The Future, Now
Posted by: a2zapps on: January 11, 2010
11th January, 2010 by Nipa Vaidya, nipa.vaidya@timesgroup.com
SLOWLY BUT STEADILY, CLOUD COMPUTING IS FINALLY MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT IN INDIA. AN INTERESTING CAREER OPTION FOR IT ASPIRANTS, CLOUD COMPUTING IS CURRENTLY THE TALK OF THE TOWN.
NIPA VAIDYA PRESENTS DETAILS
Let’s begin with the basics. What is cloud computing? Wikipedia says it is ‘an Internet – (“cloud-”) based development and use of computer technology’. Simplifying this definition for us, Anurag Gupta Senior Architect, Yahoo, says, “Cloud computing is a mechanism that enables management of computing and IT infrastructure to be consolidated in one or more data centers to
reduce the overall cost of operating computing facilities.” Breaking down this information to the bare basics, Vikas Arora, Group Director –Enterprise Services, Microsoft India, says, “Cloud computing is nothing but a computing technology that provides organisational abilities to access software and hardware resources from a virtual space.”
Logistics sector sees revival; port traffic up 12.8% in Nov
Posted by: a2zapps on: January 8, 2010
08 Jan 2010 By P.R. Sanjai, pr.sanjai@livemint.com
Indias logistics sector, including ports and road transport, is glimpsing the first signs of recovery from a global recession that caused trade to shrink and cargo volumes to slump through the most part of last year.
Cargo volumes at the countrys major ports rose 12.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 48.2 million
tonnes in November, the latest month for which data is available, paced by growth in container
and iron ore traffic.
A2Zapps.com exhibits at SiliconIndia’s Startup City event in B’lore, India – unveils its plan to take on SAP, Salesforce.com
Posted by: a2zapps on: June 7, 2009
6th June, 2009: A2Zapps.com, India’s first business software as a service platform (SaaS Platform) company, exhibited for the first time at the recently concluded SiliconIndia’s Startup City event held at Nimhans Convention Center in Bangalore, India.
Investors See SaaS As Right Prescription For Healthcare IT
Posted by: a2zapps on: April 28, 2009
- In: Healthcare
- 1 Comment
April 28 2009, 17:27:53 IST | MADHAV A CHANCHANI
Healthcare IT based on SaaS (Software as a Service) may be the way to go if you look at the recent investment trend. Nextgen eSolutions and Insta Health Solutions are two SaaS based software companies for healthcare industry who recently got venture funding. Delhi-based private equity fund Lumis Partners picked up a majority stake in the city based NextGen. Insta Health bagged about $1 million from Bangalore-based Inventus Capital.
NextGen has come up with a product based on SaaS (Software as a Service) model for hospital management services. Bangalore-based Insta Health has also come up with a hospital management software based on SaaS. These products help in management of various functions in hospitals like patient registration, inventory, billing, system administration, etc. Other such players include Karishma Software and Akhil Systems Pvt Ltd.
U.S. Schools and Government Promoting SaaS and Cloud Computing
Posted by: a2zapps on: April 2, 2009
6th Mar, 2009 by Jeff Kaplan on www.thinkstrategies.com
Among my predictions for 2009, was that the new Obama administration would push legislation and take other initiatives to promote Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud computing as part of its overhaul of the government and economic stimulus efforts.
Sure enough, Obama’s new CIO- Vivek Kundra- made it clear yesterday that he is a big proponent of SaaS and cloud computing. Here’s what he said to the Wall Street Journal,
“I’m a big believer in disruptive technology. If I went to the coffee shop, I would have more computing power than the police department. Consumers had better technology than the government did. I’m all about the cloud computing notion. I look at my lifestyle, and I want access to information wherever I am. I am killing projects that dont investigate software as a service first.”
Mall owner plans daily rentals as cushion against defaults
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 22, 2009
22 Mar 2009 By Jharna Majumdar
Mumbai: In a bid to protect itself against defaults by tenants, Phoenix Mills Ltd plans to charge daily rentals from at least some of the 120 retailers who have taken space in its sprawling shopping hub in central Mumbai.
Weak revenues have already ensured that a growing number of retailers now prefer to give mall owners a share of their monthly collections, rather than a fixed rent. The revenues are usually shared in the first week of every month. Phoenix Mills hopes to make it a daily occurrence.
The Next generation Information Technology is not “Installation Technology”
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 21, 2009
21 Mar, 09 by Suraj Sinha (SS), a2zapps.com
Initially, installation-installation-installation from a CD, then download-download-download from internet. We had been doing this for a while. This increases our junk in the room or in the computer. Neither of them is exciting any more. Now it is the time to access an application only when you need. It is not necessary to download or install any application software product.
