Kategorie: Analysis

Kategorien
Analysis

Windows 8 is a "transition model"

I’m using Windows 8 now since a few days in real production use. I really like the new operating system, even if the mix of „tile environment“ and the familiar Windows desktop is „something special“. Although I must say that I particularly „would“ like to work with the tile surface very much! Would, because I spend 99% of the time on the classic desktop interface. And this for a good reason. All the applications I use are indeed started on the tiles, but then switch automatically to the desktop.

Main workspace: Browser

I work mainly in the browser. And also this automatically opens the Windows desktop, even the Internet Explorer. Self-critical as I am, I must admit, I have not trawl through the Windows Store for possible candidates. There are certainly one or the other treasure that can help me.

The use is a balancing act

However, the use of Windows 8 is a balancing act. On a tablet, the tiles and usability are very well done. I was able to test it extensively. With a mouse the feeling is not the same. On the other hand, not only for the old applications, the traditional desktop is needed. But using your fingers on a tablet here is no fun. Unless you have fingers like a chaffinch female. Here is a mouse advisable.

But basically I would recommend Windows 8.

Windows 8 can just be a „transition model“

Windows 8 is respectively can „just“ be a transition model. This is not meant as negative as it may sounds. But Microsoft needed to find a way to deliver users and developers a hybrid model. With the upcoming version – Windows 9 or maybe even „Windows X“ – the classic desktop will disappear completely. Respectively there will be just a narrow compatibility mode for the desktop to not completely lose all the stragglers.

Over time all software developers and vendors will either switch their solutions completely to the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model via browser or optimize their apps for the Windows tile surface to offer in the Windows Store.

When is the „Microsoft Cloudbook“ coming?

However, an interesting question still remains. Will Microsoft go maybe the Google way in the future? Is there may soon be a Chromebook counterpart from Microsoft? As I metioned above, the browser is my main work area number one and I’m definitely not the only one. Furthermore more and more applications move to the cloud via SaaS. And not to forget, with the Windows Azure infrastructure Microsoft provides a fully developed and efficient cloud environment over which even Office 365 is deployed and also a „Microsoft Cloudbook“ can be readily supplied with applications, etc. With Windows Azure, Office 365 (Office 2013), Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Skype, Windows Store, etc. Microsoft has created the necessary circumstances the recent months and years.

Kategorien
Analysis

Traditional webhoster and their fight with real infrastructure-as-a-services

Some days ago I had a briefing with an european webhoster who presented his product line-up and the strategic alignment. I reluctantly would like to use the term cloud-washing. But this call showed me again that traditional webhoster have massive problems to define and build a real infrastructure-as-a-service offering.

Difficulties with modernity

It is what I often see in the portfolio of a „cloud“ services provider. These are mostly classical webhoster, who did not want to miss the cloud hype and jump on the bandwagon by cloud-enabling their offering on the paper. There are exceptions, but these are very rare. At this point, the providers purely and simply jumped on the hype and understand the Internet as the cloud.

The portfolio of the provider I talked to had the same shape. It includes dedicated server und cloud server, which a few months/ years ago had been named virtual server. These „cloud servers“ are offered as five fixed different variety of configurations incl. 1 to 4 cores, storage and ram for a monthly fee of x EUR/ USD. Not to forget: the deployment period is indicated from 1 to 5 workdays. Further questions revealed that there is no on demand offering and for example no API to manage or start and stop additional server. Additional services or software images around the offering also lack just as a pay as you go model.

Internal structure and strategy: check

Upon request the provider acknowledged that, except for the word itself, the server offerings have nothing to do with cloud computing. But he seems to be on the right way. About a year ago he converted the internal infrastructure to CloudStack to benefit from a better provisioning for the customer servers. But, customers can’t take advantage of it so far. Moreover they switched with KVM to a modern, open and widespread hypervisor. Also the issue of network virtualization was implemented a few weeks ago. On his own admission, the provider already do have a cloud strategy which will give the customers the opportunity to get resources on demand plus a pay as you go model. Since he his now self-aware that it is absolutely necessary.

