EXPERT SPEAK

Whether they are focused on all-in public cloud adoption , hybrid and multi-cloud strategies or focussed on cloud repatriation , an intelligent buying strategy is essential for a Managed Service Provider ’ s success . MSPs should consider the benefits of cloud providers offering customisation and control that will enable them to deliver agile cloud services , explains Terry Storrar at Leaseweb .

Whether needing to access the global reach and mass market infrastructure services provided by hyper-scalers , or choosing to use the more customisable , tailored services offered by non-hyperscale public cloud specialists , there is no doubt that customer demand for cloud services is fuelling further year on year growth throughout this market . Gartner has predicted that public cloud end-user spending will eclipse the one trillion-dollar mark before 2030 .

The sheer extent of long-term investment that hyper-scalers including AWS , Azure and Google Cloud are putting into this area strongly indicates that public cloud , in all its forms , is here to stay . In May 2024 , AWS announced plans to invest over eight billion dollars in AWS European Sovereign Cloud by 2040 to support demand in the region and to provide digital sovereignty services .

Terry Storrar , Managing Director UK , Leaseweb

Concurrently , many non-hyperscale public cloud providers are pledging considerable investment into public cloud initiatives .

For example , the infrastructure created by the European Cloud Campus will enable companies to develop AI and cloud applications that work on data stored and processed within Europe , bolstering the European Commission ’ s drive to achieve a sovereign European cloud .

Fundamental to this infrastructure ecosystem sit Managed Service Providers , MSPs , whose partnerships with the public cloud providers , both hyperscale and non-hyperscale , are key growth drivers . According to research published by the Department for Science , Innovation and Technology , DSIT earlier this year , 56 % of MSPs partner with Microsoft , Azure and O365 , followed by 43 % with AWS .

Importantly , MSPs play a vital role in delivering the right configurations of cloud services to end customers , and today , expertise in this market is essential .

In many instances , public cloud offers distinct benefits compared to other cloud or on-premises infrastructure options . Recent research carried out among the MSP community found that scalability , 61 %, flexible capacity , 51 %, high levels of resilience , 43 % and superior IT architecture , 42 % are seen as its top advantages for users of hyperscale services .

But what is the experience for customers who use public cloud providers that fall outside the hyperscale category ?

For non-hyperscale public cloud users , there are other plus points , with customer support , 35 % and access to a flexible ondemand business model , 32 % seen as the biggest benefits . Whichever way you look at

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