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Mostly cloudy: Companies 'underestimate the disruptive cloud' Mostly cloudy: Companies 'underestimate the disruptive cloud'
(about 17 hours later)
Each week we ask chief technology officers and other high-profile tech decision-makers three questions.Each week we ask chief technology officers and other high-profile tech decision-makers three questions.
This week Ettienne Reinecke, Chief Technology Officer at Dimension Data, is providing the answers.This week Ettienne Reinecke, Chief Technology Officer at Dimension Data, is providing the answers.
Dimension Data is a $4.7bn global specialist IT services and solutions provider, with 79% of the Global Fortune 100 and 60% of the Global Fortune 500 as clients.Dimension Data is a $4.7bn global specialist IT services and solutions provider, with 79% of the Global Fortune 100 and 60% of the Global Fortune 500 as clients.
The company is headquartered in Johannesburg and employs 12,383 people in 49 countries. Revenues for the year to end-September 2010 was $4.74bn, up 19.4% in reported currency over the prior period.The company is headquartered in Johannesburg and employs 12,383 people in 49 countries. Revenues for the year to end-September 2010 was $4.74bn, up 19.4% in reported currency over the prior period.
What's your biggest technology problem right now?What's your biggest technology problem right now?
For me it's the lack of an integrated experience across the communication channels I use, whether it be phone, video, IM (instant messenger), all those sorts of things. The minute I cross country lines or regional borders, that becomes compounded.For me it's the lack of an integrated experience across the communication channels I use, whether it be phone, video, IM (instant messenger), all those sorts of things. The minute I cross country lines or regional borders, that becomes compounded.
If I look at what I have in my home base, it's a pretty seamless experience. It's simple and it's so effective and then I travel to countries in the region, and that integrated experience just breaks down at the first border you cross.If I look at what I have in my home base, it's a pretty seamless experience. It's simple and it's so effective and then I travel to countries in the region, and that integrated experience just breaks down at the first border you cross.
It's not because of technology, it's because of the challenge to service providers to provide a call plan to support this type of service integration.It's not because of technology, it's because of the challenge to service providers to provide a call plan to support this type of service integration.
And it slows you down, it puts you back to the dark ages, you default back to the lowest common denominator, which might be a traditional phone line.And it slows you down, it puts you back to the dark ages, you default back to the lowest common denominator, which might be a traditional phone line.
For me it's a huge problem that we've tried to solve in some cases, or the service providers or mobile operators are trying to say it's solved, by maybe an international call plan, but it's a huge challenge.For me it's a huge problem that we've tried to solve in some cases, or the service providers or mobile operators are trying to say it's solved, by maybe an international call plan, but it's a huge challenge.
I'm desperate for someone to solve that because it will just be so positive for productivity, staying in touch, that's not just from a work perspective, but also from a personal family perspective.I'm desperate for someone to solve that because it will just be so positive for productivity, staying in touch, that's not just from a work perspective, but also from a personal family perspective.
My family uses technology to stay in touch with me as I travel through the world, and I'm just really desperate for someone to get this right.My family uses technology to stay in touch with me as I travel through the world, and I'm just really desperate for someone to get this right.
What's the next big tech thing in your industry?What's the next big tech thing in your industry?
There's no doubt it's this concept of cloud computing.There's no doubt it's this concept of cloud computing.
It's an interesting one. To me when I reflect on it and start analysing it, it's held up to be pretty simple for enterprise or the user. It's very much driven by a utility-based consumption model, it's very attractive from a financial construct perspective, and the simplicity that's held up is again very attractive.It's an interesting one. To me when I reflect on it and start analysing it, it's held up to be pretty simple for enterprise or the user. It's very much driven by a utility-based consumption model, it's very attractive from a financial construct perspective, and the simplicity that's held up is again very attractive.
To make it simple you have to hide the complexity somewhere. And that complexity I think is underestimated today.To make it simple you have to hide the complexity somewhere. And that complexity I think is underestimated today.
It's disruptive, it will change business models in the IT sector, it will change business models across many sectors. It has significant potential, but it's not a project, it's a journey that people have to undertake, and undertake with care.It's disruptive, it will change business models in the IT sector, it will change business models across many sectors. It has significant potential, but it's not a project, it's a journey that people have to undertake, and undertake with care.
To me it's not just a technology model, it's the IT sector for the first time experiencing a disruptive consumption model of technology. There's no doubt to me it's a total watershed for our industry as we go into the future.To me it's not just a technology model, it's the IT sector for the first time experiencing a disruptive consumption model of technology. There's no doubt to me it's a total watershed for our industry as we go into the future.
What's the biggest technology mistake you've ever made - either at work or in your own life?What's the biggest technology mistake you've ever made - either at work or in your own life?
If I look back, one makes many mistakes. I think as you go through your career as long as you learn form them, I think it's all part of it. If I look back, one makes many mistakes. I think as you go through your career as long as you learn from them, I think it's all part of it.
Around 2000, during the dot com era something that I personally underestimated was the ability of the enterprises or companies to consume new technology in a positive way, in terms of their whole business model.Around 2000, during the dot com era something that I personally underestimated was the ability of the enterprises or companies to consume new technology in a positive way, in terms of their whole business model.
The innovation rates of technology far, far outstripped the capacity of companies to adopt that technology.The innovation rates of technology far, far outstripped the capacity of companies to adopt that technology.
If I look back, that's one of the key lessons I've learned. Don't get caught up in the hype, be realistic about the pace of adoption, don't get totally taken up with innovation itself.If I look back, that's one of the key lessons I've learned. Don't get caught up in the hype, be realistic about the pace of adoption, don't get totally taken up with innovation itself.
Innovation for innovation's sake is not always that good, and in that context I think there's a lot of innovation through integration. You have to be patient with that, and really be sensitive to those hidden things that sometimes slow you down from an adoption perspective.Innovation for innovation's sake is not always that good, and in that context I think there's a lot of innovation through integration. You have to be patient with that, and really be sensitive to those hidden things that sometimes slow you down from an adoption perspective.
That, I would say, is probably my biggest lesson, if I reflect, and hopefully that will serve me well going into the future.That, I would say, is probably my biggest lesson, if I reflect, and hopefully that will serve me well going into the future.