Having attended a number of industry events this year, such as Dreamforce, I continue to be amazed by the huge momentum that Cloud Computing has gained in just a few short years.
According to Salesforce.com, around 45,000 enthusiasts registered for the conference in San Francisco. It was certainly a highly attended event and exciting to be among so many passionate leaders in Cloud Computing sharing in the goal to collaborate, connect, and inspire.
This matter of confidence in Cloud Computing is a discussion which continues to influence industry thought on both sides of the Atlantic. We recently commissioned research in the UK which found that while 84 per cent of organisations accept that Cloud will definitely form part of their IT strategy, 43 per cent are still uncertain as to how their investment in the technology, and services, will change over time. But fear not, these hesitations are far from insurmountable.
I recently joined the TechAmerica Cloud ² committee, which advised the US government on ways that they can accelerate movement to the Cloud. In addition to the ‘Cloud First Buyer’s Guide for Government’, we also published the US Cloud Computing roadmap that presents a series of recommendations to assist organisations in the adoption of the Cloud . These can apply not only to government but to enterprises, large and small.
The pragmatic recommendations focus on four key areas – Trust, Transparency, Transnational Data Flows and Transformation. On one side, our recommendations regarding transnational data flows and transformation largely deal with policy. Our other recommendations address specific operational issues and are immediately actionable across both the public and private sector.
Let’s take a closer look at the four components of the report:
- Trust: We must ensure that there is trust in Cloud vendors and how Cloud technology will be consumed and integrated with existing IT systems. It is essential for organisations to trust Cloud technology and its providers in order to have the confidence necessary to reap its benefits.
- Transparency: Building on the concept of trust and its importance, businesses need to work with Cloud providers which are reliable and transparent in their operations. Without transparency, the user’s trust is lost. Businesses need to be able to keep their data in sight, always within reach, and handled by Cloud providers whose operations are reliable and trustworthy.
- Transnational Data Flows: With Cloud technology blurring geographical boundaries, any enterprise that invests in the Cloud must take into account all the factors and concerns surrounding the movement of data across international borders. This is clearly something which governments must address through the creation of policies and guidelines that recognise this new reality.
- Transformation: With global data volume growth at a staggering average of 40 per cent in 2010 , the time to transform the way in which organisations store and use data is now. Changes required to create policies that will press forward the adoption of Cloud must be identified at a governmental level.
It is clear that there are concerns and solutions that apply to both sides of the Atlantic, such as security and integration. In relation to these concerns, I would urge Cloud providers to deliver clear insight and status updates, in order to provide transparency to customers at all times. By creating ‘Trust Sites’, Cloud security policies and operational status are visible to users and fears are therefore eased.
Furthermore, customers should retain full control of data via robust interfaces and tools, supported by an ecosystem of third-party solutions. This would provide businesses with seamless control of data in the Cloud which can easily be integrated with on-premise applications – essentially wherever their data resides. As with on-premise-only solutions, the value of an IT system increases when it can share data with other IT systems.
Finally, what about the notion of ‘hybrid IT?’ To me, IT is increasingly becoming a hybrid environment. Despite all the innovation that Cloud computing enables, we need to recognise that organisations aren’t going to be able to simply rip and replace all of their existing IT systems and infrastructure.
An environment in which an organisation is able to implement Cloud based solutions that leverage today’s innovation and best-of-breed solutions, while seamlessly integrating them with existing on-premise solutions, is a sound IT strategy that provides the best of both words. Data integration is a key component of a successful and optimal transition to the Cloud that unlocks the true power of Cloud computing for today’s enterprises.
While the journey to the Cloud is in a relatively early stage, the evidence is clear it is here to stay -- advancing boldly and accelerating at an astonishing rate. Encouraging and affirming confidence in the technologies and best practices which enable and assist in a smooth and responsible deployment of the Cloud is a surefire means to continue driving the industry forward – and enabling businesses around the world to experience the full benefits Cloud Computing has to offer.
Juan Carlos Soto is Senior Vice President and General Manager, B2B Data Exchange and Cloud Data Integration Business Units, Informatica.
