The term “cloud computing” is everywhere these days. It’s not a new phenomenon, but rather it is continuing to evolve.
The simplest, nontechnical definition of cloud computing is using an Internet browser to access software applications over the Internet. People who use Facebook, LinkedIn, Salesforce.com or free email services are using a form of cloud computing.
The recent surge in popularity in cloud computing is driven by the fact that businesses do not need to make a large capital investment in servers or licensing fees. In other words, the future of computing becomes subscription-based, and not ownership-based.
Like any type of business evaluation, the simplicity of subscribing to computer services has both advantages and disadvantages. Cloud computing for contractors can range from easy to complicated, depending on numerous variables.
The important thing to consider has nothing to do with technology. Instead, the starting point in the evaluation begins with how a firm conducts business operations. Companies can embrace cloud computing by understanding the five major components surrounding cloud-based technology. Those are:
1. Operational/functional standards
Every contractor has both standard business needs and unique operational functions. For example, we all need standard business functions such as email, invoicing, check writing and general ledger activity. That’s the simple part.
But we all have more customized operations that might include quoting, timekeeping or unique reporting standards such as “board foot,” “gallons per minute” or “percent of completion.” One additional function for contractors to think about is mobility and how cloud computing will impact secure access to data in the field.
In other words, data is no longer in the office. It is sitting somewhere out in the “cloud.” How a contractor accesses, manages and utilizes that data will become the key in deciding when and how to use cloud computing in the business.
The important issue to understand before moving to the cloud is whether those established functions might change or even be eliminated. Moving to the cloud without conducting enough due diligence may result in a loss of control within the organization.
2. Cost
Most cloud computing solutions have a monthly subscription fee. That’s a huge advantage, because contractors no longer face large capital expenditures for hardware, software or licensing fees.
However, there may be hidden costs that are not obvious. Those costs could range from something as simple as data retrieval to something more significant like purchasing additional bandwidth to handle increased Internet traffic. Most information technology professionals agree that cloud computing will not be cheaper in the long run.
3. Security
A company’s most valuable business asset is its data. All of that data – such as invoices, drawings, spreadsheets, proposals, customer lists or email correspondence – is a critical, ongoing concern.
Admittedly, there are security risks when the infrastructure and data are managed in-house. But once that data is moved into the cloud, companies expose themselves to different forms of security risk.
Companies need to consider an entirely different approach to data security. If a firm deals with government agencies or HIPAA customers, this will add an even greater level of concern.
Knowing who has the keys to the kingdom is an important consideration when evaluating cloud solutions. It requires careful attention to make sure data does not end up in the wrong hands or subjected to a higher risk of hacker attacks or virus infections.
4. Service
When managers think of customer service, they might compare cloud-based solutions to “self-service” environments. That means service may be lower than the company needs.
Even as cloud solutions improve in speed and reliability, customer service will always be needed. It would be unrealistic to believe that cloud-based computing will eliminate end-user incidents or questions. Help desk issues will more than likely still exist after a shift to the cloud.
Understanding the level of service provided by vendors will be important. An IT adviser can help determine whether customer-service levels will be satisfactory.
5. Timeline
Time can change everything. There will be changes in cloud computing. Hopefully, risks will be mitigated and service levels will improve. But no one knows for sure how this trend will unfold.
The act of moving data and operations to the cloud does not need to be rushed, especially if investments have been made already in servers and licensing.
The best way to think about cloud computing is in the same way as a purchase of a large piece of business equipment. That usually begins with evaluating viable equipment, the features and benefits different vendors offer and what best suits operations.
Fortunately, there are qualified IT professionals who can help guide companies in the selection of a technology vendor that can match their operational needs. Technology is a tool that serves the contractor.
About the author:
David Murray is CEO of Convergence Networks. Contact him at 503-906-1539 or at dmurray@convergencenetworks.com
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Cloud, mobile, in-memory computing: Has SAP lost the plot?
SAP has not lost the plot. They are re-positioning.
Warwick Ashford writes in ComputerWeekly.com:
SAP is betting on an innovation agenda to sustain its seven consecutive quarters of growth, but with all the attention on cloud, mobile and in-memory computing, is the business software maker in danger of moving too far from its core ERP business?
Innovation, was certainly a dominant theme at of SAP’s customer and partner event Sapphire in Madrid, but Jim Hagemann Snabe, co-chief executive at SAP was at pains to emphasise that SAP is innovating at the core as well as in mobile, cloud and in-memory computing.
Warwick Ashford writes in ComputerWeekly.com:
SAP is betting on an innovation agenda to sustain its seven consecutive quarters of growth, but with all the attention on cloud, mobile and in-memory computing, is the business software maker in danger of moving too far from its core ERP business?
