Private cloud opens $36 billion door for channel partners, says Canalys

Canalys today announced that the private cloud infrastructure and services market offers the world’s channel partners a $36 billion revenue opportunity in 2011. This segment accounts for the vast majority of the total $40 billion cloud computing opportunity.[1] Cisco, EMC and Juniper Networks, along with emerging technology vendor Crucial, will join other major IT brands and hundreds of channel partners at the Canalys Channels Forum to discuss the business of the cloud and its impact on technology spending in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

While channel partners have a strong advantage on the private cloud front, the public cloud segment, currently estimated to account for $85 billion of revenue worldwide this year, dominates the overall cloud computing market. With consumers driving public cloud expansion via companies such as Google, Microsoft, Baidu, Facebook, Yahoo! and YouTube, less opportunity exists for channel partners.

‘Private cloud initiatives provide the obvious choice for channel partners looking to grow new business,’ said Canalys Principal Analyst Alastair Edwards. ‘The IT partner community is as relevant as ever, thanks to its close customer relationships. Proximity, along with a history of product sales, gives channel partners a strong position from which to support internal cloud roll-outs.’

The Canalys Channels Forum will take place from 3 – 5 October in Barcelona. The event’s theme, ‘From cloud to clarity,’ focuses on the risks and rewards of cloud computing for the channel community. AMD, HP, IBM, Brocade, Cisco and many other technology vendors will present their views on cloud computing within the context of today’s economy.

‘With a track record that includes service outages, security concerns and regulatory question marks, cloud computing has yet to become pervasive on the enterprise side,’ said Edwards. ‘Its adoption is certain to accelerate rapidly over the next few years though, as technologies improve and comfort levels increase. Channel partners capable of quickly developing the necessary skills and product offerings to match this transition will capture an early competitive advantage.’

To help partners navigate the cloud computing landscape, the Canalys Channels Forum offers keynotes from industry leaders, regional break-outs and best-practice workshops. Channel partners also have the opportunity to meet privately with senior vendor executives. Over 2,000 one-to-one meetings are expected to take place at this year’s event, in addition to group networking opportunities at the Gala Dinner and the Forum’s many interactive sessions.

About the Canalys Channels Forum

The Canalys Channels Forum is the only independent event that unites senior managers from leading technology vendors, distributors and channel partners to discuss industry trends, forge new business relationships and create sales opportunities. In addition to vendor keynotes, the event will feature best-practice workshops, more than 2,000 senior one-to-one meetings and a prestigious Gala Dinner, among other networking activities. More information about the event can be found at www.canalyschannelsforum.com or on Twitter at @cloudtoclarity. Journalists please contact press@canalys.com to request a press pass.

About Canalys

Canalys delivers smart market insights to IT, channel and service provider professionals around the world. Our customer-driven analysis and consulting services empower businesses to make informed decisions and generate sales. We stake our reputation on the quality of our data, our innovative use of technology and our high level of customer service. 

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