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Global computing has surged in recent years, changing the way people communicate, manage data and do business. Billions of private and business users take advantage of the on-demand technology.

However, with coronavirus lockdown rules in place and millions of people spending more time indoors and online, the global demand for cloud services has soared over the last few months, according to industry experts.

This growing need for cloud solutions has led to increased spending on hardware and software components needed to support the computing requirements.

The global cloud IT infrastructure spending has tripled since 2013 as billions use personal cloud storage to manage and store private data.

The examples of cloud computing use can be found practically everywhere, from social networking, messaging apps, and streaming services to business processes, office tools, chatbots, or lending platforms.

Owing to a surge in demand, the industry is expected to grow 3.6 per cent year-on-year to hit $69.2 billion by the end of 2020, according to data gathered by LearnBonds.

In 2013, the global spending on cloud IT infrastructure, including hardware, abstracted resources, storage, and network resources, amounted to $22.3 billion, revealed Statista data and the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Cloud IT Infrastructure Tracker.

Over the next four years, this amount grew to $47.4 billion. The trend has continued to grow strongly so that global cloud IT infrastructure spending has tripled since 2013.

IDC`s report revealed that public cloud infrastructure spending is expected to drive the global market growth this year.

Research director of Infrastructure Systems, Platforms, and Technologies at IDC, Kuba Stolarski said: "As enterprise IT budgets tighten through the year, the public cloud will see an increase in demand for services."

According to a global CIO survey, public cloud adoption was the key draw for many companies in 2020, with 79% of polled groups planning to make heavy to moderate adoption of cloud technology. AI/machine learning ranked as the second-most wanted technology, with 72% of firms planning to use it in 2020.

Statistics show that 70% of businesses plan to adopt private cloud solutions this year, followed by 63% of companies who prefer multi-cloud solutions.

"This increase will come in part from the surge of work-from-home employees using online collaboration tools, but also from workload migration to the public cloud as enterprises seek ways to save money for the current year. Once the coast is clear of the coronavirus, we expect some of this new cloud service demand to remain sticky going forward," he added.

IDC's five-year forecast predicts cloud IT infrastructure spending will reach $100 billion by 2024, growing by a compound annual rate of growth of 8.4%.

The growing need for cloud solutions recently has led to a surge in the vendor revenue from cloud IT infrastructure. In 2019, they made a $63.97 billion profit from selling these IT products and solutions, 30% more compared to 2017 figures.

The 2019 data also showed that ODM Direct held 32% of the market. Dell Technologies and HPE follow with 16% and 11.7% market share, respectively, it added.-TradeArabia News Service

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Global cloud IT infrastructure spending to hit $70bn by year-end - Trade Arabia

Almost all smartphones lock you into expensive, pretty prisons. They look great, but you can't repair them, and they watch your every move. But now there's the Fairphone 3, which lets you fix the hardware yourself, paired up with the privacy-first Android /e/OS operating system.

Besides being repairable by any handy person, the Fairphone uses ethically sourced materials and is built by well-paid workers, Many smartphones, such as the Apple iPhone, are built by poorly paid temporary workers.

The Android-based /e/ operating system and smartphones put privacy first. It's based on LineageOS. This is an Android-based operating system, which is descended from the failed CyanogenMod Android fork. This version also blends in features from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) 7, 8, and 9 source-code trees.

In the /e/OS, all Google services have been removed and replaced with MicroG services. MicroG replaces Google's libraries with purely open-source implementations without hooks to Google's services. This includes libraries and apps that provide Google Play, Maps, Geolocation, and Messaging services for Android applications when they need them.

Put them together, and you get the first privacy-conscious, sustainable smartphone. This pairing springs from the Fairview community. They were asked what their preferred alternative OS was for the Fairphone 3, and they voted for /e/OS.

Being ethical and putting privacy first means the end product isn't as glossy as its Apple and Samsung rivals.

A recent ZDNet review found the Fairphone 3 to be a chunky beast. It comes with only 4GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 chipset. It also has a single 12-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. This is all powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

The Fairphone 3 also has a 5.65-inch LCD within a large bezel frame. It supports dual SIM and has a MicroSD card slot. You're likely to need that MicroSD slot for more storage since it only comes with 64GB of internal storage.