Innovation, was certainly a dominant theme at of SAP’s customer and partner event Sapphire in Madrid, but Jim Hagemann Snabe, co-chief executive at SAP was at pains to emphasise that SAP is innovating at the core as well as in mobile, cloud and in-memory computing.
Snabe announced that innovation around the core ERP business suite is ramping up from a six-monthly cycle to once every quarter, saying there is momentum at the core with lots more innovation to come.
“SAP believes a company needs to understand and grow from its core, and our core and 39 years’ experience is in the ERP business suite,” he said.
Snabe said the core remains important as a base for all the innovation at SAP. “We will not abandon the core; by revitalising the core and ensuring consistency, we are able to innovate faster at the edge with mobile and cloud,” he said.
Driving the point home, Snabe said while SAP was innovating at the core as a basis for all other innovation, some competitors were tearing everything down and offering something new.
Read full article:
More about Warwick Ashford:
Warwick Ashford is chief reporter at Computer Weekly. He joined the CW team in June 2007 and is focused on IT security, business continuity, IT law and issues relating to regulation, compliance and governance. Before joining CW, he spent four years working in various roles including technology editor for ITWeb, an IT news publisher based in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition to news and feature writing for ITWeb’s print publications, he was involved in liaising with sponsors of specialist news areas on the ITWeb site and developing new sponsorship opportunities. He came to IT journalism after three years as a course developer and technical writer for an IT training organisation and eight years working in radio news as a writer and presenter at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Facebook boosts Google+ expansion
Facebook is fast becoming fertile ground for Google+ expansion. Facebook's success as a ginormous social network and open policies for information flow is perhaps an unexpected surprise that is aiding the growth of Google+ membership tremendously.
I sent a tweet a day ago for anyone to share a Google+ invite with me. I did not receive a response. With some limited research I found StuckInCustoms, that outlined a few easy steps to obtain a Google+ invite. Within a few seconds of providing my gmail address in one of the invite threads on the Stuck In Customs facebook fanpage, my Google+ account was set up. What was amazing was that requests for Google+ invites literally became viral. Well the idea is to pay it forward and help others to gain access to the Google+ network.
The apparent shutdown of the Google+ server has not been an obstacle at all as more people are added to Google+ every second. It has all to do with the opportunities that Facebook offer.
I doubt that Google+ will become a threat to Facebook in the near future. A big part of the hype right now is the human syndrome of "want to be part off". In my opinion, Facebook will remain the preferred social platform and Google+ will play catch-up, or that remains to be seen.
Although interest Google+ has necessitated the apparent shutdown of their server, it has certainly garnered enough reason and opportunity for them to aggressively employ programmers to make Google+ more competitive.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Don't get stuck in the Cloud
Cloud computing offers a value proposition based on convenient services that you pay for as you go. Customized solutions can be offered in a flexible and secure environment. Companies can offload their non-core technologies and focus on their core businesses, providing a better product for their customers.
But cloud computing is based on the premise that users will always have access to the cloud service. Managers need to ask themselves what would happen if the service were unavailable. What if the cable from their internet provider were cut or — as has happened with alarming frequency lately — the service were disrupted by hackers or technical glitches?
The key issue is access to the data. Servers and technology can be found at secondary sites, but if the data is locked in the cloud, the business's ability to function may be severely compromised. On my plane, which had no Wi-Fi, I was without access to the source data. The format of the data on the Kindle probably wasn't compatible with other devices, even if I could have extracted it and the software licenses had allowed it. I did have the data (the book) on my iPhone, but reading a book on an iPhone screen didn't appeal to me and I had no way to connect the phone to the iPad.
Cloud computing is the future. It is winning over entire industries — including traditional late adopters such as health care. The keys to success are careful planning of a migration strategy and understanding that the cloud approach is adolescent in places (remember the early days of the internet?) and that problems will occur. If you're still window shopping, it's time to start catching up on your reading about the cloud. But if you do so on a plane, remember to take a real book along, too.
Read full article by Robert Plant for HBR:
Dont_get_stuck_in_the_cloud.html
But cloud computing is based on the premise that users will always have access to the cloud service. Managers need to ask themselves what would happen if the service were unavailable. What if the cable from their internet provider were cut or — as has happened with alarming frequency lately — the service were disrupted by hackers or technical glitches?
The key issue is access to the data. Servers and technology can be found at secondary sites, but if the data is locked in the cloud, the business's ability to function may be severely compromised. On my plane, which had no Wi-Fi, I was without access to the source data. The format of the data on the Kindle probably wasn't compatible with other devices, even if I could have extracted it and the software licenses had allowed it. I did have the data (the book) on my iPhone, but reading a book on an iPhone screen didn't appeal to me and I had no way to connect the phone to the iPad.
