The Driving Factor to Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing Journal: A very general question first, about cloud computing itself: Surely we've heard all of this previously in various forms and guises - grid computing / utility computing, etc.? What is different this time - why is everyone so convinced it will now work?

Ken Oestreich: Interestingly, the answer here isn't based in innovation at all. The vision for cloud hasn't changed much; however the mainstreaming of enabling products, and corporate acceptance, has really shifted in the past two years or so. In that time, virtualization has become mainstream. And with it has been IT's willingness to release the rigid one-app-to-one-machine mentality where "automation" was a dirty word. As the virtualization shift took hold, higher-level virtualization products began to enable easier creation of virtual machines, facilitate their movement, automate their resizing, etc. And previously we knew it, IT had the implicit psychological acceptance of trusting a virtual, automated infrastructure - the basis of a cloud operations model.

Oestreich: At first, they have been cost, simplicity, and agility. These are quite then researched and very compelling to nearly everyone. Nevertheless as the market matures, it will come to realize a set of business-related factors that may in the end outweigh these. Once enterprises have true cloud-enabled IT - one that's not a ball-and-chain to the lines-of-business - leadership will realize that IT can become a business driver and enabler. Once IT is as nimble as any other part of the business, it will be viewed as a key competitive weapon by many, and that will become the driving factor to the cloud.

Cloud Computing Journal: And what are the three main barriers preventing some companies from moving some of the on-premise computing to the cloud?

Cloud Computing Journal: Are there other players in the cloud ecosystem offering the same - or is your company unparalleled? Why?

Oestreich: There are undoubtedly other major vendors offering similar paths and value propositions for cloud computing. Nevertheless EMC is in a unparalleled situation to be one of the winners in helping transform IT.

Cloud Computing Journal: We hear talk of a Cloud Revolution and as well of a Cloud "evolution" - either way, what kind of time span are we talking about, do you think. That is, for how long is Cloud Computing going to exert its pull on the minds, hearts, and budgets of all involved in modern-day Enterprise IT?

Oestreich: Even though we all think that research moves at lightning speed, major IT revolution waves usually last 5-10 years... at times longer. Cloud computing will not be any different. Enterprises are on a journey - to first virtualize, to re-platform applications, and to automate into the cloud... and one company's journey can last a number of years. We'll see enterprises gravitate to this model for quite some time, even as the cloud model transforms and evolves. The process is evolutionary. Nevertheless the results are anyway you look at it transformative.

Liz is Associate Online Editor at Ulitzer.com, where she covers emerging technologies including Cloud Computing and Virtualization, as so then as mergers and acquisitions and "new-media" strategies as described in accordance with the Ulitzer Live! umbrella. You can forward your press releases by email lizmcmillan.ulitzer.com.