This is a dedicated cloud computing service that enables customers to manage their hosted applications, services and platforms based on their specific business requirements.

With Awal Cloud, customers will be able to decrease pressure resulting from services management as it works as an independent and flexible service and its cost is limited to customer needs and usage.

Awal Cloud programs' updates are also automatically executed and the service level control process is easy and flexible.

Awal Cloud delivers premium-quality cloud services through its locally managed data centers, enabling organizations to respond faster to the needs of their business, while driving greater operational efficiencies.

Awal Cloud allows organizations to eliminate the substantial costs involved in maintaining their own servers and applications, giving in-house IT engineers greater flexibility to focus on essential projects that bring value to the business.

Awal also offers a range of suitable plans/packages tailored to different business profiles, with the option of upgrading the plan as the business grows.

Around 85 percent of Saudi companies are expected to adopt cloud technologies by next year, according to a recent study by "Hewlett Packarad" and "Coleman Research Group", with the local IT market expected to reach SR 29.7 billion by the end of the current year and SR46.3 by 2015.

Moreover, the global cloud computing market continues to gain momentum as it is projected to reach $241 billion in 2020, according to a recent Forrester report.

Awal CEO Nabil bin Ibrahim Alomar said: "Launching Awal Cloud highlights our keenness toward providing Cloud Computing solutions that offer a new outlook in developing IT services market."