I am running out of CD rack space and computer hard disk space. Every time I go to Fry’s Electronics and see any new business software or, even computer games, I ask the attendant, ‘Are you sure that this does not have an internet version?’ I hate to install every time. And, after installation of the software, I see that my rack space is shrinking. Or, even using a download version also, my disk space is shrinking. Therefore, I wish all these utilities become available on demand over a ‘compute cloud’.
At least, I am happy to find a smart product like a2zapps.com that is truly a generic on-demand service platform. Today, if I need to access my diverse sets of information and status of several events happened in last three years, I can just login to my a2zapps.com account over the internet without worrying about copying MS Outlook mail/data, contact manager/data from one older laptop to a new laptop. Even if I use Gmail or, Google docs; they may not be well-integrated and customizable satisfying my organizational needs. A2zapps is definitely one-of-a-kind integrated platform to be customized based on my need.
The future home and business applications, games, puzzles and whatever applications you can imagine will be on ‘compute cloud’ accessible over the high-speed internet.
Therefore, forget installing, downloading or, buying unnecessary application bundles many of those you will never use. Only subscribe the ones you need over the internet.
a2zapps.com platform has got a new look-and-feel!
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 20, 2009
20 Mar, 09 by a2zapps.com
After several months, based on our customers’ feedback, we have finally changed our User Interfaces (UIs) to make the business platform more user-friendly and less click-able. It has improved interfaces into a better and colorful look. We have added expandable-collapsible sections vertically and horizontally to provide users a single window for multiple actions such as recent item viewing, quick record/multi-record creation, upcoming meetings and due tasks etc. This change in layout makes user navigations much easier.
Also, we have enhanced the look-and-feel of row display patterns with variations of light and shade. Users can change easily the skin color of the interfaces on their choice.
We thank all our customers for their valuable feedback and contributing to our product roadmap.
Chasing VC’s or Chasing customers or Chasing employees
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 15, 2009
15 Mar, 09 by Suraj Sinha (SS), Chief Customer & Product Strategy Officer, a2zapps.com
This is more complex than a transitive relationship. Especially, when we live in these turbulent economic times, we go through this desperation between passion for product improvement and search for monetary support. We all know that eventually customers will rule and guide everything and everyone irrespective of any external parameters. And, that is the only guiding force we have to live with.
We gave away all our energy, time and money to come up with such a beautiful and most importantly, useful product (not a research project or, experiment). And, we are 200% confident in our growth potential as our only direct competition is the new ‘force.com’ by Salesforce.com as of today. So, why don’t we work 24/7 to make our first 25 customers successful? May be, then we chase VC’s or, they will chase us. Who knows?
Just to give a highlight once more, this product is recession-proof. As a matter of fact, in recession, this product helps emerging business owners to save money. (http://corporate.a2zapplications.com/corp/benefits)
It is a fight between skepticism on not-so-long-proven concept and confidence on traditionally proven concept. Apparently, Salesforce.com and few others showed the business community the power of CRM software over the internet (SaaS ) since 1999 with phenomenal success. And, in developing countries like India or South Asia, this product can save so much time, energy and money for SME’s (Small, Medium Enterprises). Let’s first perceive it with our current customers and prospective customers.
Therefore, ‘chase customers, customers and customers’ is our current ‘mool-mantra’. (Main motto) This will take the business community along with the VC community to a proven world of perception.
Redefine Convenience (Why SaaS?)
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 13, 2009
13 Mar, 09 by Suraj Sinha (SS), Chief Customer & Product Strategy Officer, a2zapps.com
“Need to buy and maintain a local generator for electricity or, connect to existing power supply line” – which one is more convenient?
Of course your next question will be how reliable and stable your power supply line is!! Assuming the power supply line is reliable and stable; everyone must admit that they will go for the second option as they had been doing it for a while in most of the developed and developing countries.
As an analogy, just replace ‘electricity’ by a useful business software application and ‘power supply line’ by internet connection (or, say information/data communication line). Assume that, reliability and stability come from a super-secure and reliable data or, information center maintained by a group of technical experts. Won’t you like to enjoy the convenience of using this business application over a secure internet connection irrespective of wherever you are or, whenever you want? Or, you want to take the pain of local purchase of hardware, the software, hire people to maintain all these IT (Information Technology) –related activities!!
“SaaS-Software-as-a-Service” enables us to live that convenient life using the former option. It brings simplicity and transparency in the usage model of a business application. The information platform is so integrated that you can have a spreadsheet data, email/phone discussion thread and different visual presentations all within single integrated database.
If you have a choice of ‘redefining convenience’ of the usage model of a business application as either an IT-savvy or, non-IT-savvy business owner; won’t you want to forget traditional software usage model and embrace the next-generation software as a service model?
