The aggregated cloud services platform SkyLight, launched by multinational Internet service provider Internet Solutions last month, enables companies to have different use models for each department or workload, and provides access to local and international cloud platforms that can meet their needs, says Internet Solutions Cloud executive Andrew Aitken.

Enterprises can select one virtual environment for their entire business or select different environments for different departments or workloads. Provisioning or decommissioning machines as needs dictate – regardless of the platform – is also done through the portal.

There is a perception that shifting invaluable data into the cloud is difficult or risky, but the platform provides easy and flexible cloud computing services, as well as the visibility that enterprises demand, he notes.

“CIOs and CFOs are attracted by the fact that cloud computing turns the economics of enterprise information technology on its head. “On-site data centres are costly capital investments, whereas the cloud allows for the consideration of an operating expenditure model because those hard costs are eliminated. “Enterprises can finally create the virtual environments that are most appropriate for their business.”

CIOs and information technology (IT) staff have a holistic view of virtual machine use and security performance and can make informed decisions about how to manage services in the most cost-effective and efficient manner.

SkyLight currently offers users on-demand access to cloud services from Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, Internet Solutions Cloud and Dimension Data Cloud. More cloud service providers will be added to the portal.

The portal enables a range of security and performance management functions across all virtual environments and on all cloud platforms, including the monitoring of firewalls, networks, use and load balancers.

“Custom permissions, detailed audit logs and roll-back functionality are built in, which make it easy to maintain proper levels of IT governance in the virtual environment,” says Aitken.

Further, SkyLight users receive a consolidated bill – denominated in rands – containing detailed statistics for all virtual environments and cloud platforms. The portal’s billing function allows for daily cost-tracking that is not currently possible on other platforms, he avers.

Internet Solutions has invested more than two years into the development of SkyLight to transform cloud computing from a platform-centric to a user-centric service, says Internet Solutions MD Saki Missaikos.

“Cloud computing offers enterprises a tremendous advantage from a financial, operational and sustainability perspective, but only if their business requirements are central to the design of their virtual environment,” he concludes.