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The Next Big Opportunity
 By Dhaval Valia
The opportunity in the data center space may not sound real to many small solutions providers because they lack the size and capabilities to execute large deals. However, considering the phenomenal size of the opportunity, I doubt if they can sit out of this market.
With the data center solutions market expected to more than triple over the next three years, the large systems integrators will have far more opportunities than they can address. This will compel them to work with smaller systems integrators and solutions providers. Large integrators will increasingly outsource infrastructure deployment services and professional services to solutions providers.
The data center solutions market will also stimulate other opportunities where solutions providers may have a direct and bigger role to play. For instance, the central government’s plan to set up data centers for e-governance applications in 27 Indian states will create a positive spiral that could also see other departments upgrading their infrastructure.
However, if smaller solutions providers want to make the most of the data center boom in the country they will have to develop those skill-sets which are likely to be sought by large systems integrators. I believe the skill-sets that would be most in demand are data center cabling, capabilities to design and deploy power solutions, and competencies related to server and storage consolidation, application and data migration, and virtualization.
Already various vendors—including IBM, HP, EMC and APC—have rolled out programs to train and certify their enterprise partners to provide data center solutions. These data center specialists will become capable of providing localized (500-1,000 sq ft) and mid-tier (1,000-5,000 sq ft) data centers. Their services will also be sought by the systems integration arms of their vendors to execute large deals.
The data center opportunity is too big to be ignored by solutions providers. They will have to study it closely, identify the role(s) they want to play, and start devising an effective business strategy.
After all, when opportunity knocks, why pretend you’re not at home? |