Cloud computing is the future. It is winning over entire industries — including traditional late adopters such as health care. The keys to success are careful planning of a migration strategy and understanding that the cloud approach is adolescent in places (remember the early days of the internet?) and that problems will occur. If you're still window shopping, it's time to start catching up on your reading about the cloud. But if you do so on a plane, remember to take a real book along, too.
Read full article by Robert Plant for HBR:
Dont_get_stuck_in_the_cloud.html
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Windows 8 looks impressive
I changed to Ubuntu Linux over a year ago, and running on Ubuntu 11.04 at the moment. I just took a look at the new Windows 8 and it looks pretty impressive.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Chromebooks : Added Choice
Chromebooks offers a new dimension to computing and all realistic reasons may paint a grim future. But as with all articles that offer an opinion, the writer may have some bias. To assume that Google took on this venture on one assumption that everyone supposedly hates Microsoft is a bit far fetched. Google would not have been the number one brand, until recently surpassed by Apple, with a narrow-minded approach to new business. Chromebooks will be entering a huge market where product sales are driven by choice. The way it is priced, it is not too far fetched too assume that users will purchase it just for the sake of trying it out. It goes without saying that cloud computing does offer security challenges, but so does security in the conventional organization environment.
The challenge for Google lies herein, to drive the message that no additional hardware is needed to backup files, because documents will be saved in the cloud. Yes, hacking is a risk in the cloud, but organization server hacking is the order of the day too. No-one is immune to hacking. But are hackers really interested in personal files of the average user? I think not.
Facebook is an example of user trends to not protect their personal data by sharing personal data on personal pages and accepting third party applications that may divulge personal information. This trend suggests that the average user, whom will find the Chromebook affordable, talks about security, but does not entirely walk the talk. Wanting to be ahead of the pack and knowledgeable on the latest technology will be the winner at the end of the day. It is for that reason that I am giving the Chromebook a chance.
Broadband internet connectivity may offer increased opportunity for Chromebooks to compete in Singapore(96%), Hong Kong(99%), South Korea(97%), Switzerland(90%), Luxembourg(99%), Norway(84%), and Denmark(82%).
Chromebooks may surpass all expectations. I believe it will!
Please share your views.
My article is a response to an article by Mark Elgan for Computerworld:
Elgan_Why_Chromebooks_will_fail
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The iPad is worth all the hype!
I visited a local mall earlier today with my son to buy him running shoes. I was instantly attracted to the hustle and bustle in the Apple store. It was just busier than normal and my curiosity took over. Not that I found it hard to believe with all the hype going on with the iPad and new iPhone 4G. Maybe it was because I saw this gentleman having lunch at the food-court watching what I believe was a movie on his iPad. I thought that was pretty cool.
I tread on the more traditional side of computers and software, hence PC's and laptops. I have read many articles on the iPad, and the many applications associated with it. It did not really appeal to me other than the fact that this was another cool gadget. What was anybody going to do with all these apps, I said to myself.
I entered the store and was met by the iPad displays. I found one spot open and quickly grabbed it. I wanted to find out for myself what this hype was all about. From the onset I was pleasantly surprised that the iPad was a perfect size. It was not to big or to small and it just felt totally cool to hold it. I played around it and accessing my blog etc. The other feature that I found amazing was the on-screen keyboard was just the right size. I found it very easy to to type on it.
The were a whole bunch of pretty cool apps uploaded already. I came to the realization that the new generation wants cool gadgets with all types applications. Who cares if I am going to use any of them. I need to have access to these in case my friends talk about it and find it cool. Again, to me, it all boils down to having access. All of us want to be in the loop.
Through all typing and dragging on the iPad I was thinking that with the right protective iPad cover I could take this anywhere/everywhere. It was lighter than my laptop, and easier to carry around. I was very impressed with the iPad. It was really worth all the hype! As matter of fact I found myself wanting one. Now, that is a different story. I will try my usual wait for 3 days and then see how you feel about it.
My son, 11years, found spot next to me and was having a ball as well. I looked around and saw that all of the 20 iPad's on display were occupied by people of all ages, and everyone was, what seemed to me, as interested and excited as I was. I thought to myself Apple has outdone itself again. Here I was having something in my hands that could be the norm for mobile computers in a couple of years. The iPad is the perfect intermediate for computers and smartphones, and it looks and feels damn good!
On leaving the store one of the Apple staff was standing in the entrance with an iPad in his hands. I thought to myself, this guy must feel pretty good to be part of a company that is leading the pack in its field of consumer electronic products. Apple is the leader in its field at the moment and all the rest are playing catch-up.
Monday, May 17, 2010
When to Give Customers What They Didn't Ask For
I appreciate the fact that to anticipate and be ahead of what customers may need is a humble idea. Salesforce.coms' Collins find the success of Apple's drive to bring about the iPad pretty impressive, and yes, it is very impressive indeed. Herein lies my concern. Steve Jobs' success with the iPad was a bold step which is capturing millions of users as we speak. The iPad, is a great product that came about because of a brilliant idea, backed up by superb market intelligence. But what if it went it went the other way for the iPad. To base your entire existence on building products that customers is not the way to go. Unless you are okay with the fact that many wasted hours of planning and development in all phases of a product will be flushed down the drain.
Richard Adhikari writes that over the years, Salesforce.com has gradually transformed itself from being a CRM company to a cloud services provider. Along the way, it partnered with leading-edge Web 2.0 companies such as Google and Facebook, and most recently, it teamed up with virtualization giant VMware to offer VMforce, a new platform for application developers.
Posted using ShareThis
Richard Adhikari writes that over the years, Salesforce.com has gradually transformed itself from being a CRM company to a cloud services provider. Along the way, it partnered with leading-edge Web 2.0 companies such as Google and Facebook, and most recently, it teamed up with virtualization giant VMware to offer VMforce, a new platform for application developers.
Posted using ShareThis
Monday, May 3, 2010
Apple’s Steve Jobs: We've sold 1 million "magical" iPads
Apple iPad sales taking of with a big bang. 1 Million in 28 days. 12 Million apps already downloaded. This is really getting me interested. The way things are going now it seems that iPad's sales internationally is postponed indefinitely until the big demand in the US is taken care off. Will give Amazon a try to see what is available. On the other hand the 3G version will have more capablities. Will follow the reviews closely. Good job Apple. You have my attention!
Apple’s Steve Jobs: We've sold 1 million "magical" iPads
Apple’s Steve Jobs: We've sold 1 million "magical" iPads
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
First iPad reviews hit the net
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/03/31/first-ipad-reviews-hit-the-net/
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Twitter developing new censorship technology
I've taken quite a liking to twitter this past couple of months. Any new developments in twitter bodes well for me either way if it promotes access to information.
new-tech-twitter-developing-censorshipproof-technology-a-weekend-feature.html from dailygalaxy.com - StumbleUpon
new-tech-twitter-developing-censorshipproof-technology-a-weekend-feature.html from dailygalaxy.com - StumbleUpon
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Skype Brings Video Chat to Flat-Screen TVs
Skype's new strategy for 2010: Your flat-screen TV in your living room can now be your phone. Or, if your tastes run more toward "The Twilight Zone," think of it as your TV watching you -- as you watch TV. The makers of popular software that allows users to make free phone and video calls via the Internet announced new deals Tuesday with LG and Panasonic that put Skype inside new Web-connected versions of their HDTVs. Read full article at: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Skype-Brings-Video-Chat-to-Flat-Screen-TVs-69031.html
Monday, January 4, 2010
Has my sense of hot gadgets been overtaken?
What's hot in 2010!
HOT: Blu-ray discs and digital downloads
NOT: DVDs
HOT: Pocket-sized, high-definition video recorders
NOT: Any other type of video recorder
HOT: Wireless for everything
NOT: Wires
Read full report in: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Gadgets+2010+What+what/2388975/story.html
HOT: Blu-ray discs and digital downloads
NOT: DVDs
HOT: Pocket-sized, high-definition video recorders
NOT: Any other type of video recorder
HOT: Wireless for everything
NOT: Wires
Read full report in: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Gadgets+2010+What+what/2388975/story.html
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Microsoft’s sales tumble on PC weakness
Hopes that a rebound in the technology sector would help to fuel a broader recovery from the downturn suffered a setback on Thursday as Microsoft reported an unexpected slump in sales for its latest quarter.
The world’s biggest software company said revenues had declined 17 per cent amid falling global demand for new PCs and servers. The news follows a spate of more positive earnings news from Apple, Intel and IBM.
“It’s going to be difficult for the rest of the year,” said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer. “We’re really still not sure we’re out of the woods.”
While the software company had been expected to suffer more than other leading tech companies, given its heavier exposure to cyclically volatile PC and server sales, the extent of the decline was unexpected and its shares fell by nearly 8 per cent in after-market trading.
The setback in the fourth quarter of Microsoft’s fiscal year caps the worst year in its 23-year history as a public company, and the first in which it has seen a revenue decline.
Broader trends in the technology markets have also hurt the company. Netbooks, the small, low-cost laptops that have been the one bright spot this year, now account for 11 per cent of all PC sales, according to Microsoft.
