OREL IT’s hybrid cloud combines elements of public and private clouds, providing seamless integration and interoperability, allowing businesses to provision services in the private OREL Cloud and access public cloud offerings. OREL Cloud is unique because it enables scalability, flexibility and carrier-neutral connectivity with self-provisioning capabilities.
What is the main reason for OREL IT to invest in a cloud solution?
Dr Upendra: OREL IT has gained significant recognition globally for its IT and AI-related services, with a strong focus on the IT export business in Sri Lanka. To reverse the outflow of foreign exchange, we aim to provide cloud services locally, preventing funds from leaving the country. Additionally, our focus extends to facilitating the growth and development of SMEs in the technology field. We strive to bring international technology-related innovation to Sri Lanka, fostering an environment that enhances capabilities for development and drives further growth in the industry.
What are the future trends and advancements expected on OREL Cloud?
Dr Upendra: Our aim is to make local and international services accessible in a corporate or domain-specific manner, allowing businesses to integrate customized technology solutions for innovative operations at an affordable cost. This objective drives the development of our ecosystem. Despite the primary focus of OREL Cloud being local, we believe it can serve as an open gateway for selling Sri Lankan services to the international market. By providing this platform, we strive to create opportunities for businesses to showcase their capabilities globally and establish Sri Lanka as a reputable provider of services.
What is a hybrid cloud platform, and how does it differ from other cloud models?
Tharindu: There are two well-known cloud computing models: the public cloud, widely recognized by major providers, and the private cloud, which organizations establish on their premises for exclusive use. Bridging these models is the hybrid cloud, combining elements of both. At OREL IT, we have implemented our own cloud stack that serves internal and external customers. Our cloud stack is not only accessible to them but also connected to the public cloud. This integration enables our customers to provision services within our private cloud (OREL Cloud) and access services available in the public cloud. This seamless utilization of resources from both environments defines the concept of a hybrid cloud.
Can you discuss integration, interoperability, and aspects of your cloud platform with existing on-premises systems and applications?
Tharindu: The OREL Cloud stack offers various connectivity models to ensure interoperability with existing systems or on-premise infrastructure. When a customer’s on-site infrastructure cannot meet their service requirements, they can leverage the services available within our stack. One notable aspect is our software partner ecosystem, which consists of multiple partners currently onboarded and joining our stack. This ecosystem enables us to utilize partner capabilities and software to seamlessly extend their on-premise infrastructure into the OREL Cloud. For instance, if a customer’s existing infrastructure has limited backup space, they can utilize our storage solution instead of relying on local hard disks within their premises.
How does OREL Cloud address the challenges of data security and compliance?
Mahesh: Ensuring robust security measures is of utmost importance, particularly when targeting customers in sectors such as finance, and SMEs in Sri Lanka. Our technology provider is globally certified, thanks to our certified framework and data centre. The current data centre setup holds ISO 27001 and Tier 3 certifications in Sri Lanka. Moreover, OREL IT is already certified with ISO 27001 and 27701 signifying compliance with ISMS and PIMS standards. Additionally, we are in the process of certifying our stack and running both NOC and SOC operations for the stack to enhance security measures. SOC refers to the security operation centre dedicated to our stack.
How does OREL Cloud enable scalability and flexibility for an organization’s IT infrastructure?
Mahesh: Our data centre, where the stack is currently located, is uniquely established in Sri Lanka. It is carrier-neutral, allowing us to facilitate the provisioning of links from any carrier for our customers. This feature enables seamless connectivity for customers. Additionally, our self-provisioning capability empowers customers to log in to their console and provision services effortlessly. With our scalable stack, we offer over 6,000 VCPUs, more than 500 TB of storage, and over 24 TB of RAM, making OREL IT’s cloud the largest single stack in Sri Lanka. This emphasizes the flexibility and scalability offered by the OREL Cloud.