By Ethan Simmons – Managing Partner, PTP
The advantages of cloud computing are generally recognized for the collaboration, efficiency, automation, and advanced analytics gains that the cloud offers. For life sciences companies, where the demands of R&D surpass traditional on-premises computing scalability, cloud computing becomes a strategic imperative.
Life sciences companies have many unique requirements that the cloud addresses. Vast amounts of data need to be easily accessible, often by multiple teams across multiple locations. Data collection from R&D experimental workflows needs to become automated by connecting individual lab bench instruments directly to a database. Large datasets must be quickly stored and analyzed on demand. Any loss of data is a devastating setback, thus consistent and effective data backup/recovery is mission-critical. Data security is a high-stakes game, when sensitive, regulated and proprietary information is involved. And stringent compliance requirements require keen and consistent oversight.
All against the backdrop of increasing pressure for production speed.
It is surprising, given all of this, to read reports from Deloitte and others that commitment to digital transformation in life sciences companies (notably biopharma), while increasing, lags behind other industries.
Smaller, nimbler startups have the advantage here, as many of them start out in the cloud. Still, though, there is a shortage of digital and data-savvy talent to constantly manage, maintain, monitor and optimize the cloud environment. New, valuable cloud capabilities emerge at a dizzying pace, and keeping on top of them requires an immersion in the cloud technology world. Cloud management can quickly become a distraction from the main mission of the organization.
Deloitte’s 2019 Global Life Sciences Outlook suggests that collaboration and partnerships with companies outside of life sciences can offer access to the digital and data skills required for innovation.
“In medtech, (3rd-party) technology companies could provide the technical capabilities required to improve device efficiency, data management, and insight generation,” states the report.
For life sciences companies, this is valuable advice, allowing them to focus on the science, and not the infrastructure, in a world where speed is the name of the game, and where companies that produce, analyze and make rapid data-driven decisions, are the winners.
Where traditional computing approaches are limiting the pace at which a scientist, department or company can innovate, it’s time to make cloud-based computing an organization-wide strategic imperative. And a third-party cloud expert like PTP can truly make the difference between the success and failure of a company’s mission.
Learn more about PTP’s services and cloud management platform.
Ethan Simmons is the managing partner of PTP, a services and solutions company that accelerates innovation in the life sciences industry through the use of cloud technologies. He leads a team of cloud architects, network engineers and cyber-security experts who implement, manage, monitor and secure clients’ cloud infrastructures.
