Artificial intelligence, machine learning, containers, serverless architecture \u2014 all are exciting, sexy technologies with the potential to fundamentally change how companies do business.<\/p>\n
Yet all those technologies are only as good as the infrastructure that supports it.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why we\u2019re honored to be named \u2014 for the second year in a row \u2014 one of the\u00a0\u201cCoolest Cloud Computing Vendors of 2019\u201d<\/a>\u00a0by CRN in the\u00a0infrastructure category<\/a>.<\/p>\n Infrastructure may not sound exciting, but it\u2019s the foundation for all the benefits organizations seek when moving to the cloud: more efficient processes, enhanced customer experiences, lower costs \u2014 ie, a more robust bottom line.<\/p>\n CRN placed us in lofty company: AWS, Microsoft and Google also made the list. But make no mistake, we\u2019re not competitors with the hyperscale giants. We\u2019re partners, offering integrated, professional and managed services and support for all the major public cloud providers, plus our own OpenStack cloud.<\/p>\n For two decades, companies have sought out Rackspace for our infrastructure expertise and our ability to operate like no one else. Today however, we\u2019re seeing smart companies seeking an application-first approach, with infrastructure decisions based on application modernization, rather than the other way around.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve responded to this shift by doubling down on our application services portfolio, expanding our offerings and through key acquisitions like\u00a0TriCore Solutions for enterprise resource planning<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0RelationEdge for customer relationship management expertise<\/a>\u00a0while continuing to excel in operating and managing customers\u2019 infrastructure.<\/p>\n Our breadth of expertise, along with our broad technology services portfolio, means we are able to meet customers wherever they are on their cloud journey. We take a\u00a0\u201cProcess First. Technology Second\u201d approach<\/a>, sitting down with customers to really understand where they are today, where they\u2019d like to go and what obstacles are in their way \u2014 not just within their IT, but for the company overall. We help companies understand how modern IT can play a critical role in business success.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n [Read more:\u00a0\u201cProcess First. Technology Second\u201d: Partner with Rackspace for Application Modernization<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n Only then do we figure out the best technologies to get companies where they want to go. And because we partner with all the major public cloud providers, plus offer our own public and private clouds, and managed hosting and colocation services, we can craft exactly the right IT ecosystem for an organization\u2019s unique needs \u2014 no jamming square pegs into round holes because we only sell round holes.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve also come to understand that\u00a0professional services<\/a>\u00a0are essential to our approach. We don\u2019t just create a plan, then leave you to EXECute. Our technical specialists have experience and certifications across all the major public and private cloud platforms, as well as in colocation, key enterprise applications and databases, service integration and multi-cloud security. And we\u2019re here for your long-term success: we help navigate, operate and continually optimize your environment to accelerate the value of the cloud \u00a0\u2014 because the honest truth is, \u201cdigital transformation\u201d isn\u2019t a one-time project, but an ongoing process.<\/p>\n [Read more:\u00a0How (the Right Kind of) Professional Services Can Boost Your Business<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n Now, for customers that do just want a road map, we\u2019re happy to help. Others are looking for a partner for the entire journey, from assessment to operations; we do that too. What we don\u2019t do is force bundles of services onto customers. We\u2019ve heard our customers loud and clear: they want to consume IT as a service, on demand, paying for what they need, when they need it \u2014 with the flexibility to DROP and add new services as those needs change.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we introduced Service Blocks late last year. Each block represents a set of capabilities. Some service blocks cover broad needs such as those for reliability engineering, operational support or comprehensive assessment of a company\u2019s IT resources and needs. Others address more-specific needs: say, for cost governance, serverless computing or adoption of Kubernetes and other container technologies.<\/p>\n