Apparently, our Top Cloud Computing Stories for May podcast was well-received, because David Linthicum invited me back to swap top stories for June. Check out our podcast. Then, consider this: What will be the ‘Tang’ of cloud computing?
In mid-May, I tweeted my in-the-moment hypothesis on the most valuable use of cloud computing:
“Seems to me, #1 use case (value) of Cloud Computing should be Business or Business Capability Incubation. Cloud as experimentation platform.”
Some 30-odd days later, I find myself reaffirming this sentiment. Thus, the official entry into my cloud watch record.
Last week, Dave Linthicum invited me back to his podcast to discuss top cloud computing stories for May. There were no set rules on what constituted “top”. We each picked 3 stories, which we didn’t reveal to each other beforehand.
As for the results, I will say that we had one story in common, two mainstream stories (one each) and two wildcards (one each). The format was fun, so we’ll do another at the end of June.
To listen to the podcast (16 minutes or so), go here.
On Friday, David Linthicum invited me on his cloud computing podcast to chat about what we heard, and didn’t hear, at the Cloud Connect conference. Naturally, our discussion wound its way to the connections of cloud computing, enterprise architecture, service-oriented architecture and data architecture.
Our podcast is Picking Apart Cloud Connect. Check it out.
In his InfoWorld blog, Dave Linthicum cites (yet another) survey on CIO plans (or not) for cloud computing. No surprise, the survey reported that “security concerns were the biggest barriers to widespread consumption of cloud services.”
Dave believes the true problem is one of understanding:
“I’m not sure that the rapidly emerging cloud computing universe has done a good enough job in leading existing enterprise IT shops to cloud computing. Everyone is talking about the "why" — leaving out the "how" and the "what."
CIOs are a bit wary around another paradigm shift. You have to admit that we’ve had one or two over the last 20 years that have not gone anywhere, and the reality for several others never measured up to the hype. CIOs are measured by their ability to make the trains run on time within their own spheres of control, not about how innovative they can get with emerging and overhyped technology.”
Dave continues with ever-practical advice on how to “enlighten the rank-and-file CIO out there around the benefits of cloud computing”:
“First, look at cloud computing for what it really is: architectural options to make existing IT systems more effective. You drive this from the inside out, not the outside in. There is no "big switch" or "huge shift." Instead, you solve small, well-defined problems with the best solution. In some instances, cloud computing is an instance of a solution and not always the solution.
Second, do a prototype. Cloud computing means not having to buy hardware and software, so taking cloud computing for a test-drive is inexpensive and a great learning experience.
Finally, and most important, understand that cloud computing is an evolutionary — not a revolutionary — path for most organizations. The use of cloud computing will be around a systemic change that takes a long period of time for most IT organizations. That’s something a CIO can responsibly handle.”
For more practical cloud computing advice from Dave, check out his latest book: Cloud Computing and SOA Convergence in Your Enterprise.
Forgoing the hyperbole of cloud computing predictions – sensational outages to a cloud-in-every-pocket – I want to start 2010 discussing the enduring aspects of cloud computing on enterprise business-technology. Regardless of the final manifestation of cloud computing, and the tally of deployments, successes and failures, I believe cloud computing will influence the expectations and practice of enterprise business-technology throughout the decade.
I have identified five enduring aspects from a practitioner perspective. Certainly, there are enduring aspects on the provider side as well, such as advances from Infrastructure 2.0 and disruptions created by new economic and pricing models. However, I will leave that list for provider-side specialists.
The first three enduring aspects focus on the expectations from business-technology organizations.
1. Resource Optimization – Cloud computing has raised Executive awareness to the disproportion of installed versus utilized computing capacity, along with the requisite expenses of space, power, software licenses and support personnel.
If they have not already, Executives will mandate infrastructure ecology initiatives, starting with the consolidation and pooling of compute and data resources, and progressing to software execution efficiency.
