COVID-19: For Cloud Providers, Time Is of the Essence

G. Willsky

Summary Bullets:

• Key themes of Enterprise Connect Virtual included the benefits of cloud-based solutions; the sudden increase in cloud migrations; and the combining of UCaaS, CCaaS, and CPaaS.
• COVID-19 has suddenly made it evident that cloud services are essential to business continuity as companies everywhere find themselves supporting a remote workforce indefinitely.

Enterprise Connect Virtual took place while much of the country was essentially in a lockdown. Wherever possible, employees were working remotely, with many instructed only to leave their homes for essential reasons. Against this backdrop, the event focused on the benefits of cloud-based communication solutions; an overnight rise in cloud migrations; and the simultaneous adoption of UCaaS, CCaaS, and CPaaS.

COVID-19: IBM’s New Normal Shaped by a New Virus Culture

Charlotte Dunlap – Principal Analyst, Application Platforms

Summary Bullets:

• IBM’s GBS leads provide COVID-19 response experiences noting cloud adoption is critical for embracing the “new normal.”

• Key technologies leveraged include analytics, blockchain, supply chain and cloud platforms

Not surprisingly, IBM is looking to re-architect its product strategy’s eventual “new normal” through the might of its global professional services group, Global Business Services (GBS). GBS cloud, systems, and software experts are soldiering in the trenches of the current COVID-19 battleground alongside clients struggling to maintain business continuity in the midst of the global pandemic.

COVID-19: AT&T Responds to the Crisis by Adapting Services to Fit Unique Requirements of Businesses and First Responders

K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:

• Telecom operators are seeing a huge uptick in usage of their voice and collaboration services, as droves of employees are now working remotely.
• AT&T is not only meeting this capacity demand surge, but also adapting enterprise offerings and support services as well as launching new capabilities for first responders.

Not surprisingly, AT&T has already seen a huge uptick in business usage of its voice and collaboration services in the past three weeks. In addition to meeting this capacity surge, it is also adapting its services portfolio with 13 unique business offers while also enhancing communication capabilities to meet the needs of first responders.

COVID-19: Phase Two, Long-Term IT Strategies

Gary Barton – Analyst, Business Network and IT Services

Summary Bullets:

• Digital transformation strategies will play a crucial role in how companies respond to and recover from the COVID19 crisis and all enterprises should be working on their strategy now

• The cloud has demonstrated that it is a resilient and flexible technology that will enable enterprises to respond to COVID-19 and other future emergencies

Most enterprises have considered and deployed their initial response to COVID-19 which has been to deliver at least a minimum viable IT solution to the sudden shift to remote working. Enterprises are now looking at phase two: how do businesses create IT infrastructure that will support the ‘new normal’ that emerges in a post COVID-19 world?