NetApp: New Consultancy Service, Cloud Value Management

NetApp, Inc. announced its new consultancy service, Cloud Value Management (CVM), a leap forward in helping businesses unleash their potential in the cloud.

This consultancy service goes beyond selling cloud services and empowers businesses to cloud readiness through a holistic understanding of their needs and designing a clear strategy roadmap. This move further underscores company’s commitment in providing a range of hybrid cloud data services, and help enterprises accelerate digital transformation.

NetApp collaborated with two partners, Minet Technologies, a procurement solutions company, and Heymann & Partner Rechtsanwälte mbB, a technology law firm, in delivering CVM.

The scheduled first phase roll out of the service is across Europe in France, Germany, Netherlands, Nordics, Switzerland and the UK.

The two key components of CVM include:

• Engaging with the Cloud Workshop: This is a three-day interactive, inter-disciplinary workshop providing a holistic overview of technical, legal as well as business aspects in the hybrid cloud environment. This workshop aims to break down departmental silos and create a common understanding across all stakeholders in identifying key business challenges.
• Hybrid Cloud Readiness Service: The workshop determines cloud’s contribution to a business’s objectives and provides case-specific business value assessment. This fact-based analysis empowers businesses to identify the optimal deployment options and helps in evaluating the trade-offs between cost vs. value, thereby providing a customized transition and execution roadmap.

Peter Wuest, NetApp senior director cloud infrastructure and cloud data services EMEA, said: “With proliferation of digitalization, there is a palpable need in businesses to embrace cloud. However, a ‘one size fits all’ approach is not pertinent in determining a cloud business strategy and organizations require expert guidance to optimize the true value of cloud. NetApp’s CVM offerings will plug a crucial gap in creating awareness, educating, assessing and designing a comprehensive strategy to fully leverage the cloud platform. Instead of seeing cloud as just another aspect of IT, CVM looks at it holistically. With an in-depth business value assessment, it helps translate cloud into a competitive advantage.“

The introduction of a cloud data service sales unit headed by Peter Wuest in EMEA reinforces NetApp’s ongoing commitment to a data-driven expansion of the hybrid cloud.

David Inbar, MD Minet Technologies, said: “We are excited to partner with NetApp in offering CVM consultancy. Today, it’s a real need for customers to seek expert consultancy on cloud management. This is essential to avert any technical glitch with serious consequences to their business. With CVM, we are helping businesses reap maximum benefits of the cloud and gain a competitive edge.“

Dr. Moritz Hüsch, partner, Heymann & Partner added: “As a data authority in hybrid cloud, NetApp has the farsightedness to comprehend the importance of a holistic approach that ties in technical and legal aspects together for a successful cloud roadmap. With GDPR on the horizon, the legal aspect has become even more crucial than ever before. We are happy to work with NetApp to unify all stakeholders and extract optimum business value from the cloud.“

Providing a holistic hybrid cloud business value assessment and education through its Cloud Value Management initiative, NetApp is empowering organizations to realize the potential of their data and foster innovation through optimized operations.