In short, if you're looking for top-of-the-line hardware, look elsewhere. On the other hand, you can take apart this phone -- it comes with its own screwdriver to fix it yourself. iFixitfinds the FairPhone 3 to be the most easily repaired smartphone of all.

The open-source operating system may be Android, but without all the Google functionality, it has a different feel. The /e/ platform also comes with its own services. For example, its search program uses, not Google, but Qwant, a popular, privacy-first European-based search engine. Instead of Google Drive for cloud storage, you get /e/'s cloud, which is based on the open-source NextCloud.

That said, many, but not all, standard Android apps run on /e/. It has its own app store with compatible apps. With its privacy-first emphasis, when you look at an app in the store, you can see each program's privacy settings and exactly what information it's sharing. It's up to you to decide if an app's utility is worth its privacy compromises.

Many mainstream Android apps work with this Google-free operating system. For example, Facebook installs and runs on /e/ perfectly. Of course, Facebook comes with its own privacy problems.

Eva Gouwens, Fairphone's CEO, likes this deal: "Our partnership with /e/OS is exciting because we both strive to change the way the tech industry operates in our own way. We're happy to provide Fairphone users with phones that are not only sustainable but also take special care to protect their personal data."

In a statement, Gal Duval, /e/OS founder added:

"Since the inception of /e/OS, we realized that many of our users were not only concerned about their data privacy and willing to reconquer their digital sovereignty, they also wanted hardware that would last longer and be repairable. Many adhere to the open-source principles of transparency in their software and they look for a similar approach for their mobile phone. They look for a more ethical approach to technology. It was therefore obvious to us that Fairphone would be a great platform for these customers, providing them with a phone that ticks the boxes of repairability, durability, and ethical sourcing."

The Fairphone 3 with pre-loaded /e/OS is available starting on May 7 from /e/'s website, for 480 ($525). The Fairphone 3 /e/ OS build is freely available, if you already have a Fairphone 3.

More:
The Fairphone ethical smartphone is now available with the Google-less Android /e/OS operating system - ZDNet

Cloud computing has surged in recent years, changing the way people communicate, manage data and do business. Billions of private and business users take advantage of on-demand technology.

However, with coronavirus lockdown rules in place and millions of people spending more time indoors and online, the global demand for cloud services has soared over the last few months. This growing need for cloud solutions has led to increased spending on hardware and software components needed to support the computing requirements.

Global cloud IT infrastructure spending is expected to grow 3.6% year-on-year, reaching $69.2bn in 2020, according to data gathered by LearnBonds.

Today, billions of people use personal cloud storage to manage and store private data. However, its ability to provide access to computing power that would otherwise be extremely expensive has seen cloud computing technology spread widely in the business sector, also.

The examples of cloud computing use can be found practically everywhere, from social networking, messaging apps, and streaming services to business processes, office tools, chatbots, or lending and trading platforms.

In 2013, the global spending on cloud IT infrastructure, including hardware, abstracted resources, storage, and network resources, amounted to $22.3bn, revealed Statista data and the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Cloud IT Infrastructure Tracker. Over the next four years, this amount grew to $47.4bn. The trend has continued to grow strongly so that global cloud IT infrastructure spending has tripled since 2013.

IDC`s report revealed that public cloud infrastructure spending is expected to drive the global market growth this year.

Research director of Infrastructure Systems, Platforms, and Technologies at IDC, Kuba Stolarski said: As enterprise IT budgets tighten through the year, the public cloud will see an increase in demand for services.

This increase will come in part from the surge of work-from-home employees using online collaboration tools, but also from workload migration to the public cloud as enterprises seek ways to save money for the current year. Once the coast is clear of the coronavirus, we expect some of this new cloud service demand to remain sticky going forward.

IDCs five-year forecast predicts cloud IT infrastructure spending will reach $100.1 bn by 2024, growing by a compound annual rate of growth of 8.4%.

