Matchmaking for the Cloud
For big computing jobs, such as data analysis or video processing, it’s often cheaper for businesses to use rented resources rather than hardware they own. They can lease access to hardware for a specific period of time, or they can use a cloud computing service, which charges for the amount of computer power used. Now a service launched this week by Toronto-based Enomaly will let companies buy and sell unused computing capacity.
Keep Exchange In-House and in the Cloud With Coexistence
NetApp Co-Founder Dave Hitz Talks Cloud
Dave Hitz co-founded NetApp in 1992. He’s now executive vice president there in a strategy directing role. I sat down with him recently to talk about the road ahead for NetApp, and how the big trends in technology — cloud computing, virtualization, and industry consolidation — are hitting NetApp.
The company announces earnings tomorrow, after an impressive run-up in its stock price that has handily beat rival EMC, as well as giants IBM and Hewlett-Packard.
Microsoft can fend off mobile, cloud competition
Duncan Jones, principal analyst of sourcing and vendor management at Forrester Research, noted that because of its long-term dominance over the PC market, Microsoft was unable to react quickly to "real competition" from cloud-based vendors. As such, he said rivals Google and Oracle have been touting their Web-based office productivity tools and operating systems (OSes) to try and wrest market share from the market leader.
Asus Preparing Mystery ‘Personal Cloud Computing’ Product For Fall Release
The booming popularity of tablets has been a mixed blessing for Asus. The Taiwan-based electronics vendor makes takes a hit each time consumers opt for tablets over the laptops and netbooks it makes. At the same time, Asus is investing in tablets, unveiling four models at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Most of Asus’ tablets won’t launch until later this year, however, when a glut of other tablets from companies ranging from Motorola to Research In Motion to HP will also be on sale.
Administration releases federal cloud strategy
The Obama administration has released its Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, designed to help guide agencies in moving systems to a cloud computing environment. It includes a mandatory evaluation of cloud options before making any investments.
Characterized by low asset utilization, a fragmented demand for resources, duplicative systems, unmanageable environments and long procurement lead times, the federal government’s current IT environment is plagued with ineffiencies, according to the report.
Forrester: Big Data, Cloud Will Merge in 2011
Appirio crowdsources the cloud with CloudSpokes
Appirio
Companies who need cloud development work can sponsor a challenge on CloudSpokes, giving developers a way to earn cash rewards, and test and prove their skills for badges and other recognition…
Hardware in a Cloudy Universe
It seems that the more virtualization and the cloud come to dominate data center architecture, the more all of the major advances – the ones that are truly transforming the way we work and interact with others – are happening in the virtual and application layers. In the end, I reasoned that hardware does matter, but it no longer carries the weight of IT innovation. Hardware provides the foundation for all the fun stuff that’s happening in the enterprise, but there isn’t much reason to stress over a particular server deployment or storage array anymore – unless it fails.
Cloud, mobility transform software space
According to Trent Mayberry, Accenture’s technology geographic lead for Asean, as software moves away from the shrink-wrapped sales and app distribution models, toward the software-as-a-service model, there will be changes in the way ISVs and SIs operate.
With regard to ISVs, he said: "Governance is perhaps one area that will take new forms. Processes that have been traditionally rigid will change and give way to more adaptive models to encourage the viral adoption that cloud and mobility promises."