Taking IT to the clouds
Although the technology has been around for nearly 20 years, cloud computing is just now getting mainstream attention. And for good reason. As technology continues to evolve and there continues to be a mainstream shift toward being eco-friendly and “going green”, finding smart and efficient ways to conduct business – including your IT infrastructure, are major priorities across businesses of all sizes.
So what exactly is cloud computing? On Demand Group sat down with Paul Veeneman, chief technology engineer, Hawkins, Inc. to discuss why companies and IT folks need to be aware and have an understanding of cloud computing.
“Cloud computing has been around since the late 80s/early 90s. And all the while, there have been a variety of definitions across the board,” Veeneman said. “Basically, cloud computing is the ability to distribute applications and services from a common distribution point, where the consumer doesn’t have to worry about connectivity or architecture (storage, power, etc).”
Cloud computing consists of the following “layers”:
- Physical Layer – data center, storage
- Network/Connectivity – leasing specific bandwidth
- Storage – Google email with APIs you install
- Platform – entire application platform (such as Ruby on Rails, Google Apps)
- Software – Google apps, Salesforce.com, CRM. Essentially, providing end consumers with capacity to run business
- Client Layer – means of connectivity to cloud
Despite all the benefits that cloud computing brings to the table, there are a number of concerns. Most notable – security. As you begin to rely on a space that’s a) you can’t physically see and b) you don’t have direct control, per se, the issue of ownership and ensuring a safe and sound network remains atop executive’s minds. Right now, security lies in the hands of the consumer (entity purchases service) as opposed to the entity providing the service.
“Essentially, the same security problems and procedures that exist in the traditional model apply to cloud computing,” Veeneman said. “The only difference is that data exists somewhere else. Businesses need to ensure they understand who they are doing business with, what they’re signing up for. All of this needs to be laid out in the service agreement, thus eliminating any chance of error.”
As cloud computing continues to gain traction in the business space, it’s essential that businesses understand what they are getting into and if/how it can improve efficiency and processes. One measure the must be evaluated is cost vs. availability. A strategic analysis of what level of staff and support a business is comfortable with and what type of business model is most important needs to be conducted prior to entry into the cloud computing space.
“I think we’re going to see a subtle but continual shift toward cloud computing. It won’t be as explosive as the Internet adoption was,” Veeneman said. “A business really needs to do a discovery match of their current services compared to those services within the cloud space. Do they want a cloud that’s private, public or shared? All of this is critical in the adoption process, if that’s the best route.”
Side note – Mr. Veeneman shared an example of cloud computing and the possibilities it presents for businesses that I thought painted a great picture:
“Take Apple & iTunes, for example,” Veeneman said. “Imagine having your iPod, downloading a song and not having it physically stored on your device. You know it’s being stored somewhere, you can access it whenever you want, but you don’t know where it’s being stored. Imagine the possibilities in terms of storage, transferring files and how you access and share that information. No longer would you have to worry about the size of your iPod. The only thing that matters is the ability to connect to the clouds. It opens up the device to be so much more powerful.”
The future is definitely “up in the clouds” in terms of how businesses and consumers store and access data.
