HP CEO casts security doubts on Cloud Computing

Hewlett-Packard's CEO Mark Hurd has told Gartner Group's Symposium event that he has some serious issues with the concept of Cloud Computing, particularly when it comes to security. But Gartner itself reckons Cloud Computing is a major trend for next year.

While he insisted that HP would continue to be a disruptive force in the IT industry, he seemed less than entirely enthused by Cloud Computing. More work is needed before Cloud services, specifically those located outside the firewall, can offer enough security, he reckons. "There is whole set of things from a security perspective that, frankly, have to be overcome to make sure we can keep the momentum going," said Hurd.

"I think it's a very attractive model, but there will be challenges," Hurd said. "At the end of the day, if you tell a CEO, 'Put our e-mail in the Cloud,' a certain amount of CEOs will tell you not [to]. If HP Chief Information Officer Randy Mott told me, 'Put the general ledger up in Cloud,' I'd say go back to work, we're not doing that.

"We get about 1,000 hacks a day. They're more sophisticated every month," Hurd said. "Security and reliability is a huge thing. It's unlikely we'd put anything outside the firewall that's material in nature that we couldn't 100 percent secure."

Hurd also had problems with Cloud is that it is too technical a term. “We try to break this down into simple, clear services," he said. "I got a lot of boos after that...From a nontechnical CEO perspective, 'Cloud Computing' does not sound very clear to them. If this Cloud Computing is so cool, try to break this down into simple clear services that help my business be a better business."

Hurd's comments were made at Gartner Group's IT Expo/Symposium in Orlando at which the firm named its Top Ten Technology Trends. Cloud Computing took the number one slot. Gartner defined Cloud Computing as: “a style of computing that characterises a model in which providers deliver a variety of IT-enabled capabilities to consumers. Cloud-based services can be exploited in a variety of ways to develop an application or a solution. Using cloud resources does not eliminate the costs of IT solutions, but does re-arrange some and reduce others. In addition, consuming cloud services enterprises will increasingly act as cloud providers and deliver application, information or business process services to customers and business partners.”

Given its prime position on Gartner's list, companies need to begin evaluation of it, if not adoption just yet. “Companies should factor the top 10 technologies into their strategic planning process by asking key questions and making deliberate decisions about them during the next two years,” said David Cearley, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. “However, this does not necessarily mean adoption and investment in all of the technologies. They should determine which technologies will help and transform their individual business initiatives.”