So what is this Cloud thing?

Wow, a couple of years ago, I thought I was really on to something with this whole Cloud thing, it was good stuff, on-demand, elastic pricing, virtualization, economies of scale, blah, blah, blah. But now, I have to say, I am not so excited. After spending the last two years talking to CIO's, CEO's, COO's and most importantly CFO's about all the Cloud has to offer, it seams the only ones who are really benefiting from the buzz are the CMO's (of old technology companies). That stands to reason, their job is to spin. What concerns me, is the nebulousness that the Cloud term has begun to evoke. So just for the record, let's define what a Cloud is, what Cloud provider is and what Cloud Computing is.

First, there is ONLY one Cloud and it encompasses the entire universe outside of our atmosphere. This analogy is very important. The Cloud is the Nebulous, all of it, including the Solar System, the Milky Way, and all of the galaxies and universes that lie beyond what is contained in our natural environment called Earth. For this discussion, it is important that the Cloud be nebulous and outside of our control because it hammers the point. It is also important that it be seen as a provider, after all, what is out there is ultimately source of all life and energy within our environment. In that light, the Sun is the simplest example of a Cloud provider.

When we apply the Cloud analogy to business services there are literally millions of Cloud providers...For the purposes of this discussion, I define a Cloud service provider as an entity which delivers its complete value without the need to modify the clients environment. Think eBay, Bank of America, Southwest Airlines, AT&T, PG&E, etc. These are all Cloud providers, and once connected to their clients, all share some simple characteristics:

1. They all provide access to utilities or services built on a system or network that doesn't require modification to the client's environment.
2. All services can be provisioned dynamically in a completely self service fashion.
3. All services are available on a metered and granular pay-for use basis.
4. All services can be highly tailored via self service or by evoking a client advocate.

What is Cloud Computing then? From the user's perspective, it is simply the extension of this metaphor to the availability of services traditionally associated with a computer, i.e., data management and processing. Just as I don't have to buy the airplane to fly to San Francisco, I shouldn't have to purchase a data center to automate processes or manage information. In other words, just as the network is the Dial Tone, the Cloud is the Computer. The user doesn't care where the resources are nor to whom they ultimately belong, only that they are reliable and available. End of discussion.

It is my belief that all of the noise around this revolution in computing comes to bare when the critical asset that is being managed is addressed; data. Data management is complicated stuff, and it has to be to insure that data management professionals are gainfully employed. But just like financial management, real estate management, and time management, it is an art that can be mastered. Like all of these assets where individuals seek the services of professionals, the key is to look at Information Management as an art and not a technology. It is the same way we think of travel as a destination rather than a trip. In other words, the physical movement of one's body is a service guarantied by the provider. The provider might employ different technologies to insure delivery, but that is not the user's concern. The provider benefits directly from centralization, virtualization, and standardization, but the user doesn't, and shouldn't care so long as service is available at his price point. In fact, if delivery is not guaranteed, no payment is expected. Can you imagine if your financial planner insisted that you purchase his calculator before he set down to planing your retirement?