Articles from Dan Woods

1. Five Ways Cloud Hubbing Can Change Your Business Explore Forbes.com (Mar 26 2012) Cloud Computing As we mentioned in “Why You Need a Cloud Hubbing Strategy,” cloud hubbing means using the design of the data center and network to optimize the performance of applications and services. As more and more applications have moved to the cloud, as on-premise applications have started to rely on more cloud-based services, and as speedy processing means happy customers and other competitive advantages, cloud hubbing has become increasingly important. But what does cloud hubbing mean to you? Does it apply to your business? Can you safely forget about it? To figure this out we talked with Chris Sharp, Equinix’s general manager of content and cloud, one of the leading companies in putting cloud hubbing to work for its customers. I asked him to identify the top five patterns that are creating the most value for Equinix customers. By looking at these, you will get a good idea of whether ... (Read Full Article)

   Comment Mentions:   Forbes

2. Overcoming Fear Of The Cloud Explore Forbes.com (Aug 3 2010) Cloud Computing Even though the cloud is steadily enveloping the world of information technology, it is easy to forget the magnitude of the transition for those responsible for running and managing the systems. As the economic benefits of cloud technology become more profound, fear will be a smaller barrier. But right now, while we are still in the early days, fear of the cloud is a tangible force that is hard to overcome. (Read Full Article)

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3. Cloning For The Cloud Explore Forbes.com (Jul 13 2010) Cloud Computing How you can use the cloud right away, without starting from scratch. Most people in IT are overwhelmed with possibilities for using the cloud. Infrastructure-as-a-Service provides raw materials such as virtual machines, storage and databases for computing. Platform-as-a-Service provides an environment for a specific type of application programming. Software-as-a-Service allows you to get going with a cloud-based application in an instant. In addition, it is also possible to build a private cloud for your own use. Most of the time, however, when these offers come at the typical IT practitioner, there is an implicit responsibility of starting from scratch. Using Infrastructure-as-a-service means porting an application to the new environment. Platform-as-a-Service typically means using a new set of tools, languages and storage mechanisms. Software-as-a-Service is the easiest to adopt, although if you are porting from an existing application, data must be migrated and users must be trained. (Read Full Article)

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4. The Next Wave Of SaaS Explore Forbes.com (Mar 23 2010) Monitoring , Cloud Computing Right now if you think about the way software-as-a-service is delivered, Salesforce.com, NetSuite and Google are the most commonly cited examples. All these companies deliver their software using what is known as the multitenant model. Just as multitenant software knocked on-premise vendors for a loop, new distributed, open-source models for delivery of SaaS software will have a powerful impact. The implications for vendors will vary by the nature of their applications, but for businesses, the result will be an increased array of choices delivered with the benefits of SaaS. (Read Full Article)

   Comment Mentions:   Amazon.com   Google

5. The Greenhouse Gas Dilemma Explore Forbes.com (Sep 22 2009) Construction , Monitoring , Cap and Trade , Emissions , Fossil Fuel Do you need a software strategy for reporting and managing carbon emissions? The world of carbon management is most often discussed these days in terms of the pending Waxman-Markey Cap and Trade legislation, which will put steadily decreasing limits on carbon emissions and create a market for carbon credits. While most people expect that law to pass in some form in the next 12 months, a law is already on the books that requires reporting of the six greenhouse gases defined in the Kyoto Protocol. That law is the EPA's Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR), which requires more than 13,200 businesses to report their carbon emissions by March 2011. Data collection for this reporting must begin in January 2010. (Read Full Article)

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6. Green Subsidies For SaaS Explore Forbes.com (Jul 21 2009) Carbon Footprint , Solar , Cloud Computing The logic driving energy-efficiency programs could lead to subsidized purchases of SaaS software. Across the United States, utility companies run energy efficiency programs to encourage investments that will reduce energy usage. These programs support the purchase of solar power-generation technology, more efficient industrial equipment and many other types of investments. According to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, about $4.5 billion is spent on such programs annually, and data centers--large consumers of power that run and cool servers--are increasingly becoming the focus. (Read Full Article)

   Comment Mentions:   Oracle   Microsoft Corp

7. Questioning Oracle's Cloud Explore Forbes.com (Jul 7 2009) Monitoring , Cloud Computing Will the company need to clean up its applications to change the face of cloud computing? When Larry Ellison announced last month that Oracle was going to embrace cloud computing, he put forth ideas that expand on the current models. With the Sun acquisition and the rest of its formidable portfolio, Oracle has all the pieces of the puzzle to do something revolutionary. The key question: Will Oracle have to clean up its fragmented collection of applications to achieve its vision? From my perspective, the answer is yes. Even Oracle cannot afford to "cloudify" each part of its application portfolio. The first thing to realize is that Ellison's statements were only hints at a strategy. (Read Full Article)

   Comment Mentions:   Larry Ellison   Sun Microsystems   Oracle

8. Why Oracle Wants Solaris Explore Forbes.com (Jun 16 2009) Carbon Footprint , Cloud Computing With its future apparently secure, the benefits of Sun's operating system become compelling. Dan Woods Oracle praised the Solaris operating system when it agreed to acquire its creator, Sun Microsystems, but the actual beauty of this fine piece of engineering was left unexplained. Here's a look at the advantages of Solaris for business computing and insights into what Oracle's long-term intentions may be for the operating system. No matter what your attitude is toward Oracle's products, management style and strategy, anyone running a large or small data center should breathe a sigh of relief now that the long-term viability of Solaris is assured. Without an acquisition by Oracle or Cisco ( CSCO - news - people ), Solaris might have been put on the proverbial shelf, a tribute to what the fine engineers at Sun could do back in the day. Article Controls EMAIL PRINT REPRINT NEWSLETTER COMMENTS SHARE YAHOO ... (Read Full Article)

   Comment Mentions:   Sun Microsystems   Intel   Google

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