And, a2zapps.com is the FIRST ASIAN SaaS platform in true sense to provide this convenience to you over the internet.
God created Harvard and Stanford (including their dropouts) once and now he (or, she) created Jack Ma,CEO of the East
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 11, 2009
11 Mar, 09 by Suraj Sinha (SS), Chief Customer & Product Strategy Officer, a2zapps.com
Of course, we have 192 out of first 400 billionaires from these Ivy leagues. Their ideas, implementations and job and wealth creation directly (and indirectly) shaped our economies, lives and etc. etc. Their outstanding contributions have had enormous impact in creating many start-ups, Venture Capital ecosystem.
(Also, there are many others from similar ecosystem and outside the ecosystem those changed our economy, but purpose of this blog is to highlight on a recent example I read that has some impact on me)
There are some other people around us like Jack Ma (http://www.inc.com/magazine/20080101/how-i-did-it-jack-ma-alibaba.html). In my opinion; his tenacity, determination and business aptitude outside the ‘innovation-investment-ivy-league’ –centric ecosystem created an exemplary role. Many of us those want to be future entrepreneurs in a country like India or other Asian countries should read his life. He showed his great contentment and calmness without resisting outside hurdles and obstacles those are very predominant in developing countries. His submissive approach in handling adverse circumstances without losing business focus may be very effective in our culture of many religions, convictions and prejudices. His super-confidence in himself and customer-centric focus supersedes all obstacles and made him uniquely powerful and an ideal business leader.
Our business schools and elite institutions should include and share some of his experiences in regular class of entrepreneurship. Our scholars, professors and teachers sometime get out of the library full of books and embrace little bit of empiricism and reality.
It is more of ‘Intrapreneurship’ as Guy Kawasaki says before entrepreneurship. How to face the reality within a company or school premises is the first sign of entrepreneurship – or, “intrapreneurship”. We definitely need to look at ourselves, our attitudes and reboot our brains for a change.
Once George Bernard Shaw said, “The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.” In a different (a bit cynical) tone, “The reasonable man adapts himself to this world; the unreasonable one is trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man”.
itmagz.com- Offering The A-To-Z of Enterprise Solutions on One Platform
Posted by: a2zapps on: March 5, 2009
Mar 5, 2009 by Vandana Sharma
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Livemint.com- A2zapps.com attempts a Salesforce.com in India
Posted by: a2zapps on: February 27, 2009
Feb 27,2009 by Samar Srivastava
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The Franchising World- a2zapps.com -Software as Service
Posted by: a2zapps on: February 26, 2009
Feb,2009 by The Franchising World Team
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BenefIT- A Unified Platform Offering The A-to-Z Of Enterprise Solutions (As A Service)
Posted by: a2zapps on: February 25, 2009
Feb, 2009 by Vandana Sharma, BenefIT Bureau
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A2Zapps.com receives 2009 Star Innovation Awards from ICEM in 2nd Indira International Innovation Summit
Posted by: a2zapps on: January 23, 2009
Great accomplishment for a2zapps.com with the start of year 2009 !!
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Empower IT growth using Software-as-a-Service model in the global recession
Posted by: a2zapps on: January 23, 2009
The IT industry in India is going through massive slowdown and turmoil. Slowdown of PC sales is a primary indicator reflecting the state of this industry. To utilize PC’s to their fullest usage, average users and business owners need diverse sets of software applications. While one group emphasizes the open source software e.g. freeware business model, it cannot help to create a collaborative and sustainable atmosphere for long-term growth. People fall for this model at early stage due to its zero initial investment.
Based on the past, fast-paced PC sales took place due to huge growth of IT industry fueled by large enterprises. But currently global downturn and recession force these companies to reduce manpower. This reduces PC sales dramatically. On the other hand, a huge group of small and medium industry owners still use pen and paper method
and they are in a state of oblivion related to PC usage and its impact on business growth. Many of them may use PC’s inefficiently due to lack of their expertise and willingness to learn business applications those are not easy to use.
Going forward we need to empower these huge small and medium industry (SME) with robust as well as simple-to-use business applications on the internet. This will directly improve IT growth and huge awareness on efficient business transactions and monitoring amongst diverse set of SME owners.
a2z Applications.com’s unique and one-of-a-kind business proposition: ‘Business Application through Software-as-a-Service model’ will help all SME owners to create as well as choose applications based on their needs in a cost-effective way. Simplicity and ease-of-use of this model will help SME owners to concentrate on their businesses rather than wasting time in managing, maintaining and upgrading on-premise or standalone application software packages. This will not only help tremendous growth in PC market in India but also it will help in growing
business targets for SME’s using efficient use of PCs.
