Cloud computing is set to dominate Deutsche Telekom’s presence at the annual CeBIT event in Germany this week, with three separate announcements around the technology.
The German incumbent is incorporating open source cloud operating system OpenStack into its forthcoming Business Marketplace service, which aims to remove technical barriers for software firms integrating cloud applications into the new service and other Deutsche Telekom infrastructure.
OpenStack was established in 2010 by Rackspace, NASA and 25 other technology firms, and “simplifies the technical collaboration with partners,” Dirk Backofen, senior vice president of marketing business customers, says. Deutsche Telekom plans to contribute to the development of OpenStack, which it states allows cost-efficient delivery of cloud services.
The operator’s Business Marketplace is scheduled to launch in the summer.
Also in the cards for Deutsche Telekom at CeBIT is a demonstration of cloud-based sales, order processing and financial services software for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), developed in conjunction with Scopevisio. The telco handles operation of the software, billing and encrypted data transmission in a service Backofen says enables “even small and medium-sized companies to utilize professional ERP software,” without major investment.
SMEs are also the target for a new cloud-based Internet security service dubbed Cloud Security, which Deutsche Telekom is offering alongside US-based ClearPath Networks. The service filters malware and content to enable secure access to corporate data, with all traffic cleaned up in the cloud before it hits company premises.
Deutsche Telekom claims the remote protection will cut IT hardware and software costs for small businesses, by removing the need for localized firewalls, VPNs, anti-virus and content filtering software.