Securing the Cloud: NTT’s Robust Measures and Client Security Insights

CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with  Karan Kirpalani, Vice President – Managed Cloud Infrastructure Services, NTT Ltd. in India

How does NTT help its clients choose the right cloud strategy for their needs, and what are the key factors that clients should consider when evaluating cloud options?

NTT stands at the forefront of digital innovation. With our extensive experience in guiding countless clients through their digital transformation, we leverage tried and tested blueprints to guarantee not just effective cloud implementation but also sustainable service improvement and optimized resource utilization. We are passionate about bolstering our clients’ customer experiences and fuelling revenue growth through strategically tailored technology deployment.

In light of the predicted dominance of cloud-first approaches in the SME sector by 2025, it’s imperative for businesses to critically evaluate their prospective cloud service providers (CSPs). At NTT, we have a comprehensive four-step approach that has been highly instrumental in driving cloud adoption among our clients. This encompasses Consultation, Design & Migration, Building, and Running & Optimization. This approach backed by our world-class support is the key reason why we are the leading brand in the Indian cloud market and have a strong reputation as a path-breaking service provider.

How does NTT Ltd ensure that its cloud services are secure, and what are some of the key security considerations that clients should keep in mind when migrating to the cloud?

At NTT, security isn’t just a feature; it’s embedded in our ethos. Our cloud services are fortified with state-of-the-art physical security measures, complemented by cutting-edge AI-driven monitoring and encryption mechanisms. We are rigorously compliant with leading industry standards and frequently engage external audits to solidify our security stance. We have not only created several advanced innovations in the security domain, but we also partner with a number of leading enterprises to integrate the best-in-class security solutions for our cloud offerings. The extensive range of solutions we provide are secure-by-design and offer an edge to the customers. Tools like SIEM, WAF, EDR, MDR, SDR, HSM etc ensure worry-free digital operations for our clients.

Additionally, top-tier security measures, including multi-factor authentication and vulnerability scanning, are essential. With NTT, clients receive real-time threat surveillance, arming them with the latest defence mechanisms against evolving security threats.

What are some of the emerging trends and technologies that NTT Ltd. is keeping an eye on regarding cloud computing?

There are a number of cloud computing trends that are dominant today and are expected to shape the future of IT infrastructure in the years ahead. For instance, there is a stronger than ever momentum towards cloud deployment. According to Gartner, global end-user spending on public cloud services is set to rise 20.7% in 2023, and reach $591.8 billion, up from $490.3 billion in 2022. Apart from startups, even SMEs, and government enterprises are increasingly focusing on cloud adoption now. In fact, Gartner estimates that by 2025, more than 95% of new digital workloads will be deployed in cloud-native platforms, which is a huge jump from 30% in 2021.

Sustainability of operations has also become a core concern for all cloud service providers now. The major CSPs have already outlined various initiatives aimed at achieving zero-carbon emissions. For instance, NTT is steadily increasing integration of solar and wind energy to meet its needs, and the company aims to achieve zero-emissions from data center operations within next few years, and the overall value chain within a decade. Gartner corroborates this approach by citing sustainability as one of the top three criterion for cloud purchase decisions.

AI powered innovations: AI is proving to be one of the best companions for cloud platforms. AI is enabling a number of enterprises to undertake faster, and more agile digital transformation. Further, AI-automation can take care of continuous and repetitive tasks such as system monitoring, cybersecurity monitoring and proactively responding to suspicious behaviour of users. AI-powered surveillance of cloud assets enables real-time alerts and warnings to the human IT and security teams when some anomaly is detected. All these abilities can boost enterprise efficiency, compliance and agility. The Independent Software Vendors (ISV) segment has also witnessed significant growth in the recent years, and it is the trend of leveraging a collaborative approach with ISVs that is one of the key trends that NTT is focusing on.

There is a rapidly growing ecosystem of micro-verticals, and sub-verticals and the ISVs catering to those sub-verticals through cloud-based AI solutions. For instance, there is a growing demand for specialists in the energy and utilities. Another high focus area is the fintech, and tech-fin where a lot of new services and products are being rolled out to transform the way financial transactions are carried out.

Can you elaborate on the significance of the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) ecosystem as a growth area for NTT’s Cloud business in India?

The Indian ISV ecosystem is a crucial growth area for our cloud business. There is a lot of work being done in transforming the conventional infrastructure into a cloud-based digital ecosystem. The ISVs are advancing the country’s digital transformation agenda by helping a large number of traditional businesses get onto the digital highway. There is adequate government support through Digital India Mission, and the landscape has become extremely competitive for the Indian ISVs. We are focusing on partnering with the ISVs to help them expand their market reach and reduce costs of delivery. Further, we have the wherewithal to help the ISVs improve their security posture, and provide them with support for marketing, technical and sales needs. We are enabling our clients in taking their SaaS offerings to the market, through agile, secure, and fully-managed cloud solutions. We have been helping them grow their SaaS and PaaS businesses.

How has NTT cultivated a substantial client base of ISVs over the years, and how do these ISVs rely on NTT’s Managed, Secure Hybrid Cloud offerings?

NTT has always put a great emphasis on building an extensive client base across the ISV segment. We believe that they are crucial growth partners in our journey, and play a crucial role in taking our digital technologies to the traditional businesses, and outside the core IT hubs where we maintain a robust presence.

One of the biggest growth drivers for NTT has been the fact that we have always provided hand-holding to our ISV partners across domains such as healthcare, technology, fintech, tech-fin, pharmaceuticals etc. We have provided them with a managed, secure and hybrid cloud infrastructure wherein they have the freedom to choose the best venues for their applications by providing them access to multiple cloud execution venues. The ISVs choose the platform that fulfils their needs more efficiently, and that has made them highly competitive in their respective domains.

We have constantly empowered them with great value additions in terms of product quality, tech support, guidance, brand reputation and adequate commercial benefits to ensure that there is ample mutual growth for us as well as our ISV clients to enjoy.