-Surajit, Chief Customer & Product Strategy Officer
YourStory.in- Kantanu Kundu, CEO of a2zapplications.com profiled
Posted by: a2zapps on: January 1, 2009
Jan, 2009 by YourStory.in Team
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The Economic Times-Service providers ready to play fire-fighters
Posted by: a2zapps on: December 20, 2008
9 Dec 2008, 0356 hrs IST by Nikhil Menon & Ashish Agashe, ET Bureau
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IDC- Economy Will Force IT to Transform
Posted by: a2zapps on: December 4, 2008
Economy Will Force IT to Transform
In 2009, expect to see big deals and sprawling new enterprise offerings emerging in cloud computing, Web 2.0 and virtualization.
December 4, 2008 Richard Adhikari
Hammered by the global recession, players in the IT industry will have to undergo radical changes to simply survive, according to research firm IDC.
But that’s not bad news for everyone.
Enterprises and small to midsized businesses (SMBs) may be poised reap the benefits of a transforming IT industry — in the form of new developments in cloud computing, Web 2.0 and virtualization, Frank Gens, IDC’s chief analyst, said during a teleconference presenting the firm’s predictions for next year.
For vendors, hunkering down in these tough economic times instead of transforming themselves to leverage these kinds of technologies could mean they’ll pay a heavy price, Gens said.
“Major economies will be close to flat, and the downside scenario would take them below zero percent growth — and it looks as if IT growth could go down to around two percent,” he said. “IT industry growth was seven percent in 2007 and fell to five percent in 2008, and it will take three years for the industry to return to the 2008 growth rates.”
But while the outlook for IT spending is grim overall, customers are still expected to spend big on radically market-altering trends such as cloud computing, virtualization, Web 2.0 and green IT.
“The disruptive vectors of the market will be among the highest growth sectors in 2009 as their advantages are magnified in a down economy, and suppliers who slow down their transformation will limit long-term viability and miss near-term growth.”
One area in particular — cloud computing — will be a growth sector for the next 20 years, he said.
“In 2009, the pace of adoption of the cloud will accelerate,” Gens said, with Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud storage players among the first major beneficiaries.
He also said IDC sees lots of cross-sector cloud partnerships to come, especially among major infrastructure providers such as EMC (NYSE: EMC), HP, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA), Oracle, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Salesforce.com — as well as telecommunications service providers.
“Telecom services will be a very attractive partner as the others look to penetrate SMBs,” Gens said. AT&T (NYSE: T), British Telecom and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) will all be major players, he added.
Players that deliver cloud-like services such as denser servers likewise will be strong, and IBM, HP, Microsoft, CA (NYSE: CA) and Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) will be among leading system providers that will offer bridges between cloud services and on-premises systems.
Getting ahead of the game
That concept had been anticipated by VMware (NASDAQ: VMW), which unveiled its vCloud initiative in September at VMworld 2008, its annual user conference. The goal behind vCloud is to enable customers to integrate multiple datacenters or federate internal and external clouds.
Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) will finally make clear statements of strategic intent about the cloud, and HP will leverage EDS, which it bought for $13.9 billion in May, for its cloud delivery strategy, Gens predicted.
IBM, which has launched several initiatives in the cloud space, will ramp up its offerings, while Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) will buy Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) or another SaaS player such as SugarCRM. Meanwhile, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) will consider similar options to get into the SMB space.
The bad economy will lead businesses to ramp up support for telecommuting, and they will begin paying for employees’ computers and mobile devices to get them to work from home in order to shave costs, Gens said. This will make desktop virtualization a critical technology.
Anticipating this, several vendors have already begun ramping up their desktop virtualization offerings.
The convergence between business and personal computing being brought about by Web 2.0 technologies will become stronger, and vendors who cater to this will grow. More enterprises will seek to leverage such technologies, integrating with companies such as Salesforce.com and Facebook, Gens said.
Meanwhile, more enterprise IT vendors, both in hardware and software, will target the consumer market. For instance, business-centric devices like the BlackBerry will offer greater ties to consumer environments, Gens said.
On the other hand, consumer Internet brands such as Google, Amazon.com, (NASDAQ: AMZN), Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Facebook will further their efforts in the business communications market, especially the SMB market, Gens said. And consumer devices like the Apple iPhone will offer better integration with business environments, he added.
Green is good
Enterprises and vendors can expect to see sustainable technology thriving in 2009, with green IT initiatives such as virtualization, space-efficient storage and cloud services being promoted under the umbrella of cost savings, Gens said. Enterprises will be able to snap up offerings that promise a near-term payback, but bigger-ticket green IT projects will temporarily be put on hold.
“Based on the green aims of the Obama administration, the focus in 2009 will be on energy efficiency and conservation,” Gens added.
Source URL- http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3789131/IDC+Economy+Will+Force+IT+to+Transform.htm
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