However, it receives much less for the version of the Windows operating system shipped with these machines.
In spite of the latest signs of weakness, Microsoft’s shares are still up nearly 60 per cent since their low point in April on hopes that new product launches, including the Windows 7 operating system, will revive its fortunes next year.
Mr Liddell said that Microsoft was not anticipating any further big declines from current levels of spending by its customers, and sees “the potential for improvement” in 2010.
A 29 per cent plunge in revenues from Microsoft’s core Windows PC division, to $3.11bn, aggravated the decline in the latest quarter. Microsoft was also affected by an upgrade guarantee that allows PC buyers to switch to Windows 7 when it goes on sale in October.
Heavy cost-cutting made up for some of the shortfall, with Microsoft slicing 10 per cent from its operating expenses compared with a year before. But net income fell 29 per cent to $3.045bn, or 34 cents a share.
By Richard Waters in San Francisco
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
The world’s biggest software company said revenues had declined 17 per cent amid falling global demand for new PCs and servers. The news follows a spate of more positive earnings news from Apple, Intel and IBM.
“It’s going to be difficult for the rest of the year,” said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer. “We’re really still not sure we’re out of the woods.”
While the software company had been expected to suffer more than other leading tech companies, given its heavier exposure to cyclically volatile PC and server sales, the extent of the decline was unexpected and its shares fell by nearly 8 per cent in after-market trading.
The setback in the fourth quarter of Microsoft’s fiscal year caps the worst year in its 23-year history as a public company, and the first in which it has seen a revenue decline.
Broader trends in the technology markets have also hurt the company. Netbooks, the small, low-cost laptops that have been the one bright spot this year, now account for 11 per cent of all PC sales, according to Microsoft.
However, it receives much less for the version of the Windows operating system shipped with these machines.
In spite of the latest signs of weakness, Microsoft’s shares are still up nearly 60 per cent since their low point in April on hopes that new product launches, including the Windows 7 operating system, will revive its fortunes next year.
Mr Liddell said that Microsoft was not anticipating any further big declines from current levels of spending by its customers, and sees “the potential for improvement” in 2010.
A 29 per cent plunge in revenues from Microsoft’s core Windows PC division, to $3.11bn, aggravated the decline in the latest quarter. Microsoft was also affected by an upgrade guarantee that allows PC buyers to switch to Windows 7 when it goes on sale in October.
Heavy cost-cutting made up for some of the shortfall, with Microsoft slicing 10 per cent from its operating expenses compared with a year before. But net income fell 29 per cent to $3.045bn, or 34 cents a share.
By Richard Waters in San Francisco
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
$100 Laptop Becomes a $5 PC
The open-source education software developed for the "$100 laptop" can now be loaded onto a $5 USB stick to run aging PCs and Macs with a new interface and custom educational software.
"What we are doing is taking a bunch of old machines that barely run Windows 2000, and turning them into something interesting and useful for essentially zero cost," says Walter Bender, former president of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project. "It becomes a whole new computer running off the USB key; we can breathe new life into millions of decrepit old machines."
Bender left OLPC last year to found Sugar Labs, which promotes the open-source user interface, dubbed Sugar, and educational software originally developed at OLPC. Bender has dubbed the new effort Sugar on a Stick. The software can be downloaded for free from the Sugar Labs website as part of the new initiative, which will be announced at a conference in Berlin today.
The Sugar interface was custom-designed for children. The new Sugar on a Stick download features 40 software programs, including core applications called Read, Write, Paint, and Etoys. Many other applications are available for download, most of which emphasize creative collaboration among children. The USB software can boot up an aging computer, or a netbook, and save data from any of the programs.
The Sugar interface and related software have already been used by more than one million children, nearly all of them users of the original OLPC XO laptop.
And now, with Sugar available to run old computers, the OLPC learning model can expand in a new direction. "Putting Sugar on a stick is absolutely the right thing to do," Negroponte added.
By David Talbot
"What we are doing is taking a bunch of old machines that barely run Windows 2000, and turning them into something interesting and useful for essentially zero cost," says Walter Bender, former president of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project. "It becomes a whole new computer running off the USB key; we can breathe new life into millions of decrepit old machines."
Bender left OLPC last year to found Sugar Labs, which promotes the open-source user interface, dubbed Sugar, and educational software originally developed at OLPC. Bender has dubbed the new effort Sugar on a Stick. The software can be downloaded for free from the Sugar Labs website as part of the new initiative, which will be announced at a conference in Berlin today.
