5 Cloud Computing Stories MSPs Need to Know About, Week of July 3

MSPmentor has compiled a list of the top cloud computing stories that managed service providers (MSPs) need to know about for the week of July 3.

This week’s column features cloud computing news from Microsoft (MSFT), Oracle (ORCL) SkyKick, Faction and Forrester Research.

Microsoft Extends Its Hybrid Cloud Management Portfolio

Microsoft has released an Operations Management Suite (OMS) add-on for System Center that enables organizations to manage workloads across on-premises servers and clouds. The new release adds IT monitoring, automation and data protection capabilities to System Center.

New Oracle Commerce Cloud Helps Companies Build, Optimize and Extend Selling Experiences

Oracle has unveiled the Oracle Commerce Cloud, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution built for the Oracle Public Cloud. Oracle Commerce Cloud enables online businesses to establish “a fully responsive, configurable storefront out-of-the-box with pre-integrated core commerce features,” according to Oracle.

SkyKick Debuts Cloud Management as a Service Solutions

Cloud management software provider SkyKick has launched Cloud Management as a Service (CMaaS) solutions to help IT solution providers manage multiple cloud-based applications from a single platform. SkyKick’s CMaaS solutions also allow users to migrate, backup and manage data and services for Microsoft Office 365 and Dropbox.

Faction Launches Cloud Marketplace Allowing for Turn-key Optimization

Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) cloud provider Faction has launched the Faction Marketplace, a purchasing platform that links the company’s existing customers and channel partners to cloud service and product suppliers. The platform offers numerous choices for managed services, software solutions and colocation services, Faction said, that are supplied by the company’s channel partners.

Enterprises Say Cloud Providers Don’t Understand Their Needs: Report

A new Forrester Research survey of 275 IT leaders revealed that 60 percent of respondents said a lack of compliance information and support is preventing them from increasing their cloud use. In addition, the survey showed that many enterprises suffer from “a lack of clear cloud usage and operational data results in performance problems.”

What do you think of this week’s cloud stories for MSPs? Share your thoughts about this story in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].