Fujitsu eases enterprises into the cloud with consulting service

Technology and services provider Fujitsu has begun a push to help enterprises understand the benefits of the cloud and coax them onto the emerging technology.

The firm launched a Cloud Consulting service which aims to help all areas of the business understand what the cloud offers, the options available and the benefits that they provide.

Although investment in the cloud is growing so too is the confusion and uncertainty that it causes, and Fujitsu said that many firms would be confused as to where best to invest.

The company's consultancy service was launched together with a publication designed to explain the cloud and the many different models available.

The White Book of the Cloud guides users through their options, according to the firm, and is designed to be used and understood by a wide range of business users, including financial chiefs and IT executives.

"Each member of the boardroom has a perspective on what cloud can deliver," said Jo Millott, director of cloud consulting at Fujitsu. "The key thing they all want is to be clear on the business value that cloud can bring."

Millott said that chief executives are likely to be interested in the "business agility" that the cloud could bring their organisations - most notably in market development and differentiation - while chief financial officers expect it to lead to cost reductions across the enteprise.

IT workers, she added, are likely to face the biggest challenges.

"The CIO, on the other hand, will be keen to understand some of the security and integration challenges, but will also see big opportunities to support the business in new and innovative ways," she explained.