CXO of the Week: Piyush Somani, Founder, MD & CEO, ESDS Software

ESDS Software Solution is one of the providers in India's managed cloud service landscape, catering to comprehensive multi-cloud needs. Specializing in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS), the company supports a broad spectrum of industries including BFSI, manufacturing, IT and ITES, telecom, real estate, pharmaceuticals, retail, and education. With operations extending across the APAC region, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Africa, ESDS operates on an asset-light model. This approach focuses solely on owning computing hardware assets, facilitating rapid scalability, and minimizing capital costs, which is crucial for serving not only corporate entities but also government ministries and companies.

Piyush Somani founded ESDS Software Solution when he was just 23 years old, since then, he has successfully expanded ESDS Group to 19 nations across APAC, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Africa. Piyush has always focused on innovating technologies like cloud hosting platforms, data center management systems, core banking solutions, and Pay-Per-Consume billing systems to provide great experience and satisfaction to customers. Piyush has administered various departments in ESDS, from Tech Support, Marketing, Sales & finance, which has elevated and transformed him into a great technology leader. Under Piyush's leadership, ESDS has touched great heights, won laurels, expanded its product portfolio, and caters to some of the best Enterprises, Banks, and Government Institutions in the World. With a strong workforce of over 1000 employees across domestic and international offices, Piyush ensures to personally connect with each employee because he believes in creating and nurturing professional relationships more than anything.

Today ESDS is a leader in offering cloud solutions and advanced technologies purely because of Piyush's forward-thinking mentality and big heart. Being recognized internationally as a founder of ESDS, Piyush Somani is not just an entrepreneur but a vivid writer and one of the best storytellers. Piyush has decoded and shared his life lessons as an individual and entrepreneur through his books "Entrepreneur with The Fire Within" and "Living in Harmony with the Sun." Despite being smart, experienced, capable, and winning, you may go wrong if the basic life assumptions are not tested well. And that is what he talks about in his books.

In a detailed conversation with Manisha Sharma, Assistant Editor at Ciol, Piyush Somani, the Founder, CMD, and CEO of ESDS Software Solution Ltd, shared insights on how data center services are pivotal in propelling economic development, especially in India. He also elaborated on the various initiatives and strategies that ESDS has implemented to boost the sustainability of its data centers.

How do you perceive the role of data center services in driving economic growth, particularly in India?

Data centers are not just pivotal, but they are the driving force behind India's economic growth, especially in the rapidly expanding digital economy. From a modest capacity of 100 MW in 2018, India's data center industry has skyrocketed to an impressive 1 GW by 2024. This exponential growth is not a mere projection, but a promising reality, with capacity expected to surge to a staggering 10 GW within the next 8-10 years. Such robust expansion is not a coincidence, but several key factors anchor it

•    Digital Transformation: The rise is not just significantly fuelled, but India's aggressive digital transformation initiatives propel it. Government programs like 'Digital India ' are not just aiming; they are determined to enhance internet connectivity to over 600 million internet users and boost digital literacy across its vast population. These initiatives are not just poised, but they are set to expand the digital footprint, necessitating robust dramatically and a strong and efficient data center infrastructure to manage, store, and process the burgeoning data loads.

•    Technological Adoption: The adoption of data-intensive technologies such as IoT, which is expected to connect approximately 10 billion devices by 2025, AI, and edge computing are driving demand. These technologies are critical for the finance, healthcare, education, and e-commerce sectors, which rely heavily on real-time data processing and analytics.

•    Investment and Employment: The data center sector is a significant economic contributor, drawing billions of dollars in investments. For instance, the industry attracted over $10 billion in investment in the past five years, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs. This investment trend is expected to grow as the demand for data storage and processing capabilities grows.

•    Global Positioning: The expansion of data centers enhances India's standing in the global IT services and outsourcing market, consolidating its reputation as a global technology hub. The strategic location and the availability of skilled labor make India an attractive destination for multinational corporations looking to establish and expand their data center operations.

•    Future Outlook:  As India aspires to grow its economy to $30 trillion in the next 25 years, most of this growth is anticipated to be digitally driven. Data centers will play a crucial role as the backbone of this digital economy, supporting everything from everyday digital transactions to advanced applications in AI and quantum computing. The anticipated widespread adoption of AI and quantum computing in a $30 trillion economy underscores the critical need for robust data center infrastructure to handle complex data processing and storage demands.

What solutions and services are currently offered in ESDS's portfolio, particularly in terms of IaaS, SaaS, and managed cloud services?

