Comments on: Cloud computing: misunderstood, but really not that complicated a concept

By: Peter Kretzman

Peter Kretzman — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:30:39 +0000

Yes, I totally agree. There are most certainly thorny and important issues to work about about the execution/operation of cloud computing, and I’m by no means dismissing that this is hard work. But the basic concept itself, and what’s disruptive about it, seems to often get blurred both in the mainstream media and in vendor literature. Thanks for commenting, Amy.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:23:20 +0000

Peter-
Thanks for this post. I agree that mainstream media either a) doesn’t get it or b) gets it, but realizes people gravitate to coverage of “the sky is falling”-type messages. And, I think it is important to step back and look objectively at what cloud is and is not.

Although, as someone that spends most of their working time looking at software licensing, there is a complex side of cloud that we should not overlook or oversimplify. Licensing software for use in cloud environments is not easy to do. And, figuring out the economics of cloud (especially when software is involved) and managing the costs of a dynamic environment is not easy for enterprises either, who are used to counting things once or maybe twice a year. Traditional asset management practices are not elastic enough to support cloud.

I wish these issues were simpler… I think my head would hurt a lot less.

Amy
@mizkonary

By: Peter Kretzman

Peter Kretzman — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 03:18:17 +0000

Thanks for commenting, Peter. My post really pertains to the design and deployment of larger information systems, not simple web sites, where, as you note, a hosting company is a fine and easy choice. One advantage of the cloud is making it so no one has to worry, in a small company just starting to launch a product, about buying servers, scaling rapidly if demand soars, etc. Larger companies can also benefit, but they have a significant transition problem: installed base of servers, applications, and (last but by no means least) employee mindset and vested interest.

So I agree with you: if you’re designing relatively simple websites with few “moving parts” (by which I mean points of integration, complexity of data flow among systems, etc.), I don’t think it matters much to you or your customer to pursue a cloud solution.

Let me know if I’ve misunderstood your question somehow.

Thanks,
Peter

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:14:06 +0000

Thanks for your explanation Peter! Allthough I have a question about it.. You said: ‘it will be an advantage particularly for new and small businesses’. I miss your point here. In my vision, just big businesses could benefit of this, instead of the smaller ones.

Jeah, in large companies it’s harder to adopt the whole system, and new small businesses could easily startup with an Cloud solution.

I am entrepreneuring in the webdevelopment branche, and some colleagues told me to invest in cloud systems, because this would be better for my customer (all Small and medium enterprises). I can’t find a reason why it would be better for them when I provide a cloud solution (for their website) instead of website hosted by a webhosting company.

What do you think? Am I right, because I only target at the website, and not at the entire IT system of the company, or are there other reasons why I should invest in Cloud systems for webdevelopment?

By: Olafur Ingthorsson

Olafur Ingthorsson — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:20:04 +0000

Peter,
Great article, summarizing what cloud computing is in essence. I agree with most of your points, but would like to add that in reality most companies will probably primarily benefit from, and implement, some type of “hybrid” cloud strategy in their cloud computing endeavors – combining internal (private) and external (public) cloud architecture. I address this shortly in a blog post: Exploit the benefits from Public and Private Cloud Computing

By: Media confused about #CloudComputing? « PaloCumulus: Cloud Computing Services Central

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:21:50 +0000

[...] confused about #CloudComputing? Posted on October 29, 2009 by Raj Badarinath Writes Peter Kretzman: Flickr, Gmail, and Facebook are great services, but declaring that they represent the burgeoning [...]

By: Raj Badarinath

Raj Badarinath — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:15:11 +0000

Brilliant article Peter, just stumbled upon this. I will link to this from my site as well to clarify for CIOs looking to explore the advantages of the cloud minus the hype.

Raj

By: Links for Oct 4 2009 | Eric D. Brown - Technology, Strategy, People, Projects

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:40:23 +0000

[...] Cloud computing: misunderstood, but really not that complicated a concept by Peter Kretzman on CTO/CIO perspectives [...]

By: Meredith Obendorfer

Meredith Obendorfer — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:20:59 +0000

Great write up, Peter, thanks. What’s even more interesting is how the cloud is being used in unique ways to not only save companies money but to make money as well. Specifically coming to mind is start-up Digsby, an instant messager/social network aggregator, who has been using grid computing to run a research project as a revenue model:
http://blog.digsby.com/archives/68
http://blog.digsby.com/archives/693

By: Peter Kretzman

Peter Kretzman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:48:26 +0000

Well, yes, there’s that too. And that’s probably the main reason, you’re right. I was being kind, perhaps. I was specifically thinking of the BusinessWeek’s author and how he responded to his critics on that article: “BusinessWeek doesn’t write about scalable architectures.”