Smart Cloud offers your business security and flexibility

Melita CEO Harald Roesch discusses the company’s new innovative Smart Cloud services with The Malta Business Weekly

What is Smart Cloud?

Smart Cloud is a new brand which provides managed data centre services in Malta. This has been made possible by a collaboration between Melita Limited and Smart Technologies Limited, making the best use of our respective strengths. Smart Cloud leverages the expertise of Smart Technologies in cloud infrastructure and managed services, and Melita Business’ reliability, connectivity and security at the state-of-the-art Melita Data Centre in Madliena.

What does Smart Cloud offer?

Smart Cloud’s services comprise cloud hosting and back up, including disaster recovery. Cloud data storage means companies do not need to invest in their own data-storage hardware – giving significant savings – nor are they limited by hardware capacity. Smart Cloud offers space, computing power and memory which are all scalable.  Additional flexibility is built in as businesses are able to exceed their allocated basic computing capacity in peak times. A company’s IT team are freed up from the service, security, and reliability aspects of data storage, as these are handled by our dedicated experts, with strict service level commitments.

What is the benefit of Smart Cloud being located locally?

A key consideration for any business is to meet local regulatory requirements. In Malta, several bodies require local data hosting for full compliance. For example, in the financial services sector the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) requires, as a minimum, that companies have their data backed up locally. The MFSA has put this requirement in place due to the opportunity for added security and added oversight with locally hosted data.

Other authorities have similar requirements; as part of their certification process for Innovative Technology Arrangements (ITAs), the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) require the ITA to include a Forensic Node – used to keep a trail of behaviour on the ITA – which must be wholly based in Malta, in a data centre which is rated tier 3 or above; such as the Melita Data Centre. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) have requirements which include local database replica, making the use of Malta based data management services essential.

Our platform is hosted in Europe and protected by European data protection and privacy laws, negating concerns European businesses may have with hosting further afield, such as potentially being subject to US law requiring the sharing of data.

The significant reduction in latency from local hosting, plus the attention to detail that goes with dealing with a local company offering 24/7 customer service and personal support are aspects of Smart Cloud all businesses will appreciate.

This service appears to be vital to the business community – why is this?

Data is vital to every business and the volume of data used by business is increasing exponentially as is the need for that data to be accessed quickly and securely. Traditional data storage and retrieval methods are no longer adequate. Using cloud applications not only increases storage capacity and flexibility, it also allows employees to use the applications they need from anywhere.

This structured approach to managing data and access helps a business to meet European data protection law obligations. Smart Cloud implements a range of security measures to block unauthorised access to our customers’ data. This is achieved both at cloud infrastructure level as well at the physical facilities. Our data centres are both PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 certified. Smart Cloud offers a simple, flexible approach; If a customer needs the peace of mind of backup services every 24 hours, we can provide that. If a customer needs the peace of mind of a totally segregated, secure rack to store their own data in the Melita Data Centre we can provide that – or any solution in between.

Now that it’s been a few weeks since the launch, how has the response been from your clients?

The response has been very positive. We have seen particular demand for backup as a service and we are currently offering the first month of this service free, so our customers understand the benefits that come with leveraging the power of the Cloud.

Melita Limited’s innovation is surely an inspiration to our readers; what is something they can take away from this to apply to their own businesses?

Smart Cloud is the latest example of how a philosophy of collaboration between businesses which offer complementary services can deliver new benefits. This is an Open Innovation approach we have taken across our Data Centre offering, and in other areas such as the Internet of Things. 

Any more exciting things coming our way?

Our goal is to bring the best of international technology to Malta; we can see this in the fact that we are the only operator in Europe to offer nationwide Gigabit Internet, nationwide 5G coverage, nationwide NB-IoT coverage.  

We have also made great strides forward in customer service; we now have customer satisfaction ratings which are world-class. We have a full plan in terms in innovation in terms of our products, services and partnerships; this really is an exciting industry which I am very excited to be part of.

For further information on Smart Cloud at the Melita Data Centre please visit https://www.smartcloud.mt/