T-Systems SA, a unit of the German IT multinational owned by Deutsche Telekom, is the latest IT services firm to leap into cloud computing, offering its local business customers cloud-based SAP and other services via its three data centres.

The company, which employs 2 600 people locally, hopes it will have an advantage over its rivals by tapping into the group’s international skills. Worldwide, T-System has 50 000 people on its payroll. It will launch its cloud offerings here in the second quarter of the year.

“We see cloud computing becoming part of the DNA of T-Systems, not something that sits on the side,” says head of sales, major accounts and strategy, Gert Schoonbee.

Cloud computing represents a new paradigm in IT, where services are delivered over a network — often the Internet — as a utility, much like electricity or water.

T-Systems, whose local competitors include IBM and Business Connexion, says all corporate data the company stores on behalf of its SA clients will be kept locally to ensure compliance with regulations. The data centres are fully redundant with failover to ensure 99,999% availability. First- and second-level support will be handled by a facility in Eastern Europe.

The company isn’t saying how much it’s investing in infrastructure and systems to launch its cloud offering. Schoonbee says infrastructure will be expanded as necessary to cope with demand.

Cloud-based SAP solutions will form a big part of T-Systems’ new offering. SAP and T-Systems are both headquartered in Germany and are close business partners.

T-Systems will use existing data-centre facilities in the Johannesburg central business district, at Megawatt Park in Sandton, and at its offices in Midrand. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral