Cloud Computing is the hot new term the information technology community is floating about these days. But it’s often paired with promises that aren’t so new. Promises of unlimited computing power and near utility-like availability. But to many, the term Cloud Computing still lacks meaning and the promises appear transparent. We’ve heard it all before and a new wrapper won’t change the bitter aftertaste, right?
Although it can be best to play the skeptic when it comes to new technology, with Cloud Computing, there is reason for optimism. The definition of Cloud Computing hasn’t quite congealed yet, but that’s OK. A broad and optimistic approach leaves us open to the possibilities in an industry that is billowing with potential.
The “cloud” in this case may be familiar to anyone who has ever viewed a network diagram. Clouds have been used ever since men began drawing network diagrams on cave walls. Whenever someone needed to simplify a complex set of technologies outside of their local environment they drew a cloud. It was most often used when drawing a connection from a local network to a Wide Area Network or to the Internet. Drawing a cloud was much simpler than drawing all of the circuits, providers and network equipment that actually made up that network. Drawing the cloud meant the details were unimportant; connecting to the cloud was enough.
Until recently, the network cloud was really used in reference to data transmission. You send an email across the cloud to an associate in your
With Cloud Computing, the data, applications, and processing power are all being provided by technologies outside of your local environment--and that’s pretty cool. Your local device becomes much less important. In many cases all you need locally is the ability to launch a web browser. But this is where specific definitions get a bit muddy. Some Cloud Computing offerings may be accessed in different ways, but ultimately those details are not important. The important thing to remember is that Cloud Computing allows businesses to disconnect from the limitations of the local environment and access the potential of nearly limitless computing power out in the “cloud.” How they do it, what type of servers, how many servers, what operating system they’re running, what version of the application, all of those questions become someone else’s concern. Isn’t that great!
For me, that’s the coolest thing about Cloud Computing. I love the fact that we are now entering into a period where a person doesn’t have to know or care about whether his version of Windows is updated with the latest service pack, or whether there’s “Intel Inside,” or whether Panther or Lynx or Calico is the code name for Apple’s next Operating System. For years, the industry heavyweights have provided customers with information that was only meaningful within the industry and tried to make it meaningful to businesses--sometimes with remarkable success. Business customers just want their information technology to do what they need it to do, reliably and affordably. But its never been that simple.
For years the information technology community has claimed that computing was going to become a utility as ubiquitous and reliable as electricity. But, that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Instead, technology has grown more complex and difficult to manage every year. I think Cloud Computing is our best hope yet to finally make computing both powerful and simple.
So what does this mean today? For all the talk, the list of Cloud Computing offerings is still pretty short. But it will grow quickly. Google and Microsoft both have significant initiatives underway. Google’s Cloud Computing efforts range from online personal productivity applications to virtualized super computers which can provide researchers access to huge arrays of servers with literally thousands of processors. That’s the kind of power that only Cloud Computing can provide. Microsoft, for its part, is moving more of its applications to the software as a service (SaaS) model. Hosted versions of Microsoft’s Office suite and several of its business applications are now available. Depending on the vendor, the potential for other software packages is unlimited, with customers able to access almost any application hosted remotely at a data center. All that’s needed is an Internet connection and a web browser to be productive from anywhere in the world. That’s a freeing experience for anyone used to lugging around a laptop.
Thanks to Cloud Computing, if you must have a portable machine, you can now pick the lightest, sleekest model instead of the one with the most horsepower--because all of your computing power is outsourced. The computer you physically use to type and navigate is just a device that lets you seamlessly access your software and information on much more powerful remote computers. Cloud computing also assures your data is safe ensconced in a secure data center, backed up nightly, and protected from many of the risks common to local computing. Custom disaster recovery services are also available, again depending on the vendor. Through economies of scale, Cloud Computing offers more powerful security programs and devices than the typical small to mid-sized business could afford.
Even hardware companies like Dell have jumped on the Cloud Computing bandwagon. If you type cloudcomputing.com into a web browser, it takes you to Dell’s Cloud Computing Solutions home page. For now, the differences among the limited number of competing Cloud Computing offerings only add to the confusion. Sooner or later the market will determine what Cloud Computing does best. Personally, I’m hoping it finally delivers on the promise of more reliable, more accessible, and more affordable IT. Wouldn’t that be dreamy!
Mike Eaton is CEO and co-founder of Cloudworks, which provides completely web-based computing services for small and mid-sized business.