Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Cloud Computing: Still Now, Still Wow

"Microsoft Unveils 'Turnkey' Cloud Appliance"
InformationWeek (July 12, 2010)

"HP, Dell, and Fujitsu to offer versions of the system, while eBay signs on as first customer."

"Microsoft on Monday unveiled a preconfigured system designed to help businesses move to cloud computing quickly and efficiently without disrupting existing IT operations.

"The Windows Azure platform appliance consists of the Windows Azure cloud operating system, Microsoft SQL Azure, and, according to the company, "a Microsoft-specified configuration" of network, storage, and server hardware.

"Cloud computing is a new wave IT architecture under which enterprises tap applications and data from a central location that is often hosted by a third party. In addition to Microsoft, the market for technology to power cloud systems is attracting big investments from tech giants like IBM and Google, as well as hardware makers...."

Okay: Microsoft has a new service, and some companies with high name-recognition value like it. So far, so good.

But, "a new wave IT architecture?" Maybe, for IBM: but I've been reading about cloud computing for quite a long time. Then, there's that YouTube video, posted in May of 2008. (Not a typo: 2008)

"What is Cloud Computing"

joyent, YouTube (May 7, 2008)
video, 9:58

"At the Web 2.0 Expo, we asked Tim O'Reilly, Dan Farber, Matt Mullenweg, Jay Cross, Brian Solis, Kevin Marks, Steve Gillmor, Jeremy Tanner, Maggie Fox, Tom McGovern, Sam Lawrence, Stowe Boyd, David Tebbutt, Dave McClure, Chris Carfi, Vamshi Krishna and Rod Boothby the same question: 'What is Cloud Computing?'...."

Compared to the age of the Universe, two years isn't a very long time.

For information technology, two years is a long time. Particularly for "a new wave" of anything.

Oh, well: that InformationWeek article gives a bit of insight into what's happening at Microsoft.

I'm even more 'behind the curve' than IBM, in a way. My blogging is a sort of 'cloud computing' situation - but it'll be a long, long time before I rely on an Internet connection for critical tasks, or access to my data. The technology simply isn't reliable enough yet.

Sort-of-related posts:

4 comments:

Brigid said...

I've been playing way too much Final Fantasy. When I read this headline the first thing that came to mind was "Cloud? What does he have to do with computing?"

Brian H. Gill said...

Brigid,

I think I know what you mean. I've become so immersed in stories and RPGs that some words have added meanings.

David Tebbutt said...

Please ignore my contribution to the cloud video. I subsequently found out what it was really about when I worked for analyst firm Freeform Dynamics. To say that my presentation in the video was naive would be something of an understatement.

Brian H. Gill said...

David Tebbutt,

Thank you for that clarification. I reviewed the video: and suspect that several people whose sound bites were recorded share your experience.

Well, that was two years ago - and I don't think "cloud computing" was anything near as familiar a term then. And, like with so many other 'now, wow' ideas: much of what had been discussed was more fluff than substance.

Again, thanks for your comment.

Unique, innovative candles

Visit us online:
Spiral Light CandleFind a Retailer
Spiral Light Candle online store

Pinterest: From the Man Behind the Lemming

Top 10 Most-Viewed Posts

Today's News! Some of it, anyway

Actually, some of yesterday's news may be here. Or maybe last week's.
The software and science stuff might still be interesting, though. Or not.
The Lemming thinks it's interesting: Your experience may vary.
("Following" list moved here, after Blogger changed formats)

Who Follows the Lemming?

WebSTAT

Family Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory