Playing in the clouds
Cloud Computing has been gaining ground as a new IT outsourcing model where IT-related capabilities are offered “as a service”, allowing users to access technology-enabled services from the Internet (in the cloud), without the knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports them. Cloud computing is a general concept that incorporates “software as a service”, Web 2.0 and other recent, well-known technology trends, where the common theme is reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users.
Large Enterprises in financial services and other areas are slowly starting to look at this trend seriously...
As uncertainty continues to ripple through the global economy, organizations are looking for options which to purchase and deploy IT solutions with predictable payment options so that they can free up the budgets for other projects. In this backdrop, the convenience the Cloud Computing offers is certainly of huge value; not to mention the affordability that anytime anywhere access enables. The need for nimble response system is inhibited by the old procure and provision approach uses in many large organizations due to long approval and IT deployment processes. It is very difficult to plan the data center capacity and increase the capacity on a need basis within a short window of time. Cloud Computing offers this capability with greatly reduced cost structure ability and better ability to manage dynamic capacity load requirements.
Many vendors including Amazon, Google, and Salesforce.com are active cloud providers in the market space. There are numerous players from the large vendors like Microsoft, IBM to many smaller players with smaller companies providing niche cloud utility computing platforms in the race for leadership in the arena. Microsoft has made cloud computing one of five priorities for fiscal 2009, according to a recent memo from CEO Steve Ballmer. Microsoft's version of cloud computing, Software-plus-Services, is designed to let customers choose whether they want traditional software, software services, or a combination of the two.
Infosys has been a pioneer in evangelization of this opportunity with the client organizations financial services, automotive, and entertainment and other verticals. Infosys has created an auto industry "integration hub" using Azure's SQL Server database services for dealer-to-dealer information sharing and Web mashups. We have been actively collaborating with Microsoft in this area and have contributed to the Microsoft Professional Developer conference event in the recent past.
I will continue to add to this blog to evaluate the applicability of this technology trend to financial services.
Comments
This is an amazing change that we are witnessing. Cloud computing is the way we are going to produce, deliver and use software. We are going to see hubs of people who want to use similar software and provide them via the Internet. Like an ERP software for an organization on their intranet server. It serves two purposes for the client as I see it:
1. No need of having multiple copies of the same software.
2. Pirating it becomes difficult if not impossible.
3. Usage of not-so-fast, old hardware can be increased thereby cutting costs!
Benefit for the software provider:
1. The Consulting/after sales service aspect becomes critical. Easier than making patches for all and installing on every machine. Just add it to the server that runs the app!
Somehow it makes me feel as if we are re-entering the mainframe era. Now that you need not have all-so intelligent desktops, just make sure you pay up for the best 'cloud' software and start being productive any computer, anywhere.
Of course, concerns about data security and integrity becomes critical, but they will be resolved as has always happened.
It's like renting a car of your choice, within your budget, you see, buying is costly. Hope to see a silver lining along with these emerging clouds...
Posted by: Krishnakumar | March 10, 2009 10:25 AM
Krishnakumar:
Thanks for your comments!!
I agree with your perspectives that we are at cross roads of a paradigm shift.
I believe that Cloud Computing is here to stay... Once the concerns of enterprises around Security, Reliability, Availability, Data Governance and Manageability are addressed well by the providers, we should see more adoption.
Posted by: Srini Prabhala | March 11, 2009 6:03 AM