A closer look at Google’s new cloud offering, Compute Engine (IaaS)

Google’s unveiling of the Compute Engine service is certain to provide Amazon’s EC2 with some stiff competition. Just what is Compute Engine, you ask? Google’s new IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) offering is a platform for running massive computing workloads. Among other things, this new product is able to