The growing need for cloud solutions recently has led to a surge in the vendor revenue from cloud IT infrastructure. In 2019, they made a $63.97bn profit from selling these IT products and solutions, 30% more compared to 2017 figures. The 2019 data also showed that ODM Direct held 32% of the market. Dell Technologies and HPE follow with 16% and 11.7% market share, respectively.

According to a global CIO survey, public cloud adoption was the key draw for many companies in 2020, with 79% of polled groups planning to make heavy to moderate adoption of cloud technology. AI/machine learning ranked as the second-most wanted technology, with 72% of firms planning to use it in 2020.

Statistics show that 70% of businesses plan to adopt private cloud solutions this year, followed by 63% of companies who prefer multi-cloud solutions.

More here:
Global Cloud IT Infrastructure Spending will Touch $70bn This Year - BusinessGhana

London, UK. 7th May, 2020. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the worlds largest nursing union and professional body, has partnered with digital preservation specialist Preservica to ensure vital medical and clinical guidance is made available online and preserved for its 450,000 members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bulletin April issue cover

The information is critical to supporting front-line NHS nurses, midwives, student and newly qualified nurses, support workers and retired nurses returning to duty at this unprecedented time. The initiative is helping reassure RCN staff and senior decision-makers that records documenting decisions and actions of the RCN, as well as advice given to members, are being actively collected. Actions include the RCN lobbying the UK government on the availability of testing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for its members.

Real-time digital preservation & access

Led by the RCNs archives team, the college has already made more than a thousand historical clinical guidance publications available online through a secure members portal. The very latest information on tackling infectious diseases and a full summary of all UK government advice and statements is available on the RCN website.

The team is also actively capturing and preserving RCN website bulletins related to COVID-19, and working with the RCNs comms team to harvest testimonials of front-line nurses that have been shared on social media. The aim is to document the contribution of the college and its members for future generations and enable the RCN to supply evidence that demonstrate its role and actions during the pandemic.

Fiona Bourne, Archive Manager at the RCN, commented: A lot of nursing students have just qualified, and theyre going straight into the workforce to tackle the pandemic. Without that depth of experience, its part of our job to ensure that they have access to vital clinical information as well as the most up to date advice and guidance so they can come up to speed quickly and safely.

#ourcovid19story

The RCN is using Preservicas online digital preservation and discovery platform to quickly capture, preserve and make material securely accessible to members no matter where they are or what device they might be using.

The college is also participating in an initiative launched by Preservica called #ourcovid19story that is donating additional free cloud storage to the user community for COVID-19 related collections.

This has taken pressure off the RCN archive team enabling them to ensure information is collected and made available in near-real-time without worrying about storage space. The cloud hosted Preservica application has also meant that the team have been able to remain productive while working remotely during lockdown.

Fiona added: If, as seems likely in the future, there is a public enquiry about the governments response to the pandemic, well be able to provide evidence promptly and effectively to the relevant body. That same evidence will show what the organisation has done in terms of advice and support for nurses and care workers across the NHS and the independent sector, and the contribution of key staff to government advisory committees.

Mike Quinn, Preservicas CEO, commented: We are humbled by the work the RCN archive team are doing to support their members on the frontline of this pandemic as well as documenting their heroic work for future generations. This along with all our customers using Preservica to actively capture and preserve this unprecedented time in our history fills us with enormous pride.

The RCN, along with other speakers from the City of Boston, the University at Buffalo, Network Rail and Rhode Island Department of State, will be talking about their work on an upcoming webinar: Preservation in real time: delivering value to you institution & community during a global pandemic

ENDS

About the RCNThe Royal College of Nursing is the worlds largest nursing union and professional body. We represent more than 450,000 nurses, student nurses, midwives and nursing support workers in the UK and internationally.

About PreservicaPreservica is changing the way organisations around the world protect and future-proof critical long-term digital information. Available in the cloud (SaaS) or on-premise, our award-winning active digital preservation software has been designed from the ground-up to tackle the unique challenges of ensuring digital information remains accessible and trustworthy over decades.

Its a proven solution that's trusted by business, archives, libraries, museums and government organizations around the world - including the UK National Archives, Texas State Library and Archives, MoMA, Dartmouth College and HSBC - to name a few.

