Cloud computing ‘can shape the businesses of tomorrow’
Cloud computing is being recognised as a key technology for the future by a growing number of businesses.
According to research carried out by Frost & Sullivan, around 25 per cent of enterprises are currently employing cloud computing solutions in some form, with 61 per cent planning to increase their use of the service during 2011.
Arun Chandrasekaran, research manager at Frost & Sullivan, said the technology is attracting the attention of IT decision makers, who realise its potential benefits.
Cloud computing fad becomes reality
The Frost & Sullivan survey, carried out in August and September, also revealed that 23 percent of respondents use some form of cloud computing, while 61 percent plan to increase spending on it next year.
About 330 senior IT managers participated in the survey.
The research firm said these results indicated that most companies have either initiated discussions or have already started using cloud computing despite it being labeled as another "vaporware".
Cloud computing is ‘outsourcing on steroids’
Loh Tiak Koon, HiSoft‘s chief executive, explained to ZDNet Asia that there is an overlap between cloud computing and outsourcing, rather than a clash.
Kroes calls for better EU cloud security
"A cloud without robust data protection is not the sort of cloud we need. So these features should be well-integrated in the design of cloud-computing products and services, from the very beginning of the business processes," Kroes said on Thursday in a speech at the Les Assises du Numerique conference in Paris.
Data protection standards must also be transnational, she added, noting that "the free movement of personal data within the EU is another way to complete the digital single market in Europe".
Long-Term Doubts Over the Private Cloud
Most enterprise executives find the idea of the private cloud very appealing. After all, what’s not to like about enjoying all that scalability and flexibility within your own firewall.
But there’s a growing chorus of voices arguing that the economics of the private cloud do not work. Not only are most enterprises too small to see any real benefit to manning their own clouds, but the security and reliability fears surrounding the much more cost-effective public cloud are overblown. Private clouds, therefore, entail all the costs of traditional infrastructure but deliver none of the benefits.
Software-as-a-service solutions recommended to insurance companies
Many insurance companies could benefit from using software-as-a-service solutions inside their organisation.
This is the opinion of Benjamin Moreland, a senior analyst at Celent, who told Information Management now is the time for many businesses working in the field to seriously consider making use of such offerings.
"You can no longer delude yourself into thinking you can do IT solutions better than any software-as-a-service vendor, especially into today’s market where utilisation, agility [and] speed to market … are key business drivers," he stated.
SAP to Pay Oracle $1.3 Billion in Damages
Cloud computing ‘has many potential benefits’
Cloud computing solutions offer users a wide array of potential benefits, it has been explained.
According to Gartner research vice president Rakesh Kumar, there are a number of factors which are leading to more people and businesses considering making use of the technology.
"The potential benefits of cloud are a shift from ‘capacity’ on demand to ‘capability’ on demand, a reduced cost of computing resources and a shift from technology use to ‘value’ consumption," the expert said.
Out of Many, One In-box
Smart phones allow multiple ways to connect with friends, from phone calls to Twitter messages, but each has its own app or in-box. Now the cell-phone manufacturer Nokia is experimenting with a universal in-box that puts messages and updates from separate apps in one location, so you can see everything at a glance.
The universal in-box looks superficially like a regular e-mail in-box. But the stream of recent messages can be a mixture of e-mails, text messages, call logs, tweets, Facebook updates, Flickr photos, and more.
10 questions to ask your cloud provider
Earlier this month I attended a Red Hat sponsored Cloud Camp. (Full disclosure: They gave me a hat–guess what colour it is?) One of the most interesting discussions for me centered on Red Hat’s recently announced Cloud Engine.
I found the Deltacloud API concept quite compelling. Without getting into technical details of an as yet unreleased product, let me quickly outline the parts that I found most exciting by describing a possible future scenario of how the Cloud Engine would work using the Deltacloud functionality: