Grazed from CloudTweaks. Author: Tunio Zafer.

As with many new technologies, attitudes toward cloud storage vary. Telephones were immobile; wearables perhaps unwarranted. And now, a global survey of over 26,000 people finds that just 27 percent of US Internet users consider cloud storage essential. While this number nears a third (31 percent) for respondents internationally, a majority of consumers disregard one of today’s most promising software developments.

Why is this? One reason is that, consumers do not always know the right questions to ask when searching for a cloud storage provider. Considering how foreign cloud computing can be, it’s not surprising that those without a background in technology find cloud storage unnecessary. It hardly makes sense to purchase something that you do not understand, and this distance between online storage platform and consumer can dissuade usage…

Grazed from BusinessWire. Author: PR Announcement.

A Technologies CA, today announced it is a founding Platinum member of The Linux Foundation’s new Open Mainframe Project. The project is designed to create a collaborative environment among top industry leaders and academic institutions to drive both improvements and enterprise innovation on the mainframe. The project will initially focus on reinforcing four key areas: scalability, availability, performance and security.

The Linux Foundation is a non-profit consortium dedicated to fostering the growth of Linux and collaborative software development. As a founding Platinum-level member of the Open Mainframe Project, CA Technologies participation will help fuel innovation by participating in a neutral forum to drive support for Linux tools, associated hypervisors and open source components…

Grazed from InformationAge. Author: Chloe Green.

Cloud adoption is accelerating amongst businesses as they look to move their IT to a more efficient and streamlined process. This is often the business case for newer, more agile IT with complex distributed applications. However, security, flexibility and trust, which depends on the operating system as much as the network the cloud is built on, is becoming increasingly important.

In combination with this, enterprise demands are not limited to a particular geography; they demand a global networked cloud infrastructure. Connecting traditional in-house IT (more often than not, systems of record) with cloud based agile IT (a.k.a systems of engagement) is the optimal solution today for most companies’ IT requirements…

Grazed from CloudTech. Author: James Bourne.

A new report from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services argues that as cloud usage in the enterprise continues to rise, collaboration is now the key benefit ahead of business agility. The research, which had more than 450 participants and was sponsored by Verizon Enterprise Solutions, found 84% of respondents agreeing their organisation’s use of cloud computing had increased in the past year.

72% said their use of cloud increased collaboration options, while 71% argued business agility had been increased. Essentially, the value of the cloud comes from speed as opposed to cost savings, enabling more fluid working relationships between traditionally separate entities. One sign of a growing maturity in the space is that companies are not as quick to espouse the competitive advantage cloud normally brings…

Grazed from TheRegister. Author: Simon Sharwood.

Notable tech companies from China and Russia are taking strides into the heart of the global technology community. Aliyun, the cloud computing offshoot of Business-to-business tat bazaar Alibaba, has become an Advisory Board member of the Xen Project, maker of the popular (if frequently-perforated) open source Xen hypervisor.

The Xen project says Aliuyn “has been contributing vulnerability fixes to the project for some time.” Xen Project Advisory Board members have the right to “propose and vote upon changes and additions to Xen Project test and validation infrastructure” and enjoy access to project leaders and the chance “to share technical and marketing priorities, and endorse new strategies for the project.” Financial contributions aren’t required…

Grazed from Stuff.  Author: Editorial Staff.

Grazed from SysConMedia.  Author: Don MacVittie.

 Grazed from LATimes.  Author: Daina Beth Solomon.

Hendrik Hamann is into cloud computing — as in real clouds, those puffy things in the sky.  Working at IBM alongside some of the computer giant’s most advanced systems, Hamann and his team seek a breakthrough in cloud-cover forecasting. They’re aiming to help ease the introduction of solar electricity into the nation’s major power grids, as solar-generated power is increasingly being loaded onto the grid, propelled by government mandates and solar-technology price declines.

There’s a big problem with solar power that the IBM team is trying to solve: You can’t pump out much electricity on a cloudy day.  But the demand for electricity doesn’t decline when a solar plant can’t produce energy. Another source of power has to take its place. So utilities keep coal and natural-gas power plants humming, ready to pitch in when solar can’t do its job. That burns more fuel and costs more money…

Grazed from Mondaq.  Author: Steve Gold.

Grazed from ScientificComputing.  Author: Editorial Staff.