Thai software houses will take a lead in the development of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) through a cloud computing collaboration between Software Park and True Internet Data Centre (True IDC). The joint-programme, ''Software Development Training'', has a goal to groom the software developers to perfectly work in the cloud computing environment.
Ice Solutions, an open source software house which provides virtualisation, communications and sales management systems, has run an internal test for cloud computing for its holding company, Siamwalla.
Ice Solutions managing director Danupol Siamwalla said that the test has proved that the technology is worthwhile for the business, as they can more efficiently manage the resources of the organisation.
Danupol noted that trust is the biggest obstacle. In the past, hosting and application service providers (ASP) took time to build up trust, however, users have better response with the trust.
Computer service is the big thing that is changing in the industry, he said, noting that Thai software is not yet ready, while the IaaS is now ready and it has broken a barrier. The move by True IDC has lead software houses to see the opportunities.
''When IaaS was launched, everyone wanted to join because the market for software developers is now open. The question is whether the users will take to it or not,'' Danupol said. He believes the users will start with ''non-critical'' usage and then when they trust the infrastructure and software, they will bring critical concerns on the cloud.
He pointed out that this technology will eliminate the complication of software implementation. ''I think it's now on the road toward the cloud, but it will take three years. The starting point is now and from now on, software houses will come in.''
Ice Solutions will adjust all software in a package such as applications of document management and offering like a 50 baht per day package, as the managing director said that processing for package sales is easy for the company and users.
''The company will adjust our software by working with ERP because ours are special such as collaboration, email, document management _ all those have to based on ERP.
''The other interesting market is the software developer market, it's a huge market but the problem is the hardware as the developers require hardware to develop and test, so the company is now starting the concept of 'Condominium Module' for any developers to use, as they can rent the facility for a performance test. This market, meanwhile, will develop toward the solutions on the cloud.
''If this ecology can work, I think within a few years Thailand will be one of the first movers to have many developments on the cloud,'' Danupol said.
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