Abu-Ghazaleh Calls for a Variety of Steps to Assist in e-Transformation

AMMAN-In cooperation with The Arab International Society for Management Technology (AISMT), Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Information Technology International (TAG-ITI) held a seminar on cloud computing at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum.

The seminar aimed at raising awareness about this technology, supporting the various sectors to keep pace with the accelerated technological development and using the new technological means in all sectors, which represents one of AISMT most significant objectives.

The seminar was held under the patronage of HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh with the participation of a number of pioneers in the field of IT, representatives and managers of national and international providers of cloud computing, in presence of representatives of the various public and private sectors.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stressed on the need to take a variety of steps in order to assist in e-transformation. First of these steps was to establish a permanent coordination commission involving all the stakeholders concerned in e-clouds. The commission will study the significance of this issue to the society, to make suggestions for starting work – provided being under the umbrella of AISMT pursuant to the agreement. In addition, he called for communicating a message using all available means to all decision makers in both public and private sectors calling for e-transformation.

Moreover, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stated that the European Union has assigned Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) to raise awareness amongst Jordanians on the significance of renewable energy since the Organization has the ability to communicate messages to the media aiming at developing capacity and preparing the different training courses on modern technology, including cloud computing.

TAG-Org launched its private cloud (TAG-Cloud) in 2012. TAG-Cloud enables TAG-Org to transfer all applications, systems and software to the cloud for the purpose of saving energy, costs, flexibility and acceleration in education, business and competitiveness in the new global market; in addition to guaranteeing safety, and the unlimited ability to monitor and expand in the virtual environment.

TAG-Cloud helps deliver the professional and educational services to TAG-Org community, including Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University (TAGI-UNI) and its students and international suppliers of education. In addition, it provides each user in the group, each student at TAGI-UNI and Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Colleges with remote access to the files, applications and storage from any computer and at any time.

TAG-ITI launched the specialized consulting services in cloud computing to support the local community in specific and the Arab community in general in the application of the latest solutions of transformation into cloud computing technology. TAG-Cloud will be a future platform of its program adopted in order to transform into a smart group in all internal and external transactions by the end of 2016.

Dr. Salem Al-Aqtash, ICT Advisor to TAG-Org Chairman, illustrated that cloud computing makes it easy for the users to perform their various duties, enabling them to access into their own data, applications and files smoothly anywhere and anytime on the Internet.

Eng. Aiman Mazahreh, CEO and Founder of STS, a Jordanian company specialized in providing solutions of information systems and technology in Jordan and the region, stressed the significance of the world transforming to cloud computing. He indicated the importance of employing the concepts and solutions of cloud computing in building the IT sector in Jordan as cloud computing will soon be indispensable and we will reach the stage in which all operating systems are changed into cloud systems. In case the technical Arab companies do not adopt cloud computing and its services, these companies will search for an alternative that is geographically and ideologically remote from the Arab region. He also pointed out the precedent step of STS to launch STS Cloud Platform for Business Sector Computing in October under the patronage of HE Majd Shwaikeh, Minister of ICT.

Dr. Bashar Hawamdeh, Chairman of ICT Association of Jordan and CEO of MenaITech, assured the importance of Intellectual Property in transforming the resources and programs into immediate services based on cloud computing technology which will distinguish each service provider from others and will provide a significant space for creativity and excellence in the various sectors. MenaITech launched several services for SMEs through its cloud platform, believing in the significance of keeping pace with cloud computing.

Mr. Hany Morcos, Microsoft Cloud Technologies Director for the MENA region, illustrated the global significance of this technology and its contribution in reducing costs and, enhancing productivity, flexibility, and the smooth conduct of operations within the sector of companies accompanied with data security. IT industry has become basic services that should be provided by public or private institutions.

Mr. Ala’ Al-Masri, Territory Business Manager – Jordan & Palestine at Cisco Systems, stressed on the major models of cloud computing and illustrated the comprehensiveness of the beneficiary categories of these services. He also explained the significance of hybrid cloud technology in meeting the needs of business sector to provide the immediate services.

Mr. Nassif Fakhouri, Senior Technology Consultant at VMware, stressed the necessity to raise awareness within the Arab society in relation to modern technology, mechanisms of application and transformation, as well as its significance aiming at keeping pace with the rapid global developments. In addition, he assured that the world has overcome the obstacles of transformation into this technology, of most importantly protection of data and systems in order to be of the most important features of using this cloud. He indicated the advanced solutions that technology developed to transform all available resources into immediate services using this technology.

Dr. Ala’ El-Dein Radi, Vice Chair of AISMT, illustrated the significance and role of Internet in taking advantage of services based on cloud computing technology, as well as the significance of service suppliers being transformed into Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6); the project which TAG-Org adopted nationally and regionally.

He also explained that IT infrastructure has become so complex and fragile that does not commensurate with business acceleration and dynamism in this era. 70% of current IT investments are concentrated on maintenance while too little is left for innovation. In light of the presence of agents looking forward to reducing response time and administration costs, IT needs a better strategy. Cloud computing provides a new model that reduces IT complexity through promoting effective assembly of customized auto-organized virtual infrastructure.