Cloud Computing

Microsoft’s position on privacy and cloud computing

Mike Pearson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:25:15 +0000

Privacy in the Cloud Computing Era: A Microsoft Perspective

Today we released a new position paper, Privacy in the Cloud Computing Era: A Microsoft Perspective.

This new paper discusses how Microsoft is approaching privacy as it relates to cloud computing. We wrote this paper based on our experience over the past decade examining and addressing privacy challenges in the evolving online services realm. We are also releasing guidance to enterprises and consumers to help them navigate the privacy issues to consider when thinking about cloud-based services.

While we recognize that privacy in the cloud will evolve over time; the paper describes how our underlying privacy principles provide a solid foundation for addressing privacy issues. Read more at blogs.technet.com

Microsoft’s cloud pricing falls closer to earth

Mike Pearson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:34:04 +0000

Microsoft has reduced the price of its Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) 9 months after its launch.

Clipped from www.nbr.co.nz

Microsoft’s cloud pricing falls closer to earth

Microsoft announced a new pricing structure for its Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS)�due to strong customer demand in New Zealand and around the world, it claims.

Due to rapid customer adoption, global scale and improved efficiencies from new software such as Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft is reducing the price of BPOS�as well as Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft Office SharePoint Online and Microsoft Office Communications Online. With the price reduction, the BPOS� is now NZD $17.24� per user per month, a 35% price reduction.Read more at www.nbr.co.nz

Records and the Threat of Cloud Computing

Mike Pearson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:18:47 +0000

Records managers are still trying to figure out how to deal with the decades-old problem of e-mail, so the cloud remains on the distant horizon for most.

Clipped from intelligent-enterprise.informationweek.com

Records and the Threat of Cloud Computing

I recently hosted a panel for ARMA that discussed compliance and records management issues related to Cloud Computing. It proved to be one of the most thought-provoking sessions I have been involved in for a long time. What became abundantly clear very early on was that records managers and compliance officers really need to get their head around cloud computing, and fast.

retention and disposition are the core principals of records management, and cloud computing brings into question the relevance and value of both principles. I think cloud computing is the biggest threat records management has ever faced. Yet records managers are still trying to figure out how to deal with the decades-old problem of e-mail, so the cloud remains on the distant horizon for most.Read more at intelligent-enterprise.informationweek.com

Google Report Reveals SaaS Impact on Enterprise IT

Mike Pearson — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:41:20 +0000

Clipped from www.ebizq.net

Google Report Reveals SaaS Impact on Enterprise IT

Last week, Google released its 2009 Communications Intelligence Report, covering the impact and current state of cloud applications/SaaS on IT. It was based on a survey of 1125 IT decision makers and perhaps predictably, it offered a positive commentary and outlook for cloud applications. That said, I think this report raised a number of interesting, sometimes surprising points that are worthy of note -

Companies adopt SaaS for a variety of reasons - Although the report calls out “ease of use” as the primary motivation for adopting SaaS, it only garnered 22% of the responses. “Product effectiveness” and “product features” followed with 15% each.

The report’s bottom line conclusion? - cloud applications are now clearly mainstream.
If you’re interested, you can read the entire report here.
Read more at www.ebizq.net

More Singaporean Organisations turn to cloud computing

Mike Pearson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:31:40 +0000

Clipped from business.asiaone.com

More firms turn to cloud computing

COMPANIES here are increasingly using free ‘cloud computing’ Internet-based applications such as word processing programmes and photo-editing suites to cut costs and manpower.

Mr Chris Morris, a research director at independent research firm IDC, said the cloud computing market here is growing at more than 40 per cent every year as Singapore moves from ‘the early-adopter stage to the early-mainstream stage of cloud computing’.

A recent IDC survey found that four in 10 companies in the Asia-Pacific region, including those from Singapore, are already exploring or having trials for cloud computing applications.

