HCL and CSC partner for large enterprise cloud transitions

The fundamental issue for many large enterprises, when it comes to considering a move to the cloud, is that there will be significant change involved, even if the applications used remain essentially the same. Change, inevitably, always equates to `pain’ of some sort, so any way of reducing its intensity or duration becomes, as the rate of enterprise transition to the cloud increases, an ever-present need.

And that rate is certain to increase, which means that the revenues from providing `pain reduction’ will grow. Market research company, Gartner, has estimated in its latest 2014 Market Forecast for IT Services that the addressable market for applications services will be $210 billion this year alone.

It is not that surprising, therefore, that with such a large prize to pitch at, some of the major IT services providers are coming together in strategic alliances with a view to dovetailing their collective expertise together, and providing an even more thorough global service coverage for the largest of the large enterprises.

Two such service providers are Indian-based HCL Technologies, and US-based CSC. The pair have come together to build a strategic partnership aimed at addressing this substantial market opportunity created by the need for enterprise clients to modernise their applications and transition to the cloud.

The partnership brings together CSC’s next-generation technology solutions with the technology consulting, systems integration and global delivery capabilities of HCL. Together, they are looking for this to become a world-class application modernisation delivery network to enable enterprises to shift from legacy technologies to a cloud-enabled platform. The first delivery centres, which are intended to lower the risks and costs of transitioning to the cloud, will be launched in Bangalore and Chennai.

As well as looking to help enterprises across the board with application modernisation, their pair will also be offering specific vertical market initiatives. First of these will target Banking & Financial Services through the creation of a banking centre of excellence.

The partnership will be standardising the delivery of modernised applications and enable them to be brokered onto any cloud environment, using platforms such as CSC’s ServiceMesh.

 “Application modernisation forms the first phase of HCL’s Digital System Integration strategy,” said Anant Gupta, President and Chief Executive Officer of HCL Technologies. “Enterprises today view digitalisation as a route to business model transformation. Organisations have not been able to accrue the potential benefits from digitalisation, as they are shackled by legacy technologies.”

According to Mike Lawrie, CSC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, the partnership with HCL is based on a new and innovative approach to delivering IT services. The aim is help enterprises achieve greater operational agility and significant reductions to operating costs.

 “It is a recognition that IT service providers and delivery models must evolve from traditional tools and processes to more rapid application innovation, enabling businesses to compete in an ever-changing world,” Lawrie said.

According to the terms of the agreement, the partnership will have a new governance board to provide operational oversight. They will also share dedicated employees and technologies, as well as production and development work.

As part of the partnership, HCL will white label CSC’s BizCloud, secure, flexible private cloud offering for the enterprise.