10 Cloud Providers To Watch In 2018

Full Steam Ahead

There's no argument that the cloud computing market is a crowded space filled with hyper-scale providers, as well as small, regionally located cloud service providers and startups with innovative cloud offerings. And while there's room for many players, some cloud providers have made a name for themselves by carving out a niche in the market in 2017. This year there's no telling what these providers will bring to the table.

CRN rounded up the cloud providers that not only caught our eye this year, but those that have aggressive goals set for 2018. Here are the 10 companies that solution providers should keep their eyes on.

Alibaba

Alibaba, China's Amazon Web Services equivalent, may have more of a presence outside the U.S, but the cloud computing giant is worth keeping on solution providers' radar.

China's largest public cloud provider said in October that it will invest $15 billion into global tech research facilities across China, Russia, Singapore, Israel and the U.S., which could challenge U.S.-based tech companies that have led in terms of technology research investments in the past, including rival AWS.

Amazon Web Services

All eyes in the cloud market have been on Seattle-based AWS for the past decade, but the cloud computing heavyweight has made tremendous headway into the enterprise space in recent years.

At AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas, the cloud giant unveiled more than 20 new products and services for business customers and solution providers. One of the announcements included bare-metal option, i3.metal, which is the first in a series of EC2 bare-metal configurations that will give customers and partners direct access to underlying processors and hardware. AWS also said it will roll out a rebranded and revamped partner program in January, so solution providers that aren't working with the market heavyweight today may want to reconsider in 2018.

Approyo

Approyo, a provider that got its start in 2013, offers managed solutions built on SAP HANA for companies looking to migrate quickly. Today, the Milwaukee-based SAP-centric cloud provider is gaining notoriety in the cloud market.

Approyo in 2017 won a slew of awards, and the private company said it will continue to expand its team and deliver innovative offerings to its customer base in 2018.

Cloudify

Cloudify was an open-source software cloud and NFV orchestration tool originally created by GigaSpaces Technologies until it spun off into its own company in July.

Today, the provider is touting its Cloudify 4.2 offering, which allows service providers and business users transition to virtualized and cloud-native infrastructure without compromising security and regulatory demands. Its products offer support for container technology through the Kubernetes, Docker Swarm and Mesos orchestration platforms.

Evolve IP

Channel-focused cloud service provider Evolve IP is focusing on growing organically and inorganically as it expands its business and services for end customers. Evolve IP in 2017 completed four acquisitions, which included cloud, contact center and security technology.

In August, the Wayne, Pa.-based provider acquired Netherlands-based cloud communications company Mtel to extend its geographic reach into Europe, satisfying a common request it was receiving from partners and business customers. The company, which does about 60 percent of its business through the channel, plans on keeping up the momentum this year.

Google Cloud

Like hyper-scale cloud computing provider AWS, Google is also stepping up its focus on the business customer segment. In December, Google added more managed services providers to its partner program, boosting the number of MSP partners that can offer cloud support services to enterprise customers for the Google Cloud platform to 12.

Google in November also brought on former Intel executive Diane Bryant as chief operating officer for the Google Cloud division. Though it is a market leader, Google is actively working to build up its cloud business in 2018 to compete with the likes of AWS, IBM and Microsoft.

Green Cloud Technologies

2017 proved to be a merger-friendly year for the cloud market. Green Cloud Technologies, based in Greenville, S.C., got in on the consolidation trend when it acquired channel-focused cloud service provider Cirrity in February. Following the close of the merger, the Cisco-certified cloud provider now has six data centers throughout the Southeast, Midwest and West.

Green Cloud this November also unveiled a new partner portal that provides online tools that channel partners can use to provision, manage and report on Green Cloud services. The cloud provider, which works exclusively through the channel, plans on continuing to make its mark in the crowded cloud industry in 2018.

OnRamp

Hybrid cloud hosting provider OnRamp has been giving solution providers and business customers access to highly compliant colocation and private cloud services that can hold up against even the most stringent security concerns.

In September, Austin, Texas-based OnRamp officially released its HiTrust-certified virtual private cloud (VPC) built on OpenStack open-source software, and the cloud provider hs no plans of slowing down. OnRamp said that its partners can expect a suite of security and compliance solutions that simplify risk management and help organizations prepare for compliance audits in 2018.

Peak 10 + Viawest

Charlotte, N.C.-based cloud service provider Peak 10 closed on its acquisition of fellow cloud provider ViaWest in August for $1.67 billion. The newly combined company, aptly called Peak 10 + ViaWest, offers co-location, interconnection, cloud, managed solutions and professional services to more than 4,200 businesses customers.

Since the combination, Peak 10 +ViaWest has been focusing on the channel. Separately, both companies had strong partner programs. The nationwide cloud provider today is also expanding its footprint and expediting its sales growth by way of expanding its existing data center facilities.

TierPoint

Cloud service provider TierPoint has been on a channel tear in recent years. The St. Louis-based cloud service provider has always been partner-focused, and worked to aggressively increase its footprint during 2017. With a footprint of 40 data centers across 20 U.S. markets, TierPoint is set to plow ahead as one of the largest channel-friendly cloud providers in the country heading into next year.

In December, TierPoint achieved the Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform competency designation, putting the cloud provider in a small, distinct group of Microsoft partners that have earned certifications, met revenue commitments, and passed technology assessments.