The Sugar interface was custom-designed for children. The new Sugar on a Stick download features 40 software programs, including core applications called Read, Write, Paint, and Etoys. Many other applications are available for download, most of which emphasize creative collaboration among children. The USB software can boot up an aging computer, or a netbook, and save data from any of the programs.
The Sugar interface and related software have already been used by more than one million children, nearly all of them users of the original OLPC XO laptop.
And now, with Sugar available to run old computers, the OLPC learning model can expand in a new direction. "Putting Sugar on a stick is absolutely the right thing to do," Negroponte added.
By David Talbot
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
10 Cloud Computing Companies to Watch
Mon, May 18, 2009 — Network World — Cloud computing is spreading through the IT world like wildfire, with innovative start-ups and established vendors alike clamoring for customer attention.
Generally speaking, cloud providers fall into three categories: software-as-a-service providers; infrastructure-as-a-service vendors that offer Web-based access to storage and computing power; and platform-as-a-service vendors that give developers the tools to build and host Web applications. Here are 10 cloud companies that are worth watching.
Company name: Amazon
Founded: 1994
Location: Seattle
Cloud offering: Amazon Web Services, a half-dozen services including the Elastic Compute Cloud, for computing capacity, and the Simple Storage Service, for on-demand storage capacity.
Why we're watching it: Amazon is one of the true innovators in Web-based computing, offering pay-as-you-go access to virtual servers and data storage space. In addition to these core offerings, Amazon offers the SimpleDB (a database Web service); the CloudFront (a Web service for content delivery); and the Simple Queue Service (a hosted service for storing messages as they travel between computers). By launching the Elastic Compute Cloud in 2006, well before most of its competitors, Amazon has become almost synonymous with "cloud computing." But criticisms are starting to pop up regarding Amazon's reliability and service-level agreements.
CEO: Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon's founder, was previously a financial analyst.
How Amazon got into cloud computing: One of the largest Web properties in existence, Amazon always excelled at delivering computing capacity at a large scale to its own employees and to consumers via the Amazon shopping site. Offering raw computing capacity over the Internet was perhaps a natural step for Amazon, which had only to leverage its own expertise and massive data center infrastructure in order to become one of the earliest major cloud providers.
Who uses the service: Tens of thousands of small businesses, enterprises and individual users. Prominent customers include the New York Times, Washington Post and Eli Lilly.
Company name: AT&T
Founded: 1983
Location: Dallas
Cloud offering: Synaptic Hosting, an application hosting service that offers pay-as-you-go access to virtual servers and storage integrated with security and networking functions.
Why we're watching it: Amazon and Google may be the biggest names in cloud computing today, but don't discount the built-in advantage telcos have when it comes to infrastructure. "Building publicly accessible cloud infrastructure is not inexpensive or uncomplicated," Pund-IT analyst Charles King says. "The service providers already have those infrastructures in place – the data center assets, connectivity and billing."
While AT&T has a head start, rival Verizon offers cloud-based security services and seems poised to make a larger run at the cloud market later this year
Generally speaking, cloud providers fall into three categories: software-as-a-service providers; infrastructure-as-a-service vendors that offer Web-based access to storage and computing power; and platform-as-a-service vendors that give developers the tools to build and host Web applications. Here are 10 cloud companies that are worth watching.
Company name: Amazon
Founded: 1994
Location: Seattle
Cloud offering: Amazon Web Services, a half-dozen services including the Elastic Compute Cloud, for computing capacity, and the Simple Storage Service, for on-demand storage capacity.
Why we're watching it: Amazon is one of the true innovators in Web-based computing, offering pay-as-you-go access to virtual servers and data storage space. In addition to these core offerings, Amazon offers the SimpleDB (a database Web service); the CloudFront (a Web service for content delivery); and the Simple Queue Service (a hosted service for storing messages as they travel between computers). By launching the Elastic Compute Cloud in 2006, well before most of its competitors, Amazon has become almost synonymous with "cloud computing." But criticisms are starting to pop up regarding Amazon's reliability and service-level agreements.
CEO: Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon's founder, was previously a financial analyst.
How Amazon got into cloud computing: One of the largest Web properties in existence, Amazon always excelled at delivering computing capacity at a large scale to its own employees and to consumers via the Amazon shopping site. Offering raw computing capacity over the Internet was perhaps a natural step for Amazon, which had only to leverage its own expertise and massive data center infrastructure in order to become one of the earliest major cloud providers.
Who uses the service: Tens of thousands of small businesses, enterprises and individual users. Prominent customers include the New York Times, Washington Post and Eli Lilly.
Company name: AT&T
Founded: 1983
Location: Dallas
Cloud offering: Synaptic Hosting, an application hosting service that offers pay-as-you-go access to virtual servers and storage integrated with security and networking functions.
