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Google Plus

I am fairly agnostic when it comes to social media. I have tried a good number of them and found most of them wanting in one way or another. Typically, small things that imposes a time tax which, after some good-intention'd efforts, my usage starts to drift.

Hoopla over its growth and its demise (how time flies in the social media scale), aside. I like Google Plus for its open environment instead of being a walled garden. I also like the Twitter like capabilities.

Prometheus Reconsidered on G+

Prometheus Reconsidered now has an open curated stream on G+. It is updated almost daily but features articles that are related to technology, innovation, and business.

Please join the fun: Prometheus Reconsidered on Google Plus.

Cloud Computing with Chinese Characteristics

Rapid enterprise cloud deployments

In a recent interview with GigaOm, Marten Mickos noted that there is a lot of installations in China. On the face of it, it does not seem particularly remarkable since China seems to have a veracious appetite for just about everything else.

The obvious benefit of public cloud

In a recent conversation with a VAR in China, I was told the challenges of deploying new IT systems. Money, everything else being equal, is rarely the problem. Buyers understand the importance of ERP, CRM, and other enterprise solutions as their growth accelerates both domestically and internally. However, over the deployment phase, the physical installation of things like fiber optic lines and configurations for routers, VM, etc. suck up time and attention of highly skilled engineers which are difficult to find and retain.

My question to the VAR was why not use a public Cloud architecture and solve all these problem with a single stroke? After all, this is exactly how SalesForce.com has become a multi-billion dollar company by solving exactly these type of problems.

The subtle problem of public cloud

It turns out that many business owners in China are reluctant to let any of these data go into any public network for fear of being sniff'ed. (Interestingly, this is not a uniquely Chinese concerns, given DT's attempt at fencing its Cloud operation from the prying eyes of the US.)

Looks like private cloud will proliferate in China for a while yet.

Links

* Eucalyptus refreshes IaaS platform: http://gigaom.com/cloud/eucalyptus-refreshes-iaas-platform-isnt-dead-yet/

Cloud Power - Operator, Vendor, and Buyer

Operator Power

It is well know that Data Centers can suck up a lot of electric energy. Being one of the largest operators, the revelation of Google's power consumption is closely scrutinized. Google uses 260 million watts continuously across the globe.

To give it more context, this is approximately the equivalent of powering 200,000 homes in the US. Alternatively, this is about a quarter of the output of a standard nuclear power plant.

Keep your hand off my Cloud

German telco, Deutsche Telekom, has recently requested a waiver for their data centers so that the US government cannot access DT (and European Cloud operators in general) client's information through the US Patriot (anti-terrorism) Act.

This will be a development worth monitoring as the Public Cloud as originally imagined may splinter into different flavors. On one hand, this is bad for growth, think what internet would have been like if it cannot operate across the globe. On the other hand, it could be an interesting commercial opportunities as markets outside of the US try to leapfrog both the technological and business innovation through separate clouds.

Where is the beef

Adrian Cockcroft's entry on "I come to use clouds, not to build them" is worth a quick read for two reasons.

One is his lucid example of what the SaaS providers really care about. Don't tell me how the component works, tell me what are the things I can do with your Cloud. This is a topic well worth remmeber for those us involved with Cloud, or any emerging technology in general. In otehr words, don't get side tracked by the "sexy" technical stuff.

Second is his observation on OpenStack. His view is exactly what it is, his view. And, I consider the negative tone on OpenStack is really a "roadmap" on what would make OpenStack a viable solution for SaaS vendors like Netflix. And, that, to echo observation #1 above, is precisely the point.

Links

What It Takes to Power Google: http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/38556/?nlid=nldly&nld=2011-09-12

Deutsche Telekom Wants `German Cloud’ to Shield Data From U.S.: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-13/deutsche-telekom-wants-german-cloud-to-shield-data-from-u-s-.html

I come to use clouds, not to build them...: http://perfcap.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-come-to-use-clouds-not-to-build-them.html

The Nebulous Enterprise Cloud Computing

Defining Cloud Computing for enterprises

With any emerging market place, there are different reference points depending on who you are. Today, Cloud Computing is probably more commonly associated with the offerings of Amazon as a commodity. On the other hand, telecommunication firms from Verizon to BT are the natural players for enterprise class Cloud Computing because they have the custmer relationiship and the network. Nevertheless, when a buyer is thinking about a no-frill commodity service, a la Amazon Cloud, it can be an uphill battle to sell highly sercure, available, full service solutions.

