The Azure Portal starts out empty, but theres a list of all the services available in Azure on the left-hand side of the screen. You can add modules from this list to the Portal to build a custom dashboard and access Azures tools. Youll need to find the Azure Active Directory module and use that to add employees to your businesss Azure deployment.

Within the Portal, you can set up custom dashboards that display your virtual machines, storage systems, and more. To create a new cloud storage space, you can browse the available storage types in the left-hand services menu, and launch a new storage container from there.

Its tricky to compare pricing between OneDrive and Azure because they use completely different pricing schemes. OneDrive charges a flat monthly fee per user, starting from $5 a month for 1TB of storage per user.

Azure operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. Youre charged based on the amount of data you have stored, what type of cloud servers your data is stored on, and how often you make changes to your files. To give a rough estimate, storing 1TB of data with Azure typically costs around $20 a month.

You can also reserve storage with Azure for up to three years at a time. This results in a larger upfront bill, but Microsoft offers discounts of up to 38% for these extended contracts.

One of the major differences between OneDrive and Azure is how they integrate with Microsoft 365, Microsofts productivity suite, which includes apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook.

OneDrive is baked into all Microsoft 365 apps. In any of these apps, you have the option to save files directly to your OneDrive storage, and you can set up syncing so that changes are saved to the cloud in real time.

Even better, its possible for multiple people to work on a file simultaneously if its stored in the cloud. Thats true whether you want to use Microsofts online office apps or the desktop versions of apps like Word and Excel. So, multiple employees can collaborate on a document without running the risk that multiple divergent copies will be created.

Azure, on the other hand, doesnt offer special integrations with Microsoft 365 apps. Youll need to save files created in Microsoft 365 to a storage container in Azure manually. Alternatively, you can work on a Microsoft 365 deployment inside the Azure cloud, and save files directly to Azures storage containers, but this requires you to first set up a virtual machine in the cloud.

In addition, you must be online at all times to use Microsoft 365 apps with Azure, whereas you can work offline with OneDrive, and files will save to the cloud automatically when you reconnect.

Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud computing platform, not just an online cloud storage service. In fact, cloud storage in Azure is designed to interface with the virtual machines, workflows, and software development environments you create on the platform. This enables you to run big data analyses or to access information databases when running applications in the cloud.

Some of the features Azure offers in this respect include virtual Windows and Linux machines with scalable computing power, premade AI models for analyzing data, and developer tools for building apps in the cloud. Azure also offers a content delivery network and tools for enabling single sign-on for your employees.

OneDrive, in contrast, is simply a cloud storage service. You can move files around in the cloud, but thats it. Any computing tasks that cannot be done using the online Office 365 suite must be done on your local network.

The process for backing up files is somewhat different between OneDrive and Azure.

With OneDrive, there are no choices that you need to make about how your files are backed up. Microsoft automatically stores your data in multiple data centers for redundancy. Files are saved in hot storage, meaning that they can be accessed from anywhere in the world immediately.

OneDrive has a service level agreement (SLA) of 99.9%, meaning that Microsoft guarantees that it will have no more than five minutes of downtime a month.

With Azure, you have a number of choices to make about how to store your data. Azure offers the Files module for storing file libraries, the Blob module for storing unstructured data and SQL databases, and the Tables module for storing NoSQL databases. On top of that, youll need to decide whether your data is stored hot for active use or cold for archival purposes.

You also get to choose the primary data center region your data is stored in with Azure. Of course, all data is backed up to multiple data centers for redundancy. Azure comes with an SLA of 99.99%, meaning that it experiences less than 30 seconds of downtime per month.

Both OneDrive and Azure enable you to share files both inside and outside your organization.

With OneDrive, file sharing is relatively simple. You can select any file or group of files and share them via a link or invitation. In addition, you can password-protect shared files or set an expiration date on sharing links. Administrators have the option to limit sharing of certain types of files outside your organization.

With Azure, files are by default accessible to anyone with access to your businesss Azure Portal. It is not possible to create personal, employee-specific file storage systems within Azure. However, you can control access to files using the Azure Active Directory module. This module also lets you invite guest users from outside your business to access specific files for collaboration.

If OneDrive and Azure arent a fit for your business, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from. However, youll still need to make the same decision as to whether your business needs a cloud storage platform like OneDrive or a cloud computing platform like Azure.

OneDrives main competitor is Google Drive, which is part of Google Workspace. Just as OneDrive integrates with Microsoft 365, so Google Drive integrates with Google productivity apps like Docs, Slides, Gmail, and Calendar. However, its worth pointing out that Google Workspace only includes web-based apps, whereas Microsoft 365 apps are available in both web and desktop versions.

Google Workspace plans start at $6 per user a month, and include 30GB per user, so you wont get as much storage per dollar as with OneDrive. The main reason to go with Google Workspace is if you prefer Googles productivity suite to Microsofts. You can find out more about this cloud storage service in our Google Drive review.

