Showing posts with label cloud drive. Show all posts

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Cloud providers aren't selling the real value of the cloud

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I hear this pitch all the time: "Cloud computing provides the shortest time to deploy or time to market because there is no need to purchase and configure hardware and software." That makes sense.

If the value of time to deploy is not the big deal we're told it is, what is the compelling reason to move to cloud computing? You might think it's the efficiency of the public cloud platforms, but that too is a relatively small advantage.

The trouble is that the value of adaptability, which far exceeds that of other benefits of cloud computing, is both difficult to define as a concept and even more challenging to model for a specific problem domain or a whole enterprise. Nonetheless, it should be the ultimate objective of cloud computing and -- for that matter -- any new technology.

Cloud providers should stop leading their pitches with the tactical values that vary greatly from enterprise to enterprise and instead discuss the core strategic reasons for moving to the cloud. For its part, IT needs to get a clue about this concept so that it can apply cloud computing technologies in the right directions. My fear is that both providers and enterprises don't yet understand the true value of cloud computing, and tactical "quick win" thinking will get us into trouble -- again.

Dimension Data expands its cloud portfolio and channel

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Selling cloud services is no easy feat and finding ways to do so successfully can be a challenge. Dimension Data, one of the largest and best known channel partners in the world, recently acquired cloud provider OpSource, boosting its own cloud services portfolio and enabling smaller partners to resell its infrastructure and applications.

The acquisition marks a trend in the way that channel partners approach the cloud. They fall into two camps: Those that build their own infrastructure and become cloud providers and those that sign on to partner with the providers.

In addition to the OpSource acquisition, Dimension Data also announced the inclusion of managed Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft Lync 2010 cloud services from its cloud. With this expansion, Dimension Data provides public, private and hybrid cloud service offerings in addition to managed messaging, collaboration and communication apps.

Monday, 18 June 2012

Amplidata Shares the Secrets Behind Storage Clouds’ Exceptional Performance with Big Data at GigaOm Structure

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Amplidata, an innovator in optimized object-based storage technology, will share a few secrets of storage cloud providers’ best practices in coping with Big Unstructured Data at the GigaOm Structure conference this week in San Francisco, starting Wednesday June 20.

Storage clouds service are the conduit for an increasing percentage of business users to access their daily cloud computing needs, not just for casual access to files while traveling, or sending an occasional large file among collaborators. Rather than base their storage clouds on traditional RAID architectures, cloud service providers, online storage companies, and even large organizations are moving to achieve scalability and cost-efficiency in the same way as Facebook, Google and Amazon have done – with object storage implementations. This is particularly true with Big Unstructured Data applications, where the traditional file structure no longer can meet today’s demand for scalability and cost-efficiency.

Amplidata will also showcase its capability with Panzura to leverage the Panzura global file storage solution and Amplidata’s cloud computing storage solution for making all files available to all the users across all locations in a corporate network - and enabling fast, efficient document storage and sharing in a plug and play, seamlessly integrated solution.

SPEC forms cloud benchmarking group

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New group to set out standards for cloud computing agility and elasticity

"Cloud computing is on the rise and represents a major shift in how servers are used and how their performance is measured," said Rema Hariharan, chair of OSGCloud. "We want to assemble the best minds to define this space, create workloads, augment existing SPEC benchmarks, and develop new cloud-based benchmarks."

The group is targeting three types of users for the workloads and benchmarks it will create: Hardware and software vendors providing products that enable cloud services, cloud providers and business customers who could use benchmark results to help them select cloud providers.

While the group is off to a “great start” in creating guidelines for benchmarks with clearly defined, standardised metrics, Hariharan added that she “would like to see wider participation, especially from cloud providers and users.”

SPEC forms cloud benchmarking group

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New group to set out standards for cloud computing agility and elasticity

Consumerization of IT Driving Virtualization to the Private Cloud

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Thanks to improved efficiencies and greater business agility, the number of companies looking to deploy private cloud service infrastructures has increased dramatically in 2012. CIOs across industries can no longer ignore the compelling business case for cloud computing. In his February 2012 report, “Top Five Trends for Private Cloud Computing,” Gartner analyst Tom Bittman forecasts: “the number of [private cloud service providers] deployments throughout 2012 will be at least 10 times higher [than 2011].”

Many companies view private clouds providers as the next phase in their virtualization efforts with the goal of enabling the “consumerization of IT.” Compared to virtualization, private clouds service providers are an even larger paradigm shift that requires significant changes in the way many companies deliver IT services. Unless IT teams thoughtfully plan how they are going to address the organizational and cultural challenges, they will likely derail their initial cloud deployments or deliver a solution that cannot be scaled to other groups or businesses within the enterprise.