Where experiments are taking place

While the conventional telco sales channels may be somewhat stymied in getting enterprise adoption, a good deal of experimentation are happening with (relatively) smaller players.

Cincinnati Bell, a ILEC, is building up its data center footprint in the US, Asia (Singapore), and Europe (UK) to supports its clients. Integra Telecom, a CLEC, is offering a new Cloud suite targetting SME and regional enterprises. And, even Facebook is opening up its data center as a way to encourage conversations with equipment makers and software providers. These are the kinds of places where emerging buseinss models are likely to emerge and are well worth watching.

A little (ITIL) SPIT in your Cloud?

Of course, the major international telco players are not sitting on their hands. A pressing issue in Cloud today is how to talk about it. It has hardware and software like the traditional IT world. It has service elements like consulting and BPO. Then, the whole thing has the extra dimension of operating on top of telecom networks. Thus far, we have not yet taken into account industry requirements such as medical or national regulations such as export control. Nor have we touched on what the consumers of Cloud care about.

With that degree of complexity in mind, it would be interesting to see if the development of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and SPIT (Service Provider IT) could bring some sanity into Cloud conversation for enterprise users.

* Cloud |= telco enterprise services: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=211716&f_src=lrdailynewsletter

* CLEC getting into Cloud: http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/integra-telecom-adds-palo-alto-networks-platform-its-cloud-services-suite/2011-08-29?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

* Small ILEC getting into Cloud: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2011/08/cincinnati-bell-banking-on-big-growth.html?page=all

* FaceBook's (Cloud) data center: http://www.economist.com/node/21525583

* ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) for telco operators: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=211702&site=lreurope&f_src=lrdailynewsletter

* SPIT (Service Provider IT) for telco operators: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=187395

A Device that Loves You

Hi! I am Still Here!!

With the accolades piling on after Steve Jobs announced his retirement from his active role as Apple's CEO, I could not help but feel that I have been reading eulogies. But, to state the obvious and to paraphrase Mark Twain, Jobs' earthly departure has been greatly exaggerated.

More platitude

Jobs is known, today, for a string of i(Stuff) after he took back the rein as head of Apple. To that point, I think the most insightful comment is AEI's observation that his success is built on a series of spectacular failures. For old timers in Silicon Valley, Jobs' original notoriety was for supposedly "being inspired/borrowed/stole" the GUI (graphic user interface) and mouse design after visiting Xerox PARC to create the original Mac. On that score, one cannot help but wonder if we would still be using command line interface today without him.

On Jobs-ness

I was watching two kids playing with an iPad recently. Predictably, I marveled at the ease in which these kids, with an average age of 3, interacted with the device. What is the magic sauce? Design is important, but there are plenty of studios with world class designers. Interface is important, but it is actually a well analyzed science with its own conferences. Technology is important, but nobody buys Apple for its CPU speed or new interface cards. All of these seem to be necessary but insufficient conditions. Then, it struck me that what makes a Steve Jobs device compelling is its laser-like narrow focus on the actual user at the risk of excluding everyone else. It does not try to play nice with your corporate IT support team. It does not like talking with your friend's Android device. It actually does not do a lot of stuff that most technology types would consider important. On the other hand, I have noticed in conversations with Apple users that it often sound a bit like a love-affair.

Maybe that is the point. Steve Jobs builds a device that loves you and expects nothing less in return.


* NY Times on Steve Jobs: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/j/steven_p_jobs/index.html

* Steve Jobs: America's Greatest Failure http://www.aei.org/article/104051

* Jobs the innovator (not inventor): http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/apples-jobs-should-be-remembered-product-innovator-not-inventor/2011-08-29?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

* Working with Jobs: http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/25/michael-dhuey-apple-engineer/