Telebriefing Replay & Podcast

Charting the Cloud

A Competitive Landscape for Challenging Times

Amy Larsen DeCarlo
Principal Analyst, Managed IT Services

May 20, 2009

When the dot.com boom went bust in 2000, the application service provider (ASP) revolution came to an abrupt halt - or so it appeared. Though many ASPs faded from view, the model itself never entirely disappeared. Instead, it evolved along with the technology and the business models that are providing the foundation for the cloud-based services.

Both budget-conscious enterprises and SMBs find the cloud appealing during a financial downturn, but along with the hype surrounding the cost benefits of cloud services comes the inevitable backlash. Are cloud services really the key to cost-effective – and profitable – managed IT service delivery, or is this just the latest chapter in a thick volume of marketing pitches?

In this telebriefing, Amy Larsen DeCarlo, Current Analysis Principal Analyst, Managed IT Services, looks at where the market for Internet-based managed services is today, where it is headed tomorrow and what dynamics and barriers could alter that course. This briefing maps out where the biggest opportunities and the most substantial risks are for both the providers and their customers.

Additionally, the briefing addresses other key issues such as:

• What type of managed IT service providers are best positioned to capitalize on the cloud opportunity and why?
• How are cloud services changing the way that businesses of all sizes operate, and how is this influencing their managed IT service investments?
• Which applications should providers lead with, and which applications are still best delivered through more conventional models?
• Will the current economic climate help to drive demand for cloud services or impede its growth?

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