Introduction

Year 2013 was a landmark in enterprise cloud adoption as the cloud delivery model entrenched itself as a strategic priority and not just an option. Industry verticals, such as technology, BFSI, and public sector, continued their onward march as torchbearers of the cloud bandwagon. Newer market segments, including transportation & travel and media & entertainment, also witnessed enthused cloud activity.

This was also a breakthrough year for the European cloud market, as it witnessed sustained and distinctive uptick in activity.

Cloud companies, such as NetSuite and Amazon Web Service, and traditional technology providers, such as IBM and Dell, oversaw increased activity. There were significant mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as players scuttled to pick up the few available valuable acquisition targets in the cloud market – which attracted a nifty premium – as witnessed in case of IBM’s acquisition of SoftLayer.

Service providers invested in intra- and inter-industry partnerships, alliances, and acquisitions to expand offerings, enter different market segments, and ramp up delivery capabilities. Among the drivers for such activities, access to valuable IP retained top billing for providers, followed by access to market and assets.

Global service providers, such as Dell, Fujitsu, and HP, continued to exhibit a robust pipeline of offerings. Telecom firms, including BT, Orange, and AT&T, also had a strong expansion of service portfolios.

In 2013, social media, mobility, and analytics were prime areas of focus as cloud providers looked to leverage the opportunity at hand.