IDC reports global Q1 2014 thin client and terminal client device shipments total 1.28 million units with 7.1% Y-o-Y growth and should reach 5.7m units by end 2014, a 5% increase over the previous year.

The analyst also forecasts global shipments are to reach 7.8m by end 2018.

"After posting 14.5% Y-o-Y growth in Q4 2013, the worldwide enterprise client market continued to show good momentum in Q1. The positive growth in the worldwide shipments was helped by strong performances in 5 out of the 8 regional markets, bringing worldwide shipments in the quarter to nearly 1.3m units," IDC says.

French IT giant Atos buys its way into becoming one of the biggest cloud services vendors in Europe as it swallows rival security, big data and enterprise cloud services provider Bull for €620 million.

"Bull’s highly recognised teams in advanced technologies such as high computing power, data analytics management and cybersecurity ideally complement Atos’ large scale operations,” Atos CEO Thierry Breton says.

The two companies stand at number 5 and 10 in the top 10 European cloud provider rankings. Atos adds the cloud services market will grow at a CAGR of 25-50% over the next 2 years, and the Bull buy is a “unique opportunity to… create the European global IT leader in cloud, big data and cybersecurity”.

In order to differentiate its cloud offering from the competition IBM launches Cloud Business Solutions-- a suite of 20 "as a service" enterprise solutions customers can personalise as per specific requirements.

The portfolio bundles consulting services, pre-built IBM Research assets, software, advanced analytics, ongoing support and cloud infrastructure built by IBM subsidiary Softlayer.

"Our clients view cloud as the catalyst for entirely new business models, not just technology innovation," the company says. “IBM Cloud Business Solutions represent the next evolution in high-value business services, in line with the expectations and priorities of our clients. We’re providing access to the best IBM has to offer-- from cloud to data analytics – as a simple, accessible and customisable service."

HP launches Orchestrated Datacentre-- an automation and cloud management service allowing customers to deploy the full stack and automate IT delivery and management.

In more detail, the service allows one to orchestrate the full stack, from physical, virtual servers, networks, networks, storage and databases to the middleware and application layer while automating end-to-end IT workflows across the service desk, monitoring and security operations.

Users can also design, customise and and deploy services securely in test and production as well as across traditional, private and public clouds.

“IT architects and CIOs want simpler, more integrated and effective orchestration solutions that deliver value right out of the box," the company says. "Orchestrated Datacenter Solution addresses these priorities by combining important open source technologies such as OpenStack and Chef with HP's full stack automation technologies and operational best practices.”