Corralling the Cloud for the IT Channel

From the first face-to-face meeting of the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community, there was ample evidence that we needed to add a sense of clarity to the much used term, ‘cloud’. The questions started out as simple as what exactly ‘cloud’ was and evolved into deeper concerns relative to its impact on the channel (regardless of its meaning). 

As such, the group decided early on to focus its efforts on providing that clarity for the marketplace, while recognizing it might not be as simple as stringing together various marketing buzzwords and just walking away. Cloud really isn’t a technology widget or tool. Rather, it’s an amorphous service/application delivery mechanism enabled by technology that extends business benefits to and from companies ranging from the smallest of the SMB market to the largest enterprise entities.  

After several more live and virtual sessions, twelve individuals, representing a diverse cross-section of the IT/cloud community descended upon the CompTIA Oakbrook Terrace headquarters. Their objective was to build a document that would educate our members and the IT industry on cloud computing basics, and serve as a common point of reference for the channel. After two fascinating days of collaborative discussion and group exercises, the team was able to come up with the considerations, content and information needed to accomplish those goals.

After much iteration, many reviews and feedback from across the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community, we are pleased to announce the availability of that information, in the form of two distinct whitepapers:

1. Outlining Cloud Computing for the Channel clarifies and expands upon cloud computing definitions for the IT reseller channel community

2. Cloud Computing Business Models for the Channel defines the sales cycle, stages of development and various roles of IT channel companies in cloud computing. This document identifies and defines basic cloud business models and outlines the orientation and relationship of cloud computing models for businesses operating in and around the channel

Both whitepapers can be found on the CompTIA website (www.comptia.org/channeltools) and in the Member Resource Center (http://www.comptia.org/members/tools/education/cloudsaas.aspx).

The Cloud/SaaS Community recognizes these documents may merely scratch the surface of answering the fear and uncertainty presented by ‘the cloud.’  But the group is confident that these white papers will provide a foundation of knowledge and clarity that can help us all move closer to  appreciating the benefits inherent in the cloud. Future Cloud/SaaS Community initiatives will build upon these works and begin to offer more detailed and practical advice on how the IT channel can capitalize on this unique opportunity.