Thursday, May 2, 2013

The cloud: Mistaken opinions

11:15 AM


Almost everybody knows about cloud computing at this point, and most of us use it to some degree. But there are a lot of misconceptions about what the cloud is and is not. Let’s clear up a few misconceptions that keep businesses from fully embracing the cloud.
First, there is not just one cloud; cloud computing is about virtualization and moving infrastructure to data centers off-site, not necessarily just the public cloud that captures headlines.
The cloud is not always the cheapest IT solution, either—the low cost of the cloud has been its main selling point in general, but when factoring in security and reliability it can make the cloud just as expensive as on-site infrastructure. It isn’t always the cheapest, and it certainly isn’t free.
“In an enterprise environment, even free services aren't free, since you have to worry about security and compliance. The free mindset has trickled into the data center, where the perception is that virtualizing infrastructures and shifting to private cloud architectures will pay for themselves almost instantly,” wrote Jeff Vance on the Datamation blog. They may over time, but it's not that simple. And vendors aren't helping matters.”
Another misconception is that enterprises control the adoption cycle. Unlike a massive infrastructure project that enterprises can adopt or avoid, the cloud sneaks into the budget in small ways that management doesn’t even notice.
 “It's kind of like kudzu growing alongside southern highways. You don't notice it at first, and then, bam, it's everywhere, and there's not much you can do about it,” wrote Vance.
On the other side, there’s the misconception that baby steps are the only way to move to the cloud. Really it can, and maybe should be, done all at once.
“The real transformation comes when organizations fully embrace cloud computing,” according to a recent blog post for the Times of Malta. “Building even a private cloud brings tremendous benefits such as reducing IT complexity, significantly lowering IT costs, and enabling a more flexible and agile service delivery.”
A misconception that stunts cloud adoption is that using the cloud means giving up control of IT resources. This is partially true inasmuch as some of the technology is physically off-site. The critical aspect of the technology is software-based, however, and that can still be controlled by the enterprise. Companies don’t worry about generating their own power, and likewise losing control of the hardware is now starting to matter less because all the real action is on the software side.
Finally, there’s the misconception that all cloud security is created equal, and critical applications do not belong in the cloud as a result. The truth is that cloud security can vary widely, though—both for the bad but also for the good.
“One must start off with a comprehensive risk understanding and analysis,” noted the Times of Malta piece. “A high-level security architecture for the cloud-based services must also be laid out. One should define additional security controls required to protect information assets in different types of cloud environments.”
Source mcnet

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Thecodewhiz is a tech savvy internet enthusiast,Designer,ICT Support Specialist, amatuer Dj and Photographer who loves sharing information.Find Technology tips and tricks and more here...

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