Liquid partnering global cloud computing, cyber security firms

PAN-AFRICAN technology company, Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid) says it is entering into strategic partnerships with leading cyber security and cloud computing global players.

Liquid, a subsidiary of the pan-African technology group Cassava Technologies, is focusing on creating a digitally connected future and exploring opportunities to upgrade its business to achieve this goal.

Speaking during a media familiarisation tour in Harare yesterday, Liquid Complex Solutions engineer Robert Mutasa said the partnerships had led to innovative products and solutions.

“On cloud services, we have partnered most of the cloud providers, the key cloud providers so that we can deliver solutions to our customers and also leverage on their strengths,” he said.

“So, we have partnered AWS [Amazon Web Services] and we are actually an advanced tier partner as well as a public sector partner. And, within AWS, we have a team of certified engineers and solutions architects which actually help to design the solutions for customers as well as give them support.”

AWS, a subsidiary of the American e-commerce giant, Amazon, offers reliable, scalable and inexpensive cloud computing services.

“We also have Azure. We’ve partnered Microsoft and we’re good partner with Microsoft. So, on Azure, we can give you services within any other region which is international and also we have what you call Azure Stack Hub,” Mutasa said.

“So, Azure Stack Hub is a service that allows you to have all the functionalities that are on Azure which include scalability, logging into your own portal and launching your own games but it’s within the Liquid Data Centre. So, this is a service that is now in Zimbabwe, but it is all functionalities of Microsoft Azure.”

Mutasa added that Liquid was adapting to the changing times, moving with customers to make sure that “no one was left behind”.

He said the firm had also partnered Sophos Limited, a British security software and hardware company to provide firewalls.

This, according to Mutasa, will allow users to secure their Wi-Fi networks from hacking.

“So, on managed security services, we are now saying to the customer that we are not only aiming on giving you the internet connection, but also make sure that within that network of yours, your communications are secure,” Mutasa said.

“So, first of all, I want to talk about user awareness. We have a programme that we are now doing, whereby for customers, we train them maybe on a monthly basis so that their users are aware of cybersecurity risks because we have noted that most of the security breaches that happen are due to human error.”

Liquid regional chief commercial officer, central Africa, Lorreta Songola said the firm, which was in more than 25 countries on the continent, was also leveraging on infrastructure.

“We are present in more than 25 countries in Africa. With regards to infrastructure, Liquid is the largest independent network provider in Africa and other emerging markets with an extensive fibre broadband network covering over 110 000km, with over 26 000km of this fibre network being in Zimbabwe,” she said.

“In Zimbabwe, we are the biggest internet access provider with more than 80% market share in terms of network capacity. Our vision is of a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind and we continue to feed into making this a reality through providing customised digital solutions to public and private sector enterprises, SMEs [small and medium enterprises] and individuals (through our Liquid Home brand) across the continent.”

Cassava Technologies is one of the several firms owned by Zimbabwe’s richest man, Strive Masiyiwa.-newsday