A cloud ecosystem is an ecosystem of cloud-based services and applications that support a company’s main business. A cloud ecosystem can help companies develop new business models. For example, a medical device manufacturer can launch a heart-monitoring service on the cloud and sell it alongside its main business. It also makes it easier to aggregate data and analyze system interactions. For example, healthcare provider records and patient records can merge to create a comprehensive view of a patient population.
Center of a Cloud Ecosystem is a Public Cloud Provider
A public cloud provider (PCP) is the central node of a cloud ecosystem. This infrastructure supports all other services and applications. Cloud ecosystems is large and complex. They include several types of cloud services and composed of providers, consumers, developers, integrators and other third parties.
PCPs
Enterprises typically choose to use one or more PCPs to fulfill their cloud needs. Large companies generally have a mix of cloud providers, such as SAP, Microsoft, Oracle and Workday. Other players include Google Cloud, Lenovo and Cisco Systems. In addition, Oracle offers SaaS-based cloud services.
Cloud Service Provider
A cloud service provider extends its capabilities through the creation of a new service offer. For example, a PCP could create a platform for a partner to sell their own cloud services. The partner then can extend that platform through aggregation, integration, and customization.
Public Clouds
Public clouds are the common choice for customers that need more computing power. However, many customers are reluctant to use only one PCP. They can wish to combine cloud services to avoid a single cloud provider’s control. A more sophisticated approach may involve selecting several public clouds for specific needs and integrating them with one another.
Perfect for Businesses
Public clouds are perfect for businesses that have fluctuating workloads or need extra computing power for short periods. They offer users on-demand resources and reduce a company’s IT footprint. Moreover, they are much cheaper than acquiring and maintaining physical IT equipment. The cost of running and maintaining a public cloud has passed on to the public cloud service provider.
Interdependent Components
The cloud ecosystem has composed of many interdependent components, each with unique functions and characteristics. These components form a chain, enabling them to work together seamlessly and facilitate service refinement. This enables a multi-layered service architecture, with modular structures within each layer. This architecture also facilitates increasing degrees of standardization and self-service. As a result, the traditional distinction between service providers and customers is blurred.
Cloud Ecosystem
The cloud ecosystem is composed of various components and roles, all of which play a crucial role in the success of an organization. While most cloud ecosystem components operate individually, many organizations combine roles to form clusters. Consequently, organizations that play multiple roles are likely to perform better than those with distinct profiles.
The Pace Model
The PaCE model has validated, based on various existing models. It provides an accurate representation of the cloud ecosystem and allows researchers to create a detailed analysis of cloud businesses. The research report includes detailed data on cost structure, supply chain, revenue and other critical aspects of the cloud ecosystem. It tracks recent developments and innovation in the market and provides data on the barriers to adoption.
Benefits of Pace Model
The PaCE model is useful for understanding the cloud ecosystem and it encourages end customers to use cloud services more effectively. End customers may use this model to evaluate different cloud service scenarios, including direct delivery from providers and indirect delivery from brokers, such as aggregators and market place operators.
Business Applications
A robust ecosystem may make it easier to find and purchase business applications and it can help a company respond quickly to changes in business needs. One example of an ecosystem is a cloud provider’s app store, which has an inventory of different vendors’ software and services. These apps have thoroughly vetted for cost, security and risk.
Making New Business Models
A cloud ecosystem can help businesses come up with new business models. For example, a medical device manufacturer may develop a heart-monitoring service using cloud infrastructure and sell it alongside its primary business. A cloud ecosystem makes it easier to aggregate data and analyze the interactions between systems. For example, patient records may combined with health provider and smart device logs to make an accurate analysis across a patient population.
A’managed Service Provider
360Understanding of Cloud Ecosystem for Business Applications includes an extensive model that categorizes the various roles that can be played in a cloud ecosystem. A’managed service provider’ role consists of providing cloud services to customers, arranging contracts, and adherence to service level agreements. Other organizations fulfill the same or similar roles, but in different ways.
Organizations
Organizations’ size, legal form, and deployment model are also considered. The sampled organizations are large, medium-sized, and small-to-medium-sized organizations. The largest organizations are located in the United States, Germany, and Great Britain, but India is also fairly well represented. The cloud ecosystem is a global business, and the organizations identified in the sample are spread across 52 countries.