An alternative to Azure for cloud computing is Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS is years ahead of Azure in deploying advanced computing resources, including quantum computing applications. It also offers ultra-cheap storage through AWS Glacier, a service for long-term storage of rarely accessed data. For businesses with a lot of data, AWS can be cheaper than Azure, and offers a wider variety of big data analysis pipelines.

OneDrive and Azure are very different Microsoft cloud storage platforms that serve different purposes. OneDrive is a file storage platform that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 productivity apps. Azure is a cloud computing platform thats designed to facilitate big data analysis, software development, and cloud server deployment.

For businesses that simply want to store files in the cloud to promote collaboration, and reduce dependence on physical hard drives, OneDrive is likely to be the better choice. Its very easy to use, and if your business uses Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, or Teams, you likely already have access to OneDrive. OneDrive makes file sharing simple, and employees can even edit files at the same time.

For businesses that currently operate in the cloud or want to take advantage of cloud computing, Azure may make more sense. While its more complicated to set up than OneDrive, Azure makes your data available to applications and workflows running in the cloud. With Azure, you can flexibly access as much computing power as you need to analyze big data or develop your own custom applications.

OneDrive has almost everything you want in a cloud storage platform. It's affordable and highly secure, with robust encryption frameworks. Business customers also get access to a wide range of compliance and auditing capabilities...Deep Microsoft 365 integration makes OneDrive perfect for working online, and it is our top pick for businesses wanting a premium digital workspace and communication ecosystem. Score: 4/5

Choosing between Microsoft OneDrive and Azure can be a fork in the road for your business. Ultimately, which is better comes down to whether you just want cloud storage for business or a full-fledged cloud hosting service. If youre thinking about migrating your entire business to the cloud, make sure you set yourself up with a roadmap for success.

Read the original here:

Microsoft cloud storage: is OneDrive or Azure right for your business? - ITProPortal

Take a look at some of the biggest movers in the premarket:

Alphabet (GOOGL) Alphabet's Google unit will cut the commissions it collects on third-party software sales in its Cloud Marketplace. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to CNBC, who said Google will now collect just 3% of sales compared to the prior 20%.

Tesla (TSLA) Tesla rolled out a software update that allows customers to request access to its Full Self-Driving beta software. Access will be granted to Tesla drivers who get a sufficiently high safety score.

Gores Guggenheim (GGPI) The special purpose acquisition company will take electric car maker Polestar public through a merger, at a valuation of $20 billion including debt. Polestar is controlled by car maker Volvo and its parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Gores rose 2.4% in premarket trading.

Acceleron Pharma (XLRN) Acceleron is in talks to be acquired by an unidentified large pharmaceutical company for about $180 per share, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) is considered one potential candidate, as it already owns an 11.5% stake in Acceleron.

Box (BOX) Box was upgraded to "market outperform" from "market perform" at JMP Securities, which cited the cloud computing company's execution among other factors. Box added 2.2% in the premarket.

Altice USA (ATUS) The broadband and video company was downgraded to "neutral" from "outperform" at Credit Suisse, which notes the likely short-term negative impact from an aggressive fiber buildout strategy. Altice USA slid 1.8% in premarket action.

Toyota Motor (TM) The automaker's shares rose 1.3% in the premarket after the company said it had completed a 25.8 million share buyback.

Best Buy (BBY) The electronics retailer was named a "top idea" at Piper Sandler, which is enthusiastic about the upcoming rollout of Best Buy's new "Best Buy Total Tech" membership program.

Gannett (GCI) The USA Today publisher said it was seeking to refinance up to $550 million in senior secured debt. Gannett said its plan was subject to market conditions and that there is no assurance it will be able to execute the refinancing.

Read more here:

Stocks making the biggest moves in the premarket: Alphabet, Tesla, Gores Guggenheim and more - CNBC

Amazon Web Services decided to base cloud computing data centres in Auckland because of the citys telecommunications connections and skilled workforce, its country manager says.

Amazons cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), will spend $7.5 billion over 15 years building world class computing infrastructure in Auckland, the company announced on Thursday.

AWS New Zealand country manager Tim Dacombe-Bird said the country would join 25 other territories in which the company had established cloud computing data centres.

The company would build a cluster of at least three data centres in the city, he said.

READ MORE:* Joining Google as an engineer need no longer mean leaving NZ* The cables that keep New Zealand connected to the world* Amazon Web Services opens new NZ office, but no word on data centre

Explaining the decision to locate all the infrastructure in Auckland, rather than elsewhere in the country, Dacombe-Bird said AWS took a number of factors into consideration when picking sites.

Its three availability zones needed to be geographically isolated with separate infrastructure connections but still close enough together that there wasnt a lot of latency between them, he said.

So we need internet transfer points and we need the networking or telecommunications infrastructure and we were able to find that in Auckland.

The other thing we need is the availability of talent, he said. Auckland has a large pool of top quality technology talent.

The $7.5b investment would cover the construction and fitting out of the data centres and salaries, Dacombe-Bird said.

A proportion of the spending will be on imported computer equipment.

But AWS estimated the investment would create 1000 jobs and contribute $10.8b to New Zealands GDP over the next 15 years.

Rob Stock/Stuff

Digital Economy and Communications Minister David Clark said AWS investment would bring long-term benefits.

Microsoft is also investing in cloud computing data centres in New Zealand, although there is no indication that will be on the same scale.

AWS other major global cloud-computing rival Google has instead elected to continue servicing customers in the region from Sydney and Melbourne.

Remi Galasso, co-founder of Datagrid, which plans to build a large data centre with associated subsea cable infrastructure near Invercargill at a cost of about $700m, said AWS investment was great news for the country.

New Zealand is definitely becoming attractive to cloud providers, he said.

Auckland is obviously the first chosen location, but I am sure other data centre locations will flourish in the near future especially the ones with access to renewable energy.

Supplied

Datagrid co-founder Remi Galasso said NZ was becoming more attractive as a base for cloud computing and he expected investment to also go into other regions.

Dacombe-Bird said AWS had not sought or been offered any government incentives for its investment.

Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications David Clark said the investment demonstrated the high level of confidence the international business community has in backing New Zealands economy.

Cloud-based technologies are generally accepted now as being the way to work and innovate digitally, he said.

This will create job opportunities for industries like our construction sector, and bring long term benefits as we see the ICT sector and local innovators significantly grow into the future.

National Party digital economy and communications spokeswoman Melissa Lee also welcomed the investment, describing it as a massive confidence boost to our digital economy.

Cloud computing data centres are used in part to house the computers running common software applications, for example by Google to run its Google Apps and by Microsoft for Office 365.

In AWS case, its data centres are used by thousands of third-party software companies such as Xero to provide their services to customers.

They are also used by businesses to run their own particular software applications and by technology start-ups and others to develop new IT services, for example by training machine-learning algorithms.

The Auckland data centres will also be available for companies outside the country who wanted to use them as a back-up, Dacombe-Bird said.

Aside from the injection into the economy provided by the construction of the facilities, they can also have benefits in making software applications slightly faster to run in the countries where they are built, by shortening the distance between computer users and the online services they are accessing.

Dacombe-Bird said some AWS customers also wanted to have the facilities locally for privacy reasons, so that their customers data need not leave the country.

AWS nearest data-centre facilities at the moment are in Sydney.

Supplied

Lines company Vector says the AWS investment will have spin-offs beyond the technology sector.

Dacombe-Bird said the facilities AWS was building would start to come online from 2024.

The investment would unleash further innovation, drive greater productivity, increase our skilled workforce, and truly position New Zealand at the forefront of digital commerce for generations of Kiwis to come, he said.

Discussions with power companies for the electricity to supply the data centres were well-advanced, he said.

AWS has committed to power all its operations, including its data centres, with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025.

Simon McKenzie, chief executive of Auckland lines company Vector, which has a partnership with AWS, said the investment was excellent news for AWS but more importantly New Zealand.

The scale and nature of this AWS investment and commitment to New Zealand will encourage and build confidence for increased levels of innovation across all sectors, he said.

A thriving tech sector benefits us all. It adds diversity to our economy, job opportunities, and keeps talent on our shores, while allowing companies to scale globally from New Zealand.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF/Stuff

AWS investment would appear to have mixed implications for some local technology infrastructure firms such as Spark, but it welcomed the development.

Alex Burke, chief executive of Dunedin-based education technology company Education Perfect, which uses AWS to host its cloud software, said AWS investment would help it attract top tech talent to New Zealand and encourage young people to pursue careers in technology.

We will look to build on the 200 people we have in the business already by hiring an additional 100-plus engineers over this upcoming year, he said.

It's important to state that this investment, whilst in Auckland, will positively impact the whole country, he said.

But AWS investment would appear to have mixed implications for some local companies that already play in the technology infrastructure space, including Spark.

Spark chief financial officer Stefan Knight said in April that its revenues from providing IT and managed services grew 10 per cent last year to $1.1b, making up 31 per cent of its overall sales.

Spark customer director Grant McBeath welcomed AWS investment, saying Spark was well-positioned to support customers with their cloud, security, and managed service needs as AWS grew its offering in New Zealand.

We believe that hybrid cloud private and public options serve businesses well and we can work with our customers to identify the optimal mix and manage migrations, he said.

Read the original:

Infrastructure and 'talent' why Amazon selected Auckland for $7.5b investment - Stuff.co.nz