Introduction

Newer cloud offerings continue to overwhelm the market. Buyers are apprehensive of so many platforms, applications, and technologies.

Public cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), are providing further cost reduction mechanisms to buyers by allowing them to sell excess reserved capacity to other AWS customers. This positions AWS as a provider genuinely interested in reducing buyers’ costs.

Global technology service providers, such as CSC, HP, IBM, Sungard, T-Systems, and Fujitsu, signed multiple cloud engagements in Q3 2012. In cloud offerings, telecom providers, such as Telstra, Colt, and BT, expanded their portfolio. Many providers, such as IBM, EMC, Fujitsu, Infosys, Rackspace, and VMware, invested in datacenters, delivery locations, marketing, and IP creation for cloud services.

Enterprise application providers, such as Oracle, SAP, and Microsoft, and IT management providers, such as BMC and CA, continued to create newer cloud offerings. Most of these offerings focus on the North American and European market. New age providers, such as NetSuite, Navisite, and Joyent, signed large number of clients.