Nevertheless, considering these experiences each user who seriously wants to go to the cloud should be informed in advance intensively.

Kategorien
Analysis

Checklist: Check a Cloud Computing provider for authenticity

Increasingly the question is asked, how an authentic Cloud Computing offer can be recognized. It is often said: “We let our data processing be dealt with by a service provider in their data center. We are then already using Cloud, right?” Caution! Cloud Computing has recently been abused by the marketing departments of various providers, resulting in a dilution of the concept taking place. What was once for example, a “managed server”, is now simply a “Cloud server”. Eventually however, only the sticker was replaced. This “principle” is also known as Cloud-Washing.

Check a Cloud Computing provider for authenticity

Cloud Computing and its characteristics

Cloud Computing primarily refers to a service model, with which (theoretically unlimited) IT resources such as computational power, disk space, applications and other types of services-on-demand can be accessed. The resources will be charged based only on the pay-as-you-go concept , which is in fact used at present.

In addition to the known characteristics of Cloud Computing, there are other typical occurrences that distinguish a Cloud. Besides general characteristics, these also include technical ones as well as the viewing angle from the perspective of a company.

General Characteristics

Elasticity
Cloud allows you to scale resources up and down as required. The time required is in the range of seconds and minutes, not weeks or months.

Economies of Scale
The Cloud Computing provider is able to exploit economies of scale and can obtain the required infrastructure for Cloud Computing such as power, cooling, bandwidth and hardware at the best possible price.

Pay as you Go
This is more about a general feature rather than a commercial one. Through the use of Cloud, technicians reach decisions regarding the allocation of resources, which have a direct impact on the consumption of resources and the extent of total costs. Therefore in future, everyone has a duty to lead the company more efficiently.

Technical Characteristics

Rapid scalability
Additional resources can be bought on-Demand in a matter of minutes in order to meet the requirements of unexpected situations when needed. These include e.g. complex calculations or an unexpectedly high number of visitors on the website. If the resources are no longer needed, they can be returned to Cloud.

Resources are abstract and uncomplicated
The hardware needed for the operation of a Cloud changes and is constantly being improved. However, it is the Cloud Computing provider’s job to take care of this. A Cloud Computing user no longer has to deal with the details behind a Cloud.

A Cloud consists of individual modules
The IT resources of a Cloud Computing provider consist of small modules. This means they are available separately and are calculated separately. A user has the option of not using any resources, using all of them, or just using a few, which are provided to him as a service via the Cloud.

Experimentation is cost-effective
Cloud Computing removes the economic hurdle for experimenting. This allows new ideas to be tested without long-term investment in the required hardware, in which case one might resort to temporary resources.

Characteristics from the perspective of a company

No upfront investment
Cloud Computing was created to share resources when necessary. For this reason, no one-time or large investments are necessary before the actual need arises.

Variable costs that come from fixed costs
Instead of relying on a fixed number of resources over a long contract period (usually one to three years), Cloud Computing enables the use of resources to be changed in real-time.

Investments become overheads
Investments are usually spread over a long period, leading to a multi-year commitment to using a certain amount of resources. Overheads however, reflect the actual usage of Cloud services and can be modified in real-time.

Resource allocation is more granular
Cloud Computing enables minimal usage in terms of time and resources, for example, server usage per hour and the individual bytes of used memory.

The company gains flexibility
Due to the fact that a company no longer binds itself to resources for the long term, it is able to respond to changes more quickly, with reference to the required amounts and the type of business activity.

The provider remains under observation
The core business of Cloud Computing providers is to provide its Cloud for public use. Therefore, it has a strong incentive to provide its services so that they are reliable, applicable and cost-effective. Cloud therefore reflects the core competencies of a provider once again.

Costs are associative
Due to Cloud Computing’s flexible resource allocation model, it is just as easy to apply and operate 100 servers for an hour as it is to do so with a server for 100 hours. It encourages innovative thinking in terms of solutions to problems that are only made possible by massive scaling.