The Ministry of Education became the latest convert two weeks ago when it purchased an entire suite of Google applications, including word processing and chat functions, for its 30,000 teachers.

Avago Technologies shaved $1.1 million from its expenditure budget - a massive 65 per cent savings - by turning to cloud computing last year.Read more at business.asiaone.com

The Sidekick disaster is not a cloud disaster

Mike Pearson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:21:33 +0000

Some analysis of what went wrong, and why it should not be used as an example of cloud computing failure.

Clipped from www.readwriteweb.com

Hey Chicken Little, the Cloud Is Not Falling

We sure are hearing the chickens running around in a panic about the dangers of cloud computing following the massive data loss involving T-Mobile Sidekick customers

The problem is, most of them are making zero distinction about what constitutes a cloud computing service. The Sidekick disaster was not the result of a cloud disaster. It was a centralized data center that had poor oversight.

But since we are on the topic, there are some basic lessons to learn in working with a cloud service provider. This is not a complete list. Feel free to add your own pieces of advice.
Read more at www.readwriteweb.com

How to develop a roadmap to cloud computing adoption in the enterpris

Mike Pearson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:13:57 +0000

Clipped from blogs.zdnet.com

The popularity of the concepts around cloud computing have caught many IT departments off-guard.

So, how do those tasked with a cloud strategy proceed? How do they exercise caution and risk reduction, while also showing swift progress toward an “Everything as a Service” world? How do they pick and choose among a burgeoning variety of sourcing options for IT and business services and accurately identify the ones that make the most sense, and which adhere to existing performance, governance and security guidelines?

Here to help better understand how to properly develop a roadmap to cloud computing adoption in the enterprise, we’re joined by three experts from HP:Read more at blogs.zdnet.com

Study: Cloud computing reduces IT costs 18%

Mike Pearson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:12:47 +0000

Top performing companies that have adopted cloud computing have reduced IT costs 18% and data center power consumption by 16%.

Clipped from pr-usa.net

A new study, recently published by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), revealed top performing companies that have adopted cloud computing have reduced IT costs 18% and data center power consumption by 16%.

The survey revealed the top business pressures driving the adoption of cloud computing include:
–  Overall cost of IT infrastructure
–  Need to enhance competitive advantage
–  Lack of flexibility in the current IT environment
–  Need to support additional services or users

Survey results show top performing organizations shared several common characteristics, including:
–  77% monitor cloud applications for efficiency and use
–  75% have a cloud team or task force
–  69% use a formal cloud evaluation process
–  62% have a formal education plan for training cloud team
Read more at pr-usa.net

Cloud Computing Picks for Business Analysts

Mike Pearson — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:26:08 +0000

Links to a collection of articles on cloud computing.

Clipped from www.ebizq.net

Cloud Computing Picks for Business Analysts

Recently, a business analyst asked me for some cloud computing reading ideas. His goal was to get familiar with cloud computing without drowning in technobabble or wading through near-religious rhetoric. After sending him an email with some picks, it occurred to me that many business analysts are similarly interested. With that, here is a selection of cloud computing reads and topics you should keep an eye on.
Read more at www.ebizq.net

Can Cloud Computing reduce your energy consumption by 90+%?

Mike Pearson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:12:34 +0000

Clipped from www.softwareadvice.com

SaaS v. On-premises Software: Which One is More Green?

In case you haven’t heard (or aren’t obsessively following IT trends like we are), the great trend in software is the evolution from traditional “on-premises” software (e.g. client/server software installed at the office) to Software as a Service (SaaS) (i.e. web-based applications that are managed in the vendors’ data center and accessed “on-demand” through a web browser).

Given what’s at stake for software companies in either camp, debating the merits of each model has led to some fiery discourse. We thought we’d fan the flames by introducing another angle: which model is “greener;” that is, better for the environment.

That’s an 93% reduction in overall energy consumption for a four physician practice using SaaS EMR software over on-premise software!
Read more at www.softwareadvice.com