Samsung SDS renews vision for cloud leadership

South Korea’s IT services firm Samsung SDS on Friday unveiled a renewed vision for its burgeoning cloud business, touting itself as the nation’s only “hybrid” service provider that offers integrated hardware and software solutions for corporate clients.

“Cloud computing itself is inherently complicated enough and it also covers a vast range of options now. We’d like to simplify the service for our clients under our new brand slogan, ‘Cloud. Simply Fit,’” Samsung SDS President and CEO Hwang Sung-woo said in a press event held at the company's Jamsil campus in Seoul.

“We aim to become a truly hybrid cloud solution provider that offers all the key services essential for digital transportation,” he added, referring to its three services, which include CSP (cloud service provider), MPS (management service provider), and SaaS (software as a service) running on the Samsung Cloud Platform or SCP.

Cloud-based digital transformation has become one of the key priorities for companies to better respond to the ever-evolving business environment, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the market soared to $484 billion in sales, according to market tracker Grand View Research.

The CEO noted Samsung SDS has made “excruciating” efforts to transform into a cloud-native company since 2021.

In 2022, the company posted 1.16 trillion won ($909 million) in cloud business sales alone, amounting to 33.4 percent growth compared to a year ago.

“It’s true that there are already many potent rivals globally. It may be too early to say, but I’m confident about our competitiveness in overseas markets,” Hwang added.

When it comes to SCP services, Samsung SDS has a presence in major regions around the world, including New Jersey, London and Beijing, as it supports regional operations of Korean businesses. The firm is also the first company to become a security competency partner of Amazon Web Services, the world’s largest cloud service provider.

Later in the day, Samsung SDS offered a media tour of its newest and fifth data center, which opened in January in Dongtan, Gyeonggi Province.

Located on an 18,151-square-meter site, it is Korea’s first data center for high-performance computing. The facility also boasts several upgraded functions that help the more efficient operation of cloud-based services. Among others, its optimum power density is around 15 kilowatts per rack, but its liquid-based cooling technology reduces power consumption and enhances operational efficiency overall.