Why we're watching it: Amazon and Google may be the biggest names in cloud computing today, but don't discount the built-in advantage telcos have when it comes to infrastructure. "Building publicly accessible cloud infrastructure is not inexpensive or uncomplicated," Pund-IT analyst Charles King says. "The service providers already have those infrastructures in place – the data center assets, connectivity and billing."
While AT&T has a head start, rival Verizon offers cloud-based security services and seems poised to make a larger run at the cloud market later this year
Sunday, May 24, 2009
TVs with internet coming soon
Berlin - You no longer need to bring your laptop over to the couch to check the weather or your RSS feeds while watching TV. Many new flat screen TVs offer an internet connection as an alternative to the old-fashioned video text option familiar to many.
That means you can play back a YouTube clip even while watching something else in the main window. Are hard times ahead for the PC as the multimedia hub? Hard to tell. The internet remains the province of high-end devices for right now, but it seems likely to move into more affordable TVs in the near future as well.
All attempts to bring internet to the television have struggled to date. Neither set-top web boxes nor receivers with web functionality made any headway, either due to a lack of features or poor reception on tube televisions.
"Set-top web boxes are too expensive, slow and unstable, and it's much more complicated to surf with them than on a computer. And on top of that, there's the bad picture quality." That was how the German consumer testing organisation Stiftung Warentest saw the landscape back in 2000.
New generation
The new generation of Ethernet or WLAN-ready TV devices offers crisp text, images, and graphics. They generally do not provide a fully integrated browser. The manufacturers instead prepare special programming and content that can be accessed via remote control.
"The new concepts are winning converts through simple, familiar controls and the kind of attractive content that catches the attention of PC naysayers as well," reads a review from Video magazine.
Philips is calling its internet service Net-TV. Devices in the 9000 series work with WLAN, while those in the 8000 series and the widescreen 21:9 models work with LAN connections. Unlike other manufacturers, Philips allows the internet information to take up the entire screen.
The user gets started by navigating to the Net-TV home page. Philips has established partnerships with content providers willing to adapt their content for the TV screen. In Germany this includes major web sites like tagesschau.de, bild.de, kicker.de and YouTube as well as MyAlbum as a photo archive. It's also possible to enter in internet addresses directly, although Net-TV is unable to work with either Java or Flash.
At Panasonic the internet mode is called Viera Cast and involves little program windows surrounding a reduced-sized TV image. These "widgets" show the weather, stock prices from Bloomberg TV, latest headlines and videos television stations as well as clips from YouTube. Viera Cast is slated to be integrated into the V 10, G 15 and Z 1 devices.
Samsung has dubbed its programme Internet@TV. It provides only one program window next to the TV image. That can be YouTube clips, as well as headlines or weather reports delivered from Yahoo. The photos section is provided via the Flickr service.
Samsung also offers a "content library," which provides space to store videos, texts or photos, allowing the TV to be used as a form of digital frame. A "widget engine" from Yahoo will allow users to integrate their own little programs. Internet@TV will be available for units in the 6, 7, 8, 7000 and 8000 series.
Sony has outfitted models in the E5, V5, W5 and WE5 series with Ethernet jacks. The manufacturer calls the new internet functions AppliCast Services. It will initially offer access to photos stored on the internet servers and reading of reports sent to the TV through RSS feeds. The TV can access music, photos, and films (MPEG 2 and AVC-HD) on a local network using the DLNA standard.
- SAPA
That means you can play back a YouTube clip even while watching something else in the main window. Are hard times ahead for the PC as the multimedia hub? Hard to tell. The internet remains the province of high-end devices for right now, but it seems likely to move into more affordable TVs in the near future as well.
All attempts to bring internet to the television have struggled to date. Neither set-top web boxes nor receivers with web functionality made any headway, either due to a lack of features or poor reception on tube televisions.
"Set-top web boxes are too expensive, slow and unstable, and it's much more complicated to surf with them than on a computer. And on top of that, there's the bad picture quality." That was how the German consumer testing organisation Stiftung Warentest saw the landscape back in 2000.
New generation
The new generation of Ethernet or WLAN-ready TV devices offers crisp text, images, and graphics. They generally do not provide a fully integrated browser. The manufacturers instead prepare special programming and content that can be accessed via remote control.
"The new concepts are winning converts through simple, familiar controls and the kind of attractive content that catches the attention of PC naysayers as well," reads a review from Video magazine.
Philips is calling its internet service Net-TV. Devices in the 9000 series work with WLAN, while those in the 8000 series and the widescreen 21:9 models work with LAN connections. Unlike other manufacturers, Philips allows the internet information to take up the entire screen.
