Daily Mirror - Print Edition

ICT

Sri Lanka Telecom launches ‘Akaza’ national cloud

25 Jan 2016 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      


Delivering his speech Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando and other officials launching ‘Akaza’ national cloud 


Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the premier ICT solutions provider, launched the country’s national cloud, ‘Akaza’, raising the bar in cloud computing in Sri Lanka. 
Akaza provides end-to-end cloud computing services enabling business organisations with enhanced agility, quick service delivery and cost efficiencies while providing maximum ROI as well as improved scalability.

Akaza’s technology typically integrates all of its cloud services inclusive of IaaS, STaaS, PaaS, DaaS, SaaS and CaaS with the business management platform of corporate enterprises. Effectively, a gamut of services ranging from infrastructure to software can be accessed by way of a self-service catalogue online, centralizing user management. The need for manual intervention in the form of technical support for provision of services has become obsolete thereby empowering the user. 

Akaza cloud hosted locally in SLT’s state-of the art Data Centre can be used to store, access and utilize data by remote means using the public Internet or secured IP/VPN. It is Sri Lanka’s first fully automated cloud computing platform with a comprehensive self-service portal including features of pre-paid, post-paid options, service monitoring and alerts, single bill for all the services subscribed, automated service delivery, pay as you use and managed services, etc.
Delivering his speech Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando said, “I congratulate SLT on launching the very first fully-fledged end-to-end cloud platform in Sri Lanka. I am confident that SLT Akaza will redefine the ICT industry by making sure the ‘sky is the limit’. Having been in the Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Ministry for only two months, I’m extremely proud that I was able to give my fullest support to launch this groundbreaking cloud computing platform, which will empower us all, including both private and public sectors. I truly believe that in the future, the country’s business landscape will be changed with Akaza cloud’s eco-system. With Akaza, users will be able to access their important locally-hosted information, data and systems speedily than before from anywhere, anytime.” 

Commenting further the minister said, “Most importantly, our own national cloud system, which hosts data locally, will address many of our burning issues like: minimizing foreign currency outflow to support the economy, reducing paper consumption drastically to protect the environment and making all our day-to-day operations eco-friendly. I would invite our business community to experience Akaza. SLT’s nationwide broadband deployment will be an important component for the success of cloud computing in Sri Lanka. Our ambition is to fuel the Sri Lankan government’s mandate for national economic progress envisioning the ‘Smart Sri Lanka’ and going global for more opportunities.”

SLT Group Chief Executive Officer Dileepa Wijesundera commenting on this Akaza cloud launch said, “Akaza cloud solutions provide the next generation of computing facilities to match increasing globalisation and performance requirements of businesses. Akaza cloud solutions will definitely empower our valued enterprise clients to focus on strategic directives of their core business by minimizing their daily fire-fights on hardware, software, infrastructure and applications to help broaden their business horizons.”