NEW YORK, Oct. 22 — NTT DATA, Inc., a leading IT services provider, today announced the launch of an end-to-end, full-stack portfolio of Cloud Lifecycle Services designed to help companies confidently plan, implement, and manage cloud-based services for increased business agility and reduced costs.

NTT DATA's Cloud Lifecycle Services are available immediately in North America to help clients navigate the cloud landscape, implement the most appropriate cloud strategies for fastest results, and provide full-stack cloud applications and infrastructure management with a focus on ease of use and customer service. Three core areas of expertise and intellectual property (IP) are included in the portfolio:

Cloud Advisory Services offer vendor-neutral cloud experts armed with NTT DATA's Cloud Direct solution designed to help clients define or refine their cloud computing vision, architecture, and dynamic roadmap.

Cloud Migration Services leverage our deep expertise in applications and infrastructure with accelerators and tools to enable clients to quickly transform by implementing smart cloud choices that drive next generation business practices while seamlessly integrating the entire applications and infrastructure portfolio.

Cloud Management Services use innovative monitoring and management tools in our Service Operations Center to proactively support and secure our clients' IT assets and transactions with enterprise-class cloud application and infrastructure management services, whether public, private, or hybrid models are used.

The portfolio has been designed for both enterprise and mid-market clients alike that are interested in reaping the rewards of instant capacity or reducing an inflexible applications portfolio with newer, more responsive SaaS models.

In fact, according to a Gartner report published 28 September 2012, User Survey Analysis: Using Cloud Services for Mission-Critical Applications, more than 59% of applications are planned to be changed through upgrades or replacements in the next two years. As these changes occur, most organizations indicate they are likely to consider a public cloud-based model for their new applications. Private cloud and other cloud models will also be important models under consideration.

"Clients are looking to service providers to bring a wealth of capabilities to cloud-related engagements," said analyst Ed Anderson, Research Director for Gartner Cloud Services and IT Outsourcing. "However, our survey showed that applications expertise – especially applications development skills – were rated the most important factor for external providers delivering cloud management, integration, customization and aggregation services."

"Cloud computing is driving a massive IT transformation and organizations need to be ready. Our clients understand change is coming and are asking for help navigating this chaotic environment," said Marv Mouchawar, president, NTT DATA Cloud Services. "We meet our clients wherever they are in this process, bringing a cloud lifecycle approach with our expertise and solutions to help them comprehensively plan and implement an optimum mix of SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS models leveraging public, private, or hybrid environments."

"We worked in partnership with NTT DATA from the start, recognizing that our aggressive growth goals required a flexible and scalable technology environment," stated John Graf, president and CEO of Forethought Financial Group, Inc. "Today, we leverage the cloud environment with applications and infrastructure that flex up and down as our business changes. The change has definitely positioned us to profitably support our ambitious growth plans."

NTT DATA combines a rich heritage in applications services, including mission-critical ERP, with the knowledge and experience of running enterprise-class infrastructure for Fortune 500 companies, to help clients find, implement, and manage their path to the cloud with the highest benefits and least risk. As part of the NTT Group, clients gain access to the capabilities of a global cloud ecosystem that encompasses one of the largest global networks and a footprint of over 200 data centers around the world.

NTT DATA Cloud Lifecycle Services

Earlier this year, NTT DATA formalized a new business unit devoted to cloud services. Today's announcement is the next step in the company's plan to leverage its rich heritage in applications and enterprise infrastructure management services to offer a set of applications-driven Cloud Lifecycle ServicesTM.

Advisory Services include:

• Cloud Application and Infrastructure Strategy
• Cloud Assessment and Business Case
• Cloud Roadmap and Migration Planning
• Cloud Architecture Design

Migration Services include:

• SaaS Implementation
• Cloud Application & Infrastructure Migration
• Cloud Application Development & Testing
• Cloud Managed Infrastructure and Hosting

Management Services include:

• Cloud Applications Management
• Cloud Services Operations Center
• Cloud Infrastructure Management

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is your Innovation Partner anywhere around the world, with operations in more than 35 countries. NTT DATA Americas emphasizes long-term commitment and combines global reach and local intimacy to provide premier professional services from consulting, application services, business process and IT outsourcing to cloud-based solutions.

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Source: NTT DATA