Cloud computing is the future, but what is the future of cloud computing? Well let's start with vocabulary of what's known and predicted. The definition first...
Wikipedia translates cloud computing as a term which describes computation, software, data access, and storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services. The next nebulous trend which promises a complete makeover of the IT industry. The cloud tornado is also expected to witness massive alterations in almost every industry on our planet.
I had recently come across a fine perspective on the whole idea of cloud and wouldn't miss sharing it in this post. Bill Gates had quoted, “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiencyâ€. This holds a very strong value for the emerging cloud business.
With cloud, computing is finally turning into a consumer based business. Benefits of cloud have gained a rampant coverage in the industry. The three basic differentiating characteristics that make it unique are that it is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; it is elastic: a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and the service is fully managed by the provider.
Consequences? I have yes, been strangling my head over balancing the pros and cons and here I am with my conclusion:
Improved understanding of process and governance risk will shift the preferences of IT owners and regulators away from the cost and inconsistency of on-premise IT, and toward the auditable and highly professional security practices of cloud-service providers.
Customers will become more aggressive in lowering their cost of computing, and will become far more accepting of lightweight client machines running free and open-source operating systems and applications -- including application-oriented Internet clients like Google's Chrome.
Companies will redefine the "C" in "CRM" to mean "Community" rather than "Customer".
But had I not been in the industry, how would it have affected my morning breakfast or utility bills?
I wish I had turned off my AC The cloud will make smart grid technologies ubiquitous. Smart grid technologies allow two-way transmission for electricity delivery. With sensing and metering built in, it allows control (including remote shut-off) and tracking of appliances to cut costs and save energy.
It's time to start my own business The cloud can make anyone an entrepreneur, and it will. The cloud simplifies the IT problems of any startup and brings entrepreneurship into the home or a teenager’s basement. If you have a skill, perhaps dog grooming, you can film it, and put it on YouTube™. If enough people view it, you may be offered a partnership and get a portion of the advertising revenue. These opportunities will be endless. Whether you are an artist, blogger, or want to sell your knitted footies, you can market to the world. This will continue to grow, and it will help our economy and developing countries more than any stimulus package.
Criminals on their toes.As we have seen, massive data storage and computing power are the promises of the cloud. This will not be a good thing for those who break the law. Before police even pull over a car, the license plate will be scanned. Records of all types will no longer be tied to specific agencies and local resources. Fingerprint and DNA records will be accessible globally, and search results will take minutes instead of days.
That definitely sounds like a simpler life and more. But I leave the rest here for future to unwrap. Cloud promises an evolution and it would definitely be exhilarating to witness it.