KPMG Compares Taxes On Cloud Computing

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KPMG has introduced an online resource that examines how tax authorities in 18 different countries are dealing with the challenge of taxing cloud computing services.

The new resource, Country Perspectives on Taxing the Cloud providers, is designed to help users and providers of cloud computing services as they plan their operations and activities and work to manage their tax exposure while gaining the desired benefits from this new technology.

“Cloud computing is fast becoming an attractive option for managing operational and client service needs of businesses and consumers in the United States and across the globe,” said Steven Fortier, principal-in-charge of KPMG’s U.S. Tax in the Cloud service initiative, in a statement. “Yet most tax authorities have yet to develop detailed rules and guidance for cloud-based operating models, and many business executives are neither evaluating the tax implications of cloud computing nor do they know if these factors are being evaluated within their organizations. Companies should expect added scrutiny as tax authorities become more aware of revenue implications they may face with the switch to a cloud-based operating model.”

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Sybex Announces Microsoft Private Cloud Computing

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Serving as a how-to guide, Microsoft Private Cloud Computing demonstrates how to build a secure, internal cloud computing and deliver it as a service using Microsoft Windows Server Hyper-V and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012. This comprehensive book walks readers through the entire process: understanding cloud computing, understanding the Microsoft concept of a private cloud, deploying a private cloud fabric, deploying services, and building a private cloud provider, as well as integrating it with Microsoft’s public cloud computing providers to create a cross-premises or public cloud providers.

Accelerating business through virtualization, cloud computing

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Businesses seem to be migrating into the cloud these days. They can be seen or felt everywhere from everyday use of Internet and mobile phones, to services like getting one’s insurance. But jumping into the cloud computing bandwagon needs preparation, with the right tools and more important, the right partner that will get a business to the cloud through a process called virtualization.

Jon Robertson, general manager of VMWare ASEAN said that “virtualization is the technical foundation for cloud computing, and customers are leveraging our industry-leading products like VMWare vSphere to transform their data centers into simplified cloud computing infrastructures.”

He said most of VMWare’s customers start with a desire to increase server efficiency and reduce capital expenses by virtualizing low risk workloads. Then, as more of their data centers are virtualized, customers can realize more value by implementing management and policy-driven automation. The resulting quality of service improvements accelerate transformation to an agile cloud computing model, which allows customers to accelerate their IT, which in turn accelerates their business.

Open Group publishes cloud computing guide for SMEs

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"Cloud computing won’t be the answer to all of the above. But it can help simplify IT so that SMEs stay business-focused."

"IT organisations of SMEs should consider the idea of becoming an IT service broker where services are provided to consumers through a pay-per-use arrangement and an as needed business model while sourced from outside from cloud service providers."

The Open Group believes that the cloud computing model can also help SMEs attract additional revenue. By sourcing IT services from outside the organisation, SMEs benefit from a reduced time-to-market, which will gain them new customers that might have gone to competitors previously, and in turn prevents those competitors from becoming stronger, it said.

IT organisations don’t have to invest in IT assets anymore, but instead ‘rent’ them from cloud service providers. But only as long as they are needed by the consumers," reads the report.

"Reducing and/or optimising costs is the keyword here, and the adoption of cloud computing can support this objective."

Open Group publishes cloud computing guide for SMEs

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"Cloud computing won’t be the answer to all of the above. But it can help simplify IT so that SMEs stay business-focused."

IT organisations don’t have to invest in IT assets anymore, but instead ‘rent’ them from cloud service providers. But only as long as they are needed by the consumers," reads the report.

"Reducing and/or optimising costs is the keyword here, and the adoption of cloud computing can support this objective."

Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Triple J's Spotify conundrum

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Yes, it is official, the Triple J had finally had decided to work hand-in-hand with a cloud hosting provider! Which means they will be providing better online services for its clients!

After such a lengthy wait, and more than a couple of false starts, music-streaming service Spotify launched in Australia earlier this week, and was generally well received — at least, judging from anecdotal evidence from the people I follow on Twitter.

Not one to fall behind the times on the latest fad (though I'll never understand the station's love of Australian hip-hop), Triple J created a music app for Spotify that includes top tracks being played on the station and several years' worth of Triple J Hottest 100 playlists. It all looks rather shiny and cool.

Read more: http://goo.gl/Zzo8v

Aus Post eyes Telstra cloud for e-mailbox

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Aust post had announced to work together with Telstra Cloud hosting provider to give their clients a one step forward in providing excellent services to its clients through creating a digital mailbox

The two companies are also discussing hosting the MailBox on Telstra's cloud platform. Australia Post stressed that all information would be stored in Australia.

The telco has also been contracted to carry out services for Australia Post branches, although there was little detail on what services it would be providing. ZDNet Australia has requested information on the subject.

Australia Post aims to have a MailBox available to all Australians free of charge later this year.

MailBox is Australia Post's attempt to cannibalise its own letter service, instead of standing by while other companies cannibalise it

Aussie cloud boom all about local

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VMWare Australia and New Zealand managing director Duncan Bennet puts the program's growth down to its pricing model, which had meant that "literally one- and two-man organisations" could become cloud providers.

Young Australians just out of university could start up a cloud service, based on an infrastructure provider such as Zettagrid, using VMWare's software, and only pay a small amount until the customers started coming in.

Amazon wasn't cheaper, according to Pereira, once all the charges, such as charging for data in and data out, had been taken into account. Users also encountered latency issues with that provider, and Amazon didn't provide the flexibility that small businesses craved, he said.There was nothing stopping university graduates from creating a Bathurst cloud, Bennet said, or any region or industry creating its own cloud.

Australian clouds compared

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In some cases, the Australian cloud provider offerings have different options than their offshore counterparts, but they're certainly playing ball — and not just on price. These cloud providers are Australian businesses that are cloud hosting in datacentres owned and operated in Australia, and are subject to Australian law, which can and does give comfort to Australian CIOs if they are dealing with sensitive business and government workloads, as it removes the question of data sovereignty and other legal issues, such as data access under the US Patriot Act.

Can businesses sign up for the cloud service online in a self-service fashion?

The ability to be able to sign up and transact, without interactions with a salesperson or an account manager, is viewed by many as a critical element of cloud computing. Technical people have generally researched what they want, and just want to get on with the job. They prefer less manual interactions, and more means to automate activities. This can be in stark contrast, though, to less-technical management or management of enterprise that may want to engage in a more traditional sales process.

Australian clouds compared

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Can businesses sign up for the cloud service online in a self-service fashion?

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

IBM still the best cloud: Longhaus

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In the annual Australian cloud-provider repot, IBM had been dubbed as the top Cloud hosting provider in Longhaus.

IBM is setting the pace, according to Longhaus. It has an "exemplar of a cloud-computing business for enterprise clients at a global level", not requiring minimum equipment and providing services out of six centres globally, including two in Australia.

In the last 12 months, 30 per cent of cloud-service providers have had an outage or service failure, he said. In addition, 24 per cent of providers have had a security breach in the past 12 months.

In future years, Longhaus might divide cloud services according to their classifications and services provided within an enterprise

IBM still the best cloud: Longhaus

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In the annual Australian cloud-provider repot, IBM had been dubbed as the top Cloud hosting provider in Longhaus.

In the last 12 months, 30 per cent of cloud-service providers have had an outage or service failure, he said. In addition, 24 per cent of cloud service providers have had a security breach in the past 12 months.

In future years, Longhaus might divide cloud services according to their classifications and services provided within an enterprise

Hostway Sees “Big” Data Moving Into The Cloud – Writes “Big” Press Release

Hostway Corporation, a leading provider of cloud, managed and hybrid cloud services, today released a video featuring experts from Gartner and Microsoft offering information and advice on moving big data and mission-critical applications to the cloud. Simultaneously, Hostway announced the availability of SQL Server 2012 for the host’s Windows managed hosting plans and cloud servers. The 2012 edition adds flexible deployment options across on-premise, private and public environments.

“As a startup, we hoped to grow quickly, and we are excited to be experiencing that growth,” said BidAbode CTO Jared Gallardo. “Hostway’s hybrid cloud hosting has provided the scalable infrastructure we need to support our real-time, resource-intensive auctions.”

Hostway traditional managed hosting customers are migrating to cloud hosting due to the cost savings and business benefits, namely flexibility and scalability, over purchasing and maintaining stand-alone dedicated servers. Microsoft has responded to this growing trend by creating features of SQL Server 2012 that directly enhance the ability to deploy databases in the cloud.

Cloud Computing World Forum This Week

Now in its third year, the event pays tribute to some of the cloud computing industry leaders and it's expected that this year's event will see even more sophisticated and innovative products on display than last. Conferences are expected to focus on a number of subjects, including security and cloud maintenance and improvement.

Whilst security has been one of the biggest worries surrounding the deployment and take-up of cloud services, the Cloud Computing World Forum will look at how cloud providers are now leading the way in combatting cybercrime. A series of seminar sessions will be held to further debate the issue including: Strategy Theatre, which debates business reasons for cloud and two ‘vision theatres', which will discuss compliance and "information security for tomorrow's technologies”.