The user gets started by navigating to the Net-TV home page. Philips has established partnerships with content providers willing to adapt their content for the TV screen. In Germany this includes major web sites like tagesschau.de, bild.de, kicker.de and YouTube as well as MyAlbum as a photo archive. It's also possible to enter in internet addresses directly, although Net-TV is unable to work with either Java or Flash.
At Panasonic the internet mode is called Viera Cast and involves little program windows surrounding a reduced-sized TV image. These "widgets" show the weather, stock prices from Bloomberg TV, latest headlines and videos television stations as well as clips from YouTube. Viera Cast is slated to be integrated into the V 10, G 15 and Z 1 devices.
Samsung has dubbed its programme Internet@TV. It provides only one program window next to the TV image. That can be YouTube clips, as well as headlines or weather reports delivered from Yahoo. The photos section is provided via the Flickr service.
Samsung also offers a "content library," which provides space to store videos, texts or photos, allowing the TV to be used as a form of digital frame. A "widget engine" from Yahoo will allow users to integrate their own little programs. Internet@TV will be available for units in the 6, 7, 8, 7000 and 8000 series.
Sony has outfitted models in the E5, V5, W5 and WE5 series with Ethernet jacks. The manufacturer calls the new internet functions AppliCast Services. It will initially offer access to photos stored on the internet servers and reading of reports sent to the TV through RSS feeds. The TV can access music, photos, and films (MPEG 2 and AVC-HD) on a local network using the DLNA standard.
- SAPA
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Can Social Networking Be Secure at Work?
A new report revealed that hackers are increasingly targeting social networking services like Twitter and Facebook. Many employees who log on during the day at work might be causing information security risks at their companies. But banning the technologies would be short-sighted.
Tue, May 05, 2009 — CIO — As more workers spend a greater part of their days on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, hackers have turned their energies toward spreading their malware across those services, harming workstations and company networks.
That's the contention of a recent report measuring Web 2.0-targeted hacks that occurred in the first quarter of this year and was conducted by the Secure Enterprise 2.0 Forum, an industry group aimed at enabling the safe use of social media in the workplace.
Increasingly, hackers have turned their attentions away from e-mail, in part due to the fact people spend more of their time communicating with friends, family and colleagues over mediums like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the e-mail environment has reached a level of maturity that makes the new frontier of social networks more attractive to hackers and spammers, says David Lavenda, a vice president at WorkLightt, a vendor that sponsored the study.
"E-mail is in a steady state," Lavenda says. "It's an electronic warfare game with spammers, filters and security tools, and it's reached some sort of status quo. With the new [social] tools, as people come online and get more involved with them, there is an opportunity to cause harm."
In the market, Lavenda says CIOs have been more willing to let employees use the tools, but have been at times reluctant, due to anecdotal stories about security breaches. The report, he says, will allow them to know what those threats are and make informed decisions about letting users access the sites.
"Forbid it or not, most CIOs know users will find a way to use these tools anyway," he says. "Even if they don't buy our product, this report moves the market forward because they know what the threats are and can see about addressing them. Once you know what the threats are, then you can go about mitigating them."
C.G. Lynch covers social and consumer applications for CIO. You can follow him on Twitter at @cglynch.
Tue, May 05, 2009 — CIO — As more workers spend a greater part of their days on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, hackers have turned their energies toward spreading their malware across those services, harming workstations and company networks.
That's the contention of a recent report measuring Web 2.0-targeted hacks that occurred in the first quarter of this year and was conducted by the Secure Enterprise 2.0 Forum, an industry group aimed at enabling the safe use of social media in the workplace.
Increasingly, hackers have turned their attentions away from e-mail, in part due to the fact people spend more of their time communicating with friends, family and colleagues over mediums like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the e-mail environment has reached a level of maturity that makes the new frontier of social networks more attractive to hackers and spammers, says David Lavenda, a vice president at WorkLightt, a vendor that sponsored the study.
"E-mail is in a steady state," Lavenda says. "It's an electronic warfare game with spammers, filters and security tools, and it's reached some sort of status quo. With the new [social] tools, as people come online and get more involved with them, there is an opportunity to cause harm."
In the market, Lavenda says CIOs have been more willing to let employees use the tools, but have been at times reluctant, due to anecdotal stories about security breaches. The report, he says, will allow them to know what those threats are and make informed decisions about letting users access the sites.
"Forbid it or not, most CIOs know users will find a way to use these tools anyway," he says. "Even if they don't buy our product, this report moves the market forward because they know what the threats are and can see about addressing them. Once you know what the threats are, then you can go about mitigating them."
C.G. Lynch covers social and consumer applications for CIO. You can follow him on Twitter at @cglynch.
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