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Panel: Cloud Computing Is for Real Despite Hype

July 16, 2009 By Tod Newcombe

It's at the top of the hype charts. It probably won't save you money, especially in the short term. It needs more standards. And, it's going to transform the economic model for computing. It, of course, is cloud computing -- one of the most powerful business computing trends we've seen in years.

Four experts on the subject provided a broad, ranging overview of the topic on Wednesday during the Cloud Computing Symposium at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. David Cearley, vice president and fellow for Gartner, set the stage by defining cloud computing as "a style of computing where scalable and elastic IT-related capabilities are provided as a service to external customers using Internet technologies." He added other attributes to the cloud phenomenon, calling it a service that is shared and metered by use.

However, Cearley warned about one of the biggest cloud computing hypes. "It won't automatically save money," he cautioned. But when it is used to deal with services and applications that are impacted by spikes in demand, cloud computing can show a return on investment.

Cloud computing has three focal points, according to Cearley. First, it's about consuming external cloud services; second, the cloud is about applications; and third, it can morph into private cloud computing, which involves internal customers only. The bottom line, however, is cloud computing is far from mature, he said.

An Immature Cloud

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Report: Los Angeles Considers Cloud Computing Plan

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