Characterizing cloud computing

Insightful analysis by consultants Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler, plus links to the latest WAN news headlines

Given the impact that cloud computing is already having, and will continue to have, on the WAN, this is the third in a series of newsletters on cloud computing. In the previous newsletter we discussed why we think that attempting to define cloud computing is not worthwhile. In this newsletter we will continue our discussion of the primary characteristics of a cloud computing solution.

10 cloud computing companies to watch

Cloud computing assumes the centralization of IT resources such as applications, servers and storage resources. This does not mean that these resources are all provided out of a single data center. It does mean, however, that they are provided out of an increasingly smaller number of data centers. The centralization of IT resources is one of the main reasons why cloud computing leads to more traffic transiting the WAN.

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Given the impact that cloud computing is already having, and will continue to have, on the WAN, this is the third in a series of newsletters on cloud computing. In the previous newsletter we discussed why we think that attempting to define cloud computing is not worthwhile. In this newsletter we will continue our discussion of the primary characteristics of a cloud computing solution.

10 cloud computing companies to watch

Cloud computing assumes the centralization of IT resources such as applications, servers and storage resources. This does not mean that these resources are all provided out of a single data center. It does mean, however, that they are provided out of an increasingly smaller number of data centers. The centralization of IT resources is one of the main reasons why cloud computing leads to more traffic transiting the WAN.

The vast majority of IT organizations have already consolidated at least some servers out of branch offices. While only around 40% of IT organizations have consolidated the majority of servers into centralized data centers, that percentage will increase over the next year. Can IT organizations that have consolidated their servers out of branch offices and into centralized data centers claim that they have implemented private cloud computing? Unto itself, that is a bit of a stretch.

As noted in the last newsletter, the goal of cloud computing is an order of magnitude improvement in the cost-effective, elastic provisioning of IT resources. Because that is the goal, the automation of as many tasks as possible (for example, provisioning, troubleshooting, change and configuration management) is clearly one of the primary characteristics of cloud computing.

Automating management is challenging in part due to the sheer complexity of the task. That complexity results from the combination of the number and types of devices that require management; such as servers, switches, routers, intrusion-detection systems, intrusion-protection systems, firewalls, WAN optimization controllers and application delivery controllers. In addition, most environments are multi-vendor which further complicates the task of automation.

As Jim's report indicates, there are several other key characteristics of cloud computing. This includes self service, usage sensitive chargeback, the simplification of IT services, and the federation of disparate cloud computing infrastructures with one another.

As we said above, it is a bit of a stretch for an IT organization that has consolidated their servers out of their branch offices and into centralized data centers to claim that they have implemented private cloud computing. However, if in addition to consolidating their servers, an IT organization has also virtualized them and also virtualized at least some of the company's desktops and has also automated at least some key management processes, then it is not that much of a stretch for that IT organization to claim that it has implemented private cloud computing.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Jim Metzler is vice president of Ashton, Metzler & Associates.