Cloud Computing

607 posts

U.S. American flags under clear sky, illustrating American leadership in cloud computing

The New American Revolution – In The Cloud

With the UK government yet to produce its own Cloud Computing national strategy, the Americans have been setting yet another example to follow with the publication of new guidelines on the potential of Cloud and how to procure services. The Commission on the Leadership Opportunity in U.S. Deployment of the Cloud (or Cloud2), foundation composed of figures from the Cloud market including Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff and VCE CEO Michael Capellas, has presented the federal […]

A white and blue DNA double helix structure against a dark background, illustrating DNA sequencing in the cloud

DNA Sent to the Cloud

The world’s largest DNA-sequencing outfit is looking to the clouds. The BGI (formerly the Beijing Genomics Institute) this month announced plans to roll out its cloud computing capabilities, which it hopes will help it to dominate bioinformatics in the same way it does the world of sequencing. Research labs often lack the storage, computing power and technical know-how to cope with the current deluge of genomic data. Services such as the BGI’s offer a solution, […]

Stressed woman with head in hands at laptop, illustrating the coming crisis of IT management

The Coming Crisis of IT Management

A quick look at the trends facing most CIOs should send anyone with a large IT budget into a state of worry. In every dimension, CIOs are facing an increased pace of change at the same time they are losing control over the computing environment. The number of assets they must manage is exploding. Consumerization, virtualization, cloud computing, software as a service, mobility are all increasing the complexity of the job of managing IT by […]

Person cutting vegetables with knife, illustrating reducing OPEX with desktop virtualization

Slicing OPEX With Desktop Virtualization

Talk to vendors and they will tell you that desktop virtualization is heading for an inflection point. Clearly, in the IT/ITES segment, this technology makes a lot of sense. Other industry verticals, BFSI in particular, also stand to benefit. However, it must be noted that desktop virtualization isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. It needs a large number of users who are deskbound at work. While you can deploy the technology on a laptop and solutions […]

Black and silver padlock on brown wooden table, illustrating cost and security holding back cloud growth

Cloud Computing Growth Hampered by Cost, Security Concerns

Three-fourths of respondents said that they have virtualized their cloud servers, the survey found. A survey of cloud decision makers at large enterprises in North America found that 52 percent of those polled said that internal change and learning was the leading roadblock to cloud project success, pointing to possible pent-up demand for advisory services, as users struggle with the change brought on by the cloud. According to the study, conducted by TheInfo Pro, a […]

A calculator, pen, and money on a table, illustrating the cost advantage debate over cloud computing

The Cost Advantage Controversy Of Cloud Computing

One of the topics most associated with cloud computing is its cost advantages, or lack thereof. One way the topic gets discussed is “capex vs. opex,” a simple formulation, but one fraught with meaning. At its simplest, capex vs. opex is how compute resource is paid for by the consumer of those resources. For example, if one uses Amazon Web Services, payment is made on a highly granular level for the use of the resources […]

Two security guards talking near a large potted plant, illustrating virtualization changing security practices

Virtualization Is Shaking Up Security Practices

The move to almost fully virtualized computing environments is driving a fresh approach to security [1] in the enterprise, according to information technology security managers applying controls for VMware and Microsoft [2] Hyper-V. “We’re very close to being 100 percent virtualized,” says Gurusimran Khalsa, systems group supervisor in the state of New Mexico’s human services department. That organization’s servers are based on VMware’s vSphere, and a virtual desktop project is being started, too. The agency’s […]

A vintage silver microphone with blue accents against a soft purple background, illustrating VoIP security concerns

VoIP: Voicing Security Concerns

Channelling voice calls over IP networks has brought many advantages to enterprise communications, but it also creates some security risks. Though Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services are available for both consumer and business markets, it is from the latter that most enthusiasm for it has come; for this reason, it is also where most of VoIP’s security issues occur. While the commercial sector has, of course, invested heavily in protecting their data networks from […]

Black cordless headphones beside closed black laptop computer, illustrating desktop virtualization for consumer devices

Desktop Virtualization Can Help IT Manage Consumer Devices

If two technology trends were ever made for each other, at least in vendor marketing materials and generically simple diagrams of IT infrastructure, they are the consumerization of IT and desktop virtualization. Analysts who study desktop virtualization say many of its use cases fit neatly into problem areas that their client companies face, such as the consumerization of IT. End users who insist on using non-standard or unapproved computing devices, such as tablets and iOS […]

Silver iMac on desk inside office, illustrating the cloud shrinking the office

The Cloud And The Incredible Shrinking Office

Those in the know say that cloud computing will fundamentally change the way we office creatures work. “I am slightly too young to remember the workplace before the arrival of the PC,” says Jacqui Thomas, director of Comms at the UK and Ireland chapter of the Cloud Security Alliance. “But cloud is the same kind of game changer.” Adrian Steel, head of infrastructure at the Royal Mail, also sees big changes ahead, especially once cloud […]