Node4’s nCloud uses the company’s network of data centres to allow organisations to select which services they require and outsource the hosting of their applications and services to suit their current business strategy.
“As with all of Node4’s services, users benefit from a platform that is stable and reliable through Node4’s use of high end equipment and the resilience delivered across multiple locations in Node4’s data centre network. For the first time, users will now be able to effectively ‘rent space’ on Node4’s hardware instead of having to house their own IT equipment in Node4’s data centres.”
nCloud uses the hybrid cloud whereby two or more clouds (either public or private) remain separate entities but are bound together by standardised technology. This means that a company has the flexibility and control over which of its IT assets it wishes to outsource. Companies that choose to keep specifically sensitive information on their own private infrastructure can continue to do so. Everything else can be delivered through Node4’s shared platform that can dramatically change how a company utilises its IT services.
nCloud highlights one of the major benefits of cloud technology – the ability to reduce capital expenditure and replace significant upfront costs with operational costs. Instead of the hefty initial cost of IT equipment, nCloud allows firms to pay a monthly fee for the service they need. In addition, the dynamic, flexible nature of the infrastructure means users can continue to add or modify their services as their business requirements and budgets dictate.
Andrew Gilbert, managing director at Node4 said, “As the popularity of cloud computing has grown over recent years, Node4 has been leading from the front in terms of innovation and we’re really pleased to offer a service designed around our users’ requirements and how they use their IT services. Many companies want to make use of the benefits of cloud computing but previously, they had been held back by ‘off the shelf’ services that didn’t suit their requirements. Our ‘pick and mix’ approach that uses the hybrid cloud is a forward thinking solution that doesn’t tie down businesses.
“We have been dealing with cloud computing since our launch in 2004 as we have successfully run data centres in various locations across the country. nCloud allows us to expand our offering because users don’t necessarily have to run their applications on their own equipment anymore. The levels of convenience, support and security that offers is substantial.”