ESDS offers a complete arrangement of arrangements and administrations, zeroing in on Foundation as a Help (IaaS), Programming as a Help (SaaS), and oversaw cloud administrations.

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

•    eNlight Cloud: ESDS's flagship IaaS offering, eNlight Cloud, provides scalable and on-demand cloud infrastructure, ideal for businesses seeking flexible and efficient computing resources. It features patented automatic vertical and horizontal scaling technology, optimizing resource utilization and reducing costs effectively.
•    eNlight 360: ESDS's proprietary Cloud orchestration platform, eNlight 360, is tailored for private cloud deployments. This platform offers the flexibility and features typical of public clouds but in a secure private environment, ensuring enterprises enjoy the benefits of public cloud services with the control and security of a private setup.
•    Managed Colocation Services: ESDS offers managed data center colocation services across its four data centers in India. ESDS provides high-quality managed services for private cloud deployments, leveraging its cloud expertise and ensuring optimal performance and security.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS):

•    SAP on Cloud: Specializing in hosting for SAP applications, ESDS ensures these critical operations are optimally managed and scaled in cloud environments, supporting enterprises in maintaining seamless, efficient processes.
•    Exuberant Support Services: This service facilitates application hosting, allowing businesses to operate their applications in the Cloud seamlessly without the complexities of managing the underlying infrastructure.
•    Low Code Magic: A Low Code No Code (LCNC) platform developed in-house by ESDS. It aids enterprises in app modernization and new application development, fostering innovation through an accessible, efficient development environment.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS):

•    VTMScan: A web vulnerability scanner part of ESDS's unique SaaS offerings, addressing security challenges in digital environments.
•    Famrut: An Agritech solution that addresses significant challenges in the farming sector, making it a pivotal tool for agricultural improvement and management.

4. Managed Cloud Services:

•    Managed eNlight Cloud: Comprehensive management of the eNlight cloud platform by ESDS covers everything from setup and deployment to maintenance and optimization, allowing businesses to focus on core functions without the burden of managing cloud resources.
•    Network Services: Includes essential managed network services such as load balancing, firewalls, and VPNs, crucial for maintaining and securing enterprise networks.
•    Backup and Disaster Recovery: Offers robust backup solutions and disaster recovery services critical for ensuring data integrity and availability in case of system failures or disasters.
Additional Services:
•    Security as a Service (SECaaS): A comprehensive suite of security services designed to protect applications and data hosted in the Cloud, including DDoS protection, ransomware protection, and web application firewalls (WAF).
•    Digital Transformation Solutions: ESDS also provides tailored solutions that assist enterprises in their digital transformation journeys, leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain.

Could you discuss any initiatives or strategies ESDS has employed to enhance the sustainability of its data centers?

ESDS has implemented several innovative initiatives and strategies to enhance the sustainability of its data centers, focusing on energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact.
1. Green Data Centers:ESDS is transitioning to renewable energy sources across all its data centers in India. This ambitious project involves extensive investment in solar and wind power solutions. The electricity generated from these renewable sources at remote locations is then exchanged with local power distribution companies, ensuring that the data centers are powered by green energy. This reduces the carbon footprint and aligns with global sustainability goals.
2. Energy-efficient Hardware: The company strategically uses energy-efficient servers and networking equipment to consume less power and generate less heat. This not only helps reduce energy consumption but also significantly extends the lifespan of the hardware, decreasing the frequency and need for replacements and thus lessening e-waste.
3. Carbon Offsetting: ESDS actively participates in carbon offsetting initiatives to compensate for the emissions produced by its operational activities. These initiatives include investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance carbon sequestration. Such projects might involve reforestation or supporting renewable energy installations in other sectors, contributing to broader environmental benefits.
4. Resource Optimization: Through its proprietary eNlight Cloud platform, ESDS implements sophisticated auto-scaling and resource optimization technologies. These technologies ensure that computing resources are used as efficiently as possible, maximizing performance and minimizing energy usage.  This intelligent utilization of resources contributes significantly to the overall sustainability of the data centers.

These comprehensive strategies demonstrate ESDS’s commitment to sustainability, showcasing its role in fostering a greener and more environmentally responsible technology infrastructure. ESDS sets a benchmark for sustainability in the data center industry by focusing on technological innovations and proactive environmental stewardship.

How do hybrid cloud solutions contribute to transforming IT infrastructure for businesses?

