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Predictions 2012 - Cloud by Default
Contributed
Article by Dave Wright, Founder and CEO, SolidFire
Cloud
computing has gone from obscure to trendy, to over-hyped, and to mainstream in
the last five years. The next logical step is ubiquity, and I think 2012 will
be the year when "cloud" starts to become the default model for new
infrastructure and software deployments. Instead of justifying why IT should
purchase a cloud-based solution over on-premises hardware and software, the
tables will subtly turn, and justification will now be required for why a
problem can't be solved by a combination of cloud-based software and
infrastructure.
This trend has firmly established itself in the
"early adopter" audience of small businesses and startups. Cloud-based e-mail,
file sharing, backup, web hosting, and server infrastructure are the only way
to go if you're just starting out. For larger companies with established
infrastructure, the transition will take time - but every server has a
lifespan, and every software solution gets upgraded (or replaced). In 2012, the
question isn't "is there a cloud solution we can use to solve this problem"
(there almost certainly is at this point), but rather "is there any legitimate
business reason not to solve this problem in the cloud?"
Why is this shift happening? Quite simply, that is because
SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS solutions represent a more efficient way for companies to
deploy and manage the IT infrastructure. With limited manpower, money, and
resources, cloud solutions have a multiplying effect, allowing IT staff to do
more, faster, and leverage the focused and experienced talent infrastructure
experts such as Rackspace, Amazon, Google, and Salesforce.
The barriers that have prevented wider adoption of
cloud technologies are rapidly falling. Hybrid cloud models and private
interconnections are solving migration, legacy integration, and security
issues. Large CPU and memory virtual machines, cloud GPU, 10GB networking, and
all-solid state cloud storage like SolidFire are quickly making the cloud
suitable for any workload, no matter how demanding. Competition in the cloud
space is increasing, providing more options, lower prices, and specialized
cloud products.
While some IT administrators will chain themselves to
their server racks and continue to claim that cloud is just a fad or can't
possible work for "their" applications, the reality is that cloud computing is
quickly becoming as ubiquitous as utility power and water. Those that don't
learn to leverage it effectively will be buying stock in buggy whip makers
while the rest of us zoom around in flying cars.
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About the Author
Dave
Wright left Stanford in 1998 to start GameSpy Industries, which merged with IGN
Entertainment. In 2007, he founded Jungle Disk, a cloud-based storage and
backup startup acquired by Rackspace. Wright worked with the Rackspace Cloud
division to build a cloud platform supporting tens of thousands of customers.
In 2009, he founded SolidFire.