WOLF Weekly Cloud Sum-up, Jan 06, 2012

The Cloud has evolved a lot in the past 1 year. Only a few years ago cloud didn’t even exist and now in 2012 the Cloud phenomenon is going to reach new heights. The top trends of Cloud Computing in 2012 are:

1. The move to platforms
2. The move out to public clouds
3. The advent of big data
4. Spikiness
5. Consumer expectations come back to roost
6. Here comes one really messy leak
7. Disaster recovery and scaling are the new drivers
8. An SLA detente
9. The rise of real brokerages
10. Inception, the brain in the vat, and hardware
11. What can't I put in the cloud?
12. Infrastructure, code, and data are intertwined

Read more to see how these top trends in Cloud Computing is going to effect 2012.

The bandwidth risk in cloud computing

Security concerns continue to dampen enterprise eagerness to move applications to the cloud, but there is another cloud computing risk that could bring down doom if not anticipated: bandwidth bottlenecks. For an in-depth look at this less-discussed risk, see an article by Sandra Gittlen at Computerworld.

InterContinental Hotels Group has moved storage and in-house mobile phone applications to cloud services in recent years. The measure has saved money and improved customer service, leading to a current project migrating the room reservation system to the cloud. Despite the positive experience, IHG CIO Tom Conophy is quite clear that a successful cloud implementation requires careful attention to bandwidth needs.

Huge cloud computing data breach waiting to happen

This year promises to be one that will be remembered as the year that outsourcing to the cloud gained significant momentum. But it could also be the year that cyber-attackers target the cloud and send shockwaves through corporations by causing a huge cloud security breach. Security is a major concern for businesses putting their systems in the cloud, but these fears don't appear to be stopping cloud computing in its tracks. Ok private clouds are being taken up by big firms that are unwilling to move to public clouds, but they could themselves be the subject of a major breach.

Get to the private cloud: Change people, process, technology

For most enterprises, focusing on the private cloud seems the most logical starting point as all uncertainty, doubt and risk is contained within the corporate data center. But on this path to the private cloud, as we transform the data center from its traditional form to a more dynamic one that provides services to customers, is it really a question of technology? The major roadblocks are people, process and technology in the path of a successful private cloud initiative.

Indian CIOs' cloud concerns

Concerns over data security and privacy and an immature ecosystem are likely to stunt the growth of cloud computing in India. Despite the obvious benefits of lower capital expenditure and quicker rollout of new products and services, chief information officers (CIOs) are hesitant to make full-scale investments in the new technology.

We hope these short sum-ups on Cloud Computing in 2011 helped you to take a more knowledgeable approach towards moving to the cloud. Stay tuned for more sum-ups on in the forthcoming year.

Don’t forget to add your comments and suggestions. I will have more around the cloud a week later.

Santanu Das

Marketing Evangelist, WOLF Frameworks

NOTE: The views expressed above are purely personal and for informational purposes only. WOLF FRAMEWORKS INDIA PVT. LTD. MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.