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This Week in Cloud, August 11, 2011: AWS Direct Connect, Cloud Security Alliance tracks compliance of cloud service providers, BMC vs. cloud failure, GoogleApps Marketplace: a double-edged sword? And more…
Cloud News
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched its virtual private cloud service globally and introduced dedicated networking and identity management solutions for enterprise customers, according to this eWeek article. Rather than having to use the Internet or a VPN to connect to AWS, its new Direct Connect service enables customers to set up their own private network to a facility that has a high-speed, private link to a nearby Amazon EC2 data center. AWS is working with Equinix (which operates 90 high-performance data centers in 37 markets around the world) as its partner in secure communications. For more detail, read this InformationWeek article.
- The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is creating an online registry for cloud service providers to document their compliance with CSA best practices. The Security, Trust and Assurance Registry (STAR), which will be go live in late 2012 and will be free and publicly accessible, is intended to help cloud customers review the security practices of cloud service providers. Read more information in this SearchCloudSecurity article.
- GigaOm blogger Derrick Harris writes that social gaming startups seem to be following Zynga’s strategy of launching games in the cloud, then bringing them in house when demand levels off. He describes Digital Chocolate’s cloud implementation (which leverages AWS and storage appliances from a startup called Tintri) in this article.
- BMC announced enhancements to its cloud lifecycle management solution to help prevent cloud outages. The new platform provides capacity and performance management and a full view of their cloud-based infrastructure, according to this Cloud IT Pro article.
- Barracuda Networks announced that it is doubling the capacity of its cloud storage service (from 100 GB to 200GB), while maintaining its $50 per month price point. Read more in this Computerworld article.
Feature Article
The Coming Crisis in IT Management – More Opportunity than Challenge
By Andi Mann, CA Technologies
I saw an interesting post at Forbes.com last week titled ‘The Coming Crisis of IT Management,' lamenting that, "consumerization, virtualization, cloud computing, software as a service, mobility [sic] are all increasing the complexity of the job of managing IT by orders of magnitude."
I certainly cannot disagree with that. I have written about these topics extensively, most recently tackling the impact of consumerization of IT.
By looking at the problem through the lens of the (perhaps less than) average CIO -- the follower, the ‘lights-on' manager, the order taker - Forbes.com contributor Dan Woods is painting doom and gloom instead of highlighting the potential for the innovative CIO to embrace and extend these trends to drive business advantage.
To me, this is missing the real story -- that these changes are more opportunity than challenge. Read the full article.
Cloud Views
- A new study by TheInfoPro has found that the leading factor impeding cloud projects in many enterprises is fear of change. Another interesting finding cited in this PCWorld article, is that when respondents were asked what advice they would give other companies pursuing cloud strategy, 40% suggested they spend more time planning.
- This Computerworld article reviews 5 diverse cloud management tools, namely Symplified for identity management of SaaS-based apps, Puppet Labs for virtual machine deployment, HP for building and managing private clouds, Abiquo for IaaS platform management and TurnKey Linux for low-cost cloud backup.
- Concerns about data privacy continue to be a major inhibitor for healthcare companies considering cloud. This eWeek article features an interview with Wake Technology Services, an IT services company serving healthcare, government and education on how to determine cloud-readiness, how to choose a cloud platform, how to maintain compliance with HIPAA privacy regulations when implementing a cloud infrastructure, and more.
- Is Google Apps Marketplace a double-edged sword for cloud providers? This CRN article says that, while the cloud marketplace has in some ways been a runaway success, amassing hundreds of cloud apps and services in just 18 months, some cloud providers are increasingly finding themselves in direct competition with Google and don’t feel the marketplace is as viable a business driver as it used to be.
MSP Corner
- This SearchITChannel article discusses the fact that as the business of reselling hardware is shrinking, VARs are increasingly building cloud management services. The article describes several new services that GreenPages Technology Solutions’ is offering, including a ‘data bus’ to help customers move data from on-premises data centers to hybrid and public cloud environments, and remote desktop and server management services that leverage technology from BMC Software and CA Technologies.
- Your Clients Are Ready for Cloud. Are You? This Channel Insider article summarizes the results from several recent studies on cloud adoption among small & medium businesses (SMBs). Some interesting findings: 58 percent of SMBs always consider a SaaS solution if available. 82 percent of SMBs say buying cloud services from a provider with local presence is critical or important.
Upcoming Cloud Events
- VMworld 2011: August 29 – September 1, Las Vegas
- Dreamforce 2011: August 30 – September 2, San Francisco
- MSPWorld: September 13 – 15, Austin, Texas
- Cloud APAC 2011: September 15, Shanghai, China
- Hosting & Transformation Summit 2011: September 25 – 27, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Virtual Cloud Connect: September 29, virtual
