During the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) last October Microsoft announced Windows Azure, letting the world know that Microsoft was serious about our futures being within the Cloud.
At the time I would have to say that I thought the question of when Cloud Computing technologies, such as Windows Azure, would be adopted or not was based more in psychology than technology. Microsoft, Google, and others could provide the technologies behind Cloud Computing but how many companies and individuals would psychologically feel comfortable with placing their critical data within the Cloud. After all, it is almost how I feel when I hand my car keys over to valet parking at a hotel.
Small to medium sized companies would certainly see benefit with Cloud Computing as it would reduce their IT costs which likely represent a significant slice of their expenditure. Large enterprise customers, so I thought, would instead continue to invest significant expenditure into on-premises resources. Just six months later the economy, I believe, will drive even large enterprise customers to consider Cloud Computing considerably earlier than they might have otherwise done so. With the reality of the economy in the United States and other countries, even the largest enterprise customers will have to find ways to reduce their costs and IT is certainly not immune from being the focus of cost reduction. In fact IT will likely be the core focus in many organizations for reductions in expenditure.
With Cloud Computing companies from small businesses to the largest enterprises are able to purchase the computing power they require almost like they acquire the electricity that powers their existing computing infrastructure. When you need more computing power you'll simply be able to increase that consumption and pay accordingly, scale back consumption and you'll obviously incur less cost during those times that you don't need so much computing power.
While the PC has revolutionized how we approach computing today our futures are likely to consist of a plethora of devices connected to the Cloud.
Cloud aware applications, such as Microsoft Office "14", will become common place on the devices we rely upon today such as our PCs and cell phones.
The reality is that the Cloud is coming and because of the economy it is likely to begin affecting you much sooner than you might have otherwise anticipated.
At the time I would have to say that I thought the question of when Cloud Computing technologies, such as Windows Azure, would be adopted or not was based more in psychology than technology. Microsoft, Google, and others could provide the technologies behind Cloud Computing but how many companies and individuals would psychologically feel comfortable with placing their critical data within the Cloud. After all, it is almost how I feel when I hand my car keys over to valet parking at a hotel.
Small to medium sized companies would certainly see benefit with Cloud Computing as it would reduce their IT costs which likely represent a significant slice of their expenditure. Large enterprise customers, so I thought, would instead continue to invest significant expenditure into on-premises resources. Just six months later the economy, I believe, will drive even large enterprise customers to consider Cloud Computing considerably earlier than they might have otherwise done so. With the reality of the economy in the United States and other countries, even the largest enterprise customers will have to find ways to reduce their costs and IT is certainly not immune from being the focus of cost reduction. In fact IT will likely be the core focus in many organizations for reductions in expenditure.
With Cloud Computing companies from small businesses to the largest enterprises are able to purchase the computing power they require almost like they acquire the electricity that powers their existing computing infrastructure. When you need more computing power you'll simply be able to increase that consumption and pay accordingly, scale back consumption and you'll obviously incur less cost during those times that you don't need so much computing power.
While the PC has revolutionized how we approach computing today our futures are likely to consist of a plethora of devices connected to the Cloud.
Cloud aware applications, such as Microsoft Office "14", will become common place on the devices we rely upon today such as our PCs and cell phones.
The reality is that the Cloud is coming and because of the economy it is likely to begin affecting you much sooner than you might have otherwise anticipated.