Cloud computing is no longer just hype or a buzzword for the
times. It is reshaping the IT marketplace as we know it, and it's here
to stay.
The media love stories about the cloud. "The cloud" and
"cloud computing" have become ubiquitous in business and technology news
stories. It's popping up in consumer ads and quickly making its way
into the high-level discussions of policymakers all over the world.
Early
cloud adopters in both the private and public sectors are yesterday's
news story. They have paved the way for the rapidly expanding early
majority. And to that end, IDC industry analysts expect that worldwide
IT spending on cloud services will reach $42 billion next year - in
large part because the cloud computing model "offers a much cheaper way
for businesses to acquire and use IT." And these days, who isn't cost
cutting?
So, if cloud computing is such a big deal, why does the
concept itself still leave many scratching their heads? What is cloud
computing, exactly?
Well, the term has been used many ways lately.
According to the Business Software Alliance, "The key features of the
cloud are the ability to scale and provide, as needed, data storage and
computing power dynamically in a cost efficient way, without the user
having to manage the underlying complexity of the technology. Cloud
computing offers tremendous potential for efficiency, cost savings and
innovations to government, businesses and individuals alike. These
benefits will improve government services and citizen access; transform
businesses; provide new innovations to consumers; improve important
services such as health care and government-provided services; and
create energy savings."
As the new decade unfolds, we can expect
to see more businesses, consumers - and even lawmakers - rushing to
educate themselves about cloud technology and the implications that it
holds for the way they work, live and play. And, they will be asking
lots of questions. How will it alter the landscape of traditional IT
offerings? How will it drive down costs? How will it dovetail with
traditional IT architecture? Will it give rise to new policy debates?
BSA,
the voice of the world's software industry on a range of business and
policy affairs (and for whom I once worked), has produced a solid educational video
"to help speed this transition, especially for policy-makers." The
video provides the fundamentals of cloud computing - including what
defines it and how it is being used, touches on its many benefits
(increased efficiencies, scalability, enhanced functionality, cost
savings, etc.), and then outlines key policy considerations for lawmakers.
If
you are already familiar with the news coverage around cloud computing
trends, you might wonder if cloud computing has the potential to usurp
existing server, desktop and mobile technologies altogether. BSA's video
explains why the cloud model will instead "complement more-established
IT architecture." The video describes public, private and hybrid
cloud-based implementations and responds to a wide range of policy
questions on privacy and security, technology standards, intellectual
property and more.
