New Zealand has already embraced cloud computing enthusiastically. Studies have identified the increasing importance of the public cloud as a platform for digital innovation, concluding that organisations cannot innovate without leveraging all cloud technologies.
Now, the country is about to experience a whole new dimension in cloud computing with the arrival of its first hyper-scale data centre region.
Developed by a multinational tech giant, the new hyper-scale data centre region will create massive opportunities for organisations to leverage the capabilities of cloud infrastructure in the country. It could open the floodgates to cloud migration for New Zealand organisations— those in the banking, financial services, insurance, and public sectors which are required to store data locally.
The banking, finance and insurance sector is already the largest user of public cloud services, followed by the public sector. Once the new data centre region opens, these sectors will be able to keep all their files, including backups, onshore in New Zealand.
Researchers found evidence of huge growth in the use of cloud technologies in New Zealand, where 38% of organisations already take a cloud-first approach to investment in new IT systems. The research also shows that the establishment of New Zealand’s first hyper-scale data centre region will produce a ‘cloud dividend’ that will spur innovation, create skilled jobs, and open new opportunities for the country to export its innovations. It also estimates spending on public cloud services will almost double over the next four years, with cloud deployment creating 102,000 new jobs, including 18,500 skilled IT roles, in the same period.
However, the shortage of cloud skills in New Zealand is already well known. Demand for skills to manage cloud environments has outstripped supply and the launch of the new data centre region will create additional demand. To address this, the multinational tech giant is offering free certifications and training to enable IT professionals, to gain cloud skills. Businesses wanting to take full advantage of the cloud should encourage and support workers to take up these opportunities. The tech giant has also launched a series of Innovation Workshops to get people exploring, and realising, the innovation possibilities offered by their platform.
Regarding security, there are considerable benefits to using public cloud services. The tech giant offers a range of security features as standard that would be expensive to obtain by other means. Despite this, some organisations are reticent to use the cloud because of perceived security issues, those considering using the cloud to support Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing deployments. These issues can all be addressed by cloud services with the right configuration, based on a holistic view of security across the cloud environment, said the tech company.
With these recent expansions of cloud services, the company believes that tech developers will increasingly turn to public cloud services to create new technology products and services to benefit businesses and consumers. The more people with cloud skills, the more the country will benefit.
Accordingly, reports say that New Zealand needs to open its arms when it comes to new technology, with one industry expert saying that the country is not coping with enough change.
Experts say that New Zealand needs to embrace technology and not treat it as a threat. More and faster technology adoption will open opportunities to improve New Zealanders’ living standards, they added. Embracing technology implies supporting people who are less able to adjust, preparing young people for the future and setting policies and institutions that encourage the entry and uptake of new knowledge, processes, goods, and services by firms. A growing number of organisations believe in the important role that technology will have to help create a prosperous, safe, and sustainable New Zealand for the future.
