Salesforce.com to take database to the cloud
Scheduled for general availability next year, Database.com has always been deployed in the backend to support existing Salesforce.com customers but will now be available to enterprises as a standalone service. It will support a range of languages and platforms including PHP, Microsoft Windows Azure and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2).
The software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor did not specify when exactly Database.com will be launched next year, but is expected to release it as a private beta first, acording to reports.
Google Unveils First Chrome OS Computer: the Cr-48
One way to summarize Google’s week so far is to say that it picked fights with two of the biggest computing companies on the planet. On Monday it unveiled a bookstore that competes with Amazon’s Kindle line. Today it took the wraps off an attempt to displace Microsoft from the provider of the most popular operating system.
"With Chrome OS we have a viable third choice for OS on the desktop," said CEO Eric Schmidt at the launch event in San Francisco, drawing a comparison with Windows and Mac OS. He spoke after a lengthy demonstration that showed off a new vision of the computer that strips away pretty much everything except the browser.
Red Hat’s PaaS Play & the Future of Cloud
Last week, Red Hat Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT) announced that it had acquired platform-as-a-service (PaaS) software company Makara and was rolling it into its own PaaS offering. The deal is just the latest step by Red Hat in creating an open-source software stack for cloud computing.
Software-as-a-service market ‘set to grow at impressive rate’
The global market for software-as-a-service products is expected to grow at a rapid rate over the course of the next few years.
In an article published on IT Web, it was explained that while several areas of the IT sector have experienced a downturn as a result of the current economic climate, software-as-a-service solutions have bucked this trend to a significant degree.
"According to international research group IDC, the prediction is that software-as-a-service uptake will show 30 per cent compound annual growth rate for the next five years," the report said.
Managing risk in the world of Cloud computing
In embarking on a Cloud Computing project, it is important to assess the risks, come up with strategies to mitigate the risks and communicate any that aren’t sufficiently covered.
In practical terms this involves a mix of project management and business continuity best practices to arrive at a) the overall risk of the project, and b) what can be done to mitigate or lower the risk to acceptable levels.
Risk assessments take into account fire, flood and other intentional and unintentional disruptions caused by people. These are multiple pathways that can disrupt the people, processes and technology that drive an organisation’s effectiveness.
Cisco, BMC forge cloud infrastructure partnership
Cisco and BMC Software on Monday said they are expanding their partnership to enable telecommunications companies to offer multi-tenant cloud computing services.
Under the terms of the alliance, BMC and Cisco will synch product development roadmaps and architecture to deliver a suite to automate cloud computing delivery. The platform, dubbed the Cloud Delivery Platform, is designed for service providers at first, but will expand to enterprises that have large private cloud operations.
The joint effort will allow for the automation and linking of various cloud computing components so telecom giants can provision services quickly.
From Moore’s Law to the Law of Diminishing Returns
It looks like the good times are over and we all need to get used to a new reality of diminished expectations and slow, or even stagnant, growth.
You might think I’m talking about the economy, but I’m actually referring to processor technology.
Cloud computing market ‘set to mature in 2011’
The cloud computing market will mature during next year, becoming integrated with other emerging technologies such as social networking and smartphones.
This is according to a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), which forecasts cloud services will make the move from early-adopter status to mainstream adoption over the course of the year.
Google upgrades its app engine cloud platform
Google will upgrade on Thursday its Google App Engine cloud platform and its software development kit, adding capabilities for real-time communications and increased data replication.
Microsoft gains cloud security certification, follows Google lead
Microsoft has received FISMA certification for its cloud computing data centres, a key step toward gaining customers in the federal government market that has been infiltrated by rival Google. However, Microsoft’s hosted Exchange and Online services have not yet been awarded FISMA approval.