The Checklist

Let it be understood that as a rule, you cannot and should not look into the interior. In the case of a Cloud, it is a black box which is either controlled via an API (interface) or a web interface. It thus depends on the external values that you can see and observe directly.

Checklist: Check a Cloud Computing provider for authenticity

The checklist can also be viewed and downloaded as a PDF at „Checklist: Check a Cloud Computing provider for authenticity„.

Bildquelle: ©Claaslietz / PIXELIO

Kategorien
Analysis

Don't compete against the Amazon Web Services just with Infrastructure

More and more providers try to seek their fortune in Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) hoping to get something from the alpha males cake – Amazon Web Services (AWS). GigaOm recently asked the question: „Will there be an Amazon of Europe?“ and they have the clear answer: No. I am also of the opinion, that there will be no significant competition from Europe in the near future. I go even one step further and assume that there is currently no public provider in the world who is able to compete with AWS. Because unlike GigaOm, you have to look at the cloud market from a global point of view. Based on their structure there are no regional limitations for the cloud. Each user can get his ressources from all over the world. I don’t want to exhibit AWS a free ticket, but it will be very tough for the competitors to get a good marekt share in IaaS.

The market is big enough, but…

The IaaS market is big enough and offers plenty of room for multiple infrastructure vendors. However, you should keep in mind who currently decides for the public cloud, and who for the private cloud. After that take a look of each providers offerings to separate the wheat from the chaff. Then it becomes clear why Amazon has the lead, and it will be hard for newbies, if they focus just on pure infrastructure. Some vendors try to compete Amazon, for example with a higher (network) performance. That is certainly a nice try, but not a conclusive argument.

Public Cloud: Developer & Startups

The public cloud is preferentially used by developers and startups. Based on the simple resource access and the pay per use model of the cloud they build their business models. My favorite example is Pinterest. By their own admission they were not as successful without cloud computing. This was partly due to the possibility of an ever-growing and expand the resources to meet the needs without the huge capital for its own server farm. On the other hand, the cloud has allowed Pinterest to work efficiently and experiment cost-effectively. In addition, the website could grow very fast while only a very small team had to worry about maintenance. In December 2011, Pinterest employed only 12 people.

Private Cloud: Enterprise

Many established companies are focused on the subject of data protection and security regardless of the high investment costs and maintenance costs of a private cloud. In addition, I hear in conversations that „investments have already made ​​in hardware/ software“ which still has to be exploit. According to a Gartner survey, 75% of respondents plan a strategy in this area until 2014. Many different companies have private cloud solutions in pilot projects and in-production as well. The main goal is to draw the most out of virtualization.

Infrastructure means more than just infrastructure

Most IaaS provider make the mistake to focus on pure infrastructure only. That means they only offer the typical resources such as processing power, memory, operating system images, and other software solutions such as databases. That fits in the basic idea of IaaS, but it is no longer enough to compete against Amazon.

Services, Services, Services

If you look at the offering of the Amazon Web Services in detail, it now consists of much more than just virtual resources, computing power and storage. This is a comprehensive service portfolio, which is being steadily enlarged with a huge pace. All services are fully integrated with each other and form their own ecosystem. With that you are able to built your own virtual data center and develop and host complex applications.

Developers are Amazon’s disciples

On the basis of this cohesive offering Amazon is a popular place for developers and startups, who find a lot of capabilities to implement their own ideas. I have already written about this situation critically and stick to it that Amazon should also focused increasingly on the needs of businesses. Nevertheless, developers are currently Amazon’s trump making the cloud provider to be the leading IaaS in the world.

Convenience

What Amazon currently missing is comfort, convenience. Here new players combine IaaS resources such as computing power, storage, network components, etc. to an „Infrastructure-as-a-Platform“ (IaaP) solution. They allow companies to build their own data center on-demand, thus a “Data-Centre-as-a-Service” (DCaaS). In this area Amazon must begin to catch up and offer their existing and new customers more convenience, to let them use their infrastructure more conveniently and need less time and expertise at configuration. IT departments, especially in small-and medium-sized companies will be watching on these comfort in the future.

Difficult but not impossible

Amazon is one of the first generation cloud providers, and there are areas in which they need to catch up. But the concept is very sophisticated. Under the hood, they may no longer be technologically up to date. But the question is how much a customer is interested, whether technology A or technology B is used in the „black box“ as long as the services are available, with which the objective can be realized. In addition, certain technologies are based on the loose coupling of infrastructure and services (building blocks) can be exchange.

As I wrote above, the market is big enough and not all companies will go to Amazon. I just would like to point out that it is now no longer enough to focus only on the basic IaaS properties when sending an IaaS offering against Amazon in the ring. Some time ago I had faced the Amazon Web Services with the Google Cloud Platform (AWS vs. Google) and Microsoft Windows Azure (AWS vs. Azure). To me both are those public IaaS providers that are currently in a position to catch up. However looking at Google’s table particularly, some places still have to many service gaps.

Image source: Bildquelle: ©Stephanie Hofschlaeger / PIXELIO

Kategorien
Analysis

The Mobile Cloud is the real mega-trend

Strictly speaking, the two megatrends mobile computing and cloud computing are already underway side by side for several years.

What many providers e.g. Apple has avoided for years, Google already paid in the introduction of Android, and has recognized special value to the enormous growth potential. Thus, for example Google oriented its services like mail, calendar, etc. and the app deployment on their cloud based market.

The first Android device (HTC Dream | T-Mobile G1) was launched on 22. of October 2008. The target group was primarily private users with a Google account who wanted to sync their e-mails, appointments, contacts etc. After a year, the system developed slowly but surely coming to a mobile platform for the corporate use. The update to Android 1.6 also brought the long awaited opportunity to connect to a remote site via a VPN. Connections could be made ​​here by the use of PPTP and L2TP (PSK IPsec or IPsec CRT).

For using Android in the enterprise a lot of apps have been released in the last two years. But in my opinion the biggest advantage for the use in the enterprise is the portability. Beside on smartphones Android can also be used on netbooks, tablets or any other devices like mobile data acquisition units, cash registers, and any embedded systems.

Optimal scenario

The simplest Android related scenario and yet with the least effort is the full use of the Google infrastructure. This assumes, however, that the company already use Google Apps for e-mail communication and managing calendar and contacts. Android per se is fully integrated into the Google infrastructure. Thus, all the changes for example in the mailbox or the calendar are automatically synchronized with the Google servers. Therefore, the data of a user is always up to date, regardless of the used workstation (desktop, mobile, etc.). Please note, this is the optimal scenario and can not be implemented without additional effort, for example when you are using an Exchange
Server.

Ideal for a cloud strategy

Android follows the idea of cloud computing. This means that the data lie in a server farm on the Internet and synchronize in this case with the mobile device. If a company decides e.g. for the above scenario where the data is stored at Google, they can be dispensed with the provision and maintenance of a mobile infrastructure in their own data center, which is a clear cost advantage. By storing company data on servers and not on the mobile device, the data are protected. The mobile device can be blocked centrally in the event of theft or other mishaps at any time or administered centrally in general. Telephone conversations can take place via the corporate network. The talks will be launched from the mobile device and then routed over the corporate network. The advantage is the clear separation of private and business calls, using a single phone number and access to the central contact database of the company. In addition to (mobile) telephone conferences on the enterprise network regardless of location / time and any number of users is the ability to query the current status of each user to see as if he/ she is just available. Further, Sales representatives have access to all data (eg CRM or ERP) from anywhere via a (mobile) Internet connection.

Conclusion

The Mobile Cloud is not an issue for the future but for some time now arrived in the present. It is where the two megatrends mobile computing and cloud computing merge to a hyper-trend (if one may call it so) and allow companies and their employees thus enabling access to all data from each place and at any time.