Visit: http://www.preservica.com Twitter: @Preservica

Media enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Edward Clark at: eclark@thecommsco.com / 07983 507659

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Royal College of Nursing supports frontline nurses during COVID-19 pandemic with online information hub - RealWire

In Darren Sullivans nearly 20 years at Dell Technologies, hes never been more bullish on the companys channel strategy as a slew of new oerings are being added to the Dell Technologies Partner Program.

In light of the things weve teed up in terms of program design, how were improving the partner experienceIve never been more optimistic about what the potential is for our partners, said Sullivan, senior vice president of global partner strategy and operations. We are really raising the bar here. Our tagline of Simple, Predictable, Protablethose arent just words. We take those to heart. I feel like weve never been better at being able to fulfill that promise to partners with the things that were doing this year.

In an interview with CRN, Sullivan details three elements that are elevating the Dell Technologies Partner Program.

Recognizing Partners With End-To-End Capabilities

Were announcing our new Proven Partner Services Competency. This is going to recognize partners with comprehensive proven capabilities to design and deliver Dell Technologies infrastructure and solutions end to end. These competencies will be initially available in two solution areas: data center infrastructure, which includes alignment across server, networking, storage and data protection competencies; and hyperconverged infrastructure, which includes HCI, networking, server and data protection competencies. So were really excited about this addition to the program to really recognize those partners who have those comprehensive end-to-end capabilities for our solutions.

A partner with a competency will be prioritized in our Find A Partner capability in our partner portal. The goal is to give them priority access to leads from our internal sales force. So we want to make sure this is a strong go-to-market engine so that partners who have these capabilities and are successful in working in these solution areas, that those partners are well-known to our internal sales force to collaborate on deals. Theyll also get early access to new services competencies as they become available.

The Dell Technologies Partner Program is largely designed in terms of our requirements around partner revenue thresholds to achieve tiers as well as their certi cations. What we want to really make sure with these new competencies is we have a program structure that is traditionally oriented, but then complement it in ways to recognize partners through branding and additional access to training in order to recognize those partners that provide broader end-to-end capabilities across our portfolio.

Revamping The Solutions Configurator Tool Provides Immediate Benefits To Partners

We made an effort this year to integrate our quoting platform across server, networking and storage. Were using our Solutions Congurator tool to bring together the Dell EMC storage products into the same platform as we provide server and networking to partners. But its not just about bringing these products together, were also enhancing the capabilities for our partners in everything from deal registration to orders. There are immediate benets just in terms of being able to work in one tool, which makes it easier for our partners to work with us so theyre not having to access multiple tools that are set up dierently with dierent processes and policies and so forth, but instead one consistent solution for our ISG [Infrastructure Solutions Group] portfolio.

Were also going to be providing much greater pricing transparency in the tool so when youre a partner who has an approved deal registration, its integrated with your quote and were able to show our partners what their pricing advantage is on that particular opportunity versus all other partners who dont have a registration.

Eliminating Quarterly Growth Targeting Process Drives Simpler Approach

We have eliminated our quarterly growth targeting process for our resellers. In the past, they received a target across seven lines of business, four times a year across all of our medal-tiered partners. It was a really complicated and a not very predicable component of our program. So we have chosen to eliminate that to drive a simpler approach.

We also simplified our programs product rebate structure from seven lines of business with two or three product categories within each line of business to just three lines of business: client, server and storage. It makes it easier for partners to understand and operationalize as opposed to maintaining rates across all of those elements.

Weve increased our program automation so that its more transparent to partners on what is rebate-eligible in the quoting process as opposed to after-the-quarter reconciliation. What weve introduced on the quoting tool is visibility up front so a partner will know if theyre eligible to receive rebates on that particular quote or not. What that provides is advanced notice so that they dont go through the whole selling cycle and not realize that, after end of quarter, it might not have been rebate-eligible. So were providing that visibility right up front so that partners know whats eligible or what is not for rebate earnings

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3 Ways Dell Technologies Is 'Raising The Bar' Across Its Partner Program - CRN: Technology news for channel partners and solution providers