1.    Versatility: Hybrid cloud solutions allow organizations to easily scale their IT infrastructure up or down based on fluctuating demands, ensuring efficient management of sudden increases in workload without over-provisioning resources.
2.    Adaptability: Organizations can use the hybrid cloud model to balance between on-premises and public or private cloud services, allowing them to choose the most suitable environment for each task based on factors like performance requirements, data sensitivity, and regulatory compliance.
3.    Cost Enhancement: Hybrid cloud setups allow companies to benefit from both on-premises systems and cloud services, optimizing IT spending by using on-premises resources for sensitive or legacy tasks and the cloud for dynamic ones.
4.    Business Progression: Hybrid cloud models offer robust disaster recovery and business continuity solutions by replicating critical data and applications between on-premises and cloud environments, ensuring resilience and minimizing downtime in the event of a disaster or outage.
Hybrid cloud solutions help organizations modernize their IT foundation, improve agility, reduce costs, and enhance resilience. This drives digital transformation and fosters innovation.

Could you share any recent security implementations or enhancements carried out by ESDS to address evolving threats and customer requirements?

ESDS has made security upgrades to cope with changing threats and meet customer needs. Key areas of focus include:
1.    Advanced Threat Detection: ESDS has deployed advanced threat detection systems using machine learning as well as AI algorithms for real-time security incident identification and response. Such systems improve the ability to detect and respond to complex cyber security threats hence protecting customer data alongside infrastructure against such instances.
2.    Enhanced Encryption: To ensure data privacy and confidentiality, ESDS has strengthened encryption protocols across their platforms and services. One of these steps includes the implementation of strong encryption algorithms, while enforcing encryption at rest or during transit so as to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
3.    Compliance and Certification: To prove commitment towards regulatory compliance as well as safety, ESDS has obtained the highest-level security certifications and compliance assertions within the industry. ISO 27001 together with SOC 2 Type II are some examples of these certifications that provide assurance on the capability of ESDS’s security controls plus practices.
All these security upgrades really show how committed ESDS is to staying ahead of new threats and making sure their customers' security needs are met.

What go-to-market (GTM) strategies does ESDS employ to reach its target audience?

ESDS uses a variety of strategies to connect with its target audience:

1. Partnerships and Alliances: ESDS teams up with tech partners, system integrators, and resellers to expand its market reach and provide complete solutions to customers.

2. Digital Marketing: ESDS makes the most of digital platforms like social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and content marketing to boost brand visibility, connect with potential customers, and generate leads.
3. Events and Conferences: ESDS takes part in industry events, conferences, and seminars to exhibit its offerings, network with industry pros, and educate potential customers about its solutions.
4. Customer Referrals and Testimonials: ESDS uses positive customer experiences and testimonials to establish credibility and trust, encouraging word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations.
5. Targeted Advertising: ESDS runs targeted ad campaigns to reach specific segments of its target audience and effectively promote its services.

These strategies help ESDS effectively communicate its value, establish its brand, and attract and retain customers.

From which industries or domains does ESDS observe maximum traction for its services and data centers?

ESDS is really popular for its services and data centers in a bunch of different industries, such as:

1. IT and Technology: ESDS is a big hit with the IT and technology crowd because they're experts in cloud computing, managed services, and data center solutions. Businesses in this field use ESDS to update their IT systems, boost flexibility, and spark innovation.
2. Banking and Finance: The banking and finance world depends a lot on secure and reliable IT infrastructure for handling financial transactions, customer data, and following regulations. ESDS's strong data center services and security solutions are tailored to the specific needs of this industry, making it a top choice for banks, financial institutions, and fintech companies.
3. E-commerce and Retail: E-commerce and retail companies rely on ESDS's cloud hosting and managed services to ensure their online stores and apps run smoothly, can grow as needed, and stay secure.

Overall, ESDS is getting a lot of attention from industries that are all about digital transformation, data security, and scaling up their IT systems.

Can you elaborate on the evolution of ESDS's business model over time, particularly in response to market dynamics and customer needs?

ESDS has adapted its business model over time to keep up with changes in the market and meet customer needs. They started with traditional hosting services but then shifted to offering cloud-based solutions to meet the increasing demand for flexibility and scalability. As the market changed, ESDS broadened its services to include managed services, data center solutions, and industry-specific offerings tailored to meet the diverse needs of its customers. This evolution shows ESDS's dedication to staying ahead of market trends, understanding customer needs, and providing innovative solutions that support digital transformation and business growth.

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