This is how IBM is helping start-ups reach cloud nine!

Flipkart's Big Billion Day Sale is approaching and people are waiting with bated breath to see whether it would be a roaring success or a doomsday sale like its previous stunt last year. One of the main reasons why it failed like most databases do is lack of adequate storage of data. 

Likewise, if we think about the Smart Cities project, there would be large scale application of IoT (Internet of Things). The big question is where can we store such massive bulk of data securely? 

The solution is on cloud, literally. Cloud is upending the industry. Large enterprises, midsized companies to even start ups are moving toward a scalable infrastructure that is optimized and responsive to help them meet new business demands. Cloud models also help businesses to work smarter through more flexible and cost-effective access to technology and information. 

"Now we live in a generation where if start-ups need to start new applications, by default their option is cloud. It provides a quick solution to get the infrastructure up and running," said Radhesh Kanumury, Country Manager, Global Entrepreneur Programme, IBM India/South Asia. 

How IBM is helping start-ups reach cloud nine 

1. IBM's cloud platform offers solutions to cater to the needs of SMBs, start-ups and developers which constitute a huge portion of the cloud market. As per a report from Evans Data Corp, India is slated to have the largest developer community in the world by year 2019. The report further goes on to state that the number of developers is expected to grow to 26.4M by 2016 and the percentage of developers expected to develop in the cloud will grow by 44% to 12.5M by 2019. 

2. As enterprises increase the adoption of cloud based consumption of IT, they will have a need for an integrated and secure view of IT across on premise, off premise infrastructures and applications. IBM helps customers create this hybrid environment. 

"It gives startups the freedom that they need to quickly build applications. One can develop applications faster than before, even develop 4-5 builds (transition from prototype to product) per week," said Srinath Ranga, founder of Opteamize Cloud Solutions Pvt Ltd, an IBM Business Partner offers Cloud and SaaS solutions focused on accelerating the student recruitment processes. 

3. In pursuit of creating the best suite of solution for customers, IBM invested $7 billion in building a high value cloud portfolio. With a strong portfolio at every level of cloud- SoftLayer at the infrastructure level and Bluemix, the platform-as-a-service, IBM serves Indian enterprises with the solutions, depending on varied business requirements. 

4. Apart from providing cloud infrastructure, IBM also provides hands-on training to the start-ups to get the maximum out of cloud. This is also followed by technical assistance when and where needed, which is done in real time through cloud. 

5. Though bandwidth and expensive hardware would be the two main challenges, but the government is on its way to provide cheap bandwidth to even the remotest of the villages in India. As per bandwidth is concerned, the best use of cloud is one can store data offline on cloud and when connectivity is there one can send the data to the database. 

How start-ups are reaching out to cloud 

1. Start-ups, related to medical services, are taking to cloud to store medical data of their customers. With the smart wearables available, start-ups are taking to them too. A Bombay start-up is developing a device to detect heart attacks and send help on an immediate basis. 

2. Cloud platforms are used by start-ups like LightMetrics to measure fuel efficiency of a vehicle, harsh braking and violation of traffic rules and hence manage the traffic on real time. 

3. Another start-up has taken to IBM solutions to monitor the energy usage of an electrical appliance. 

4. A Tamil Nadu based start-up have solved the problem faced by crab breeders where maintaining the pH level of the water is critical to the life of the breeds. As soon as the level increases, an alert is sent to the smartphone. 

5. Radhesh also said cloud can also help police to monitor riot prone areas. For example, if there are more than 10 people at a place where they shouldn't be, an alert is sent and necessary steps can be taken. 

Citation from Business Insider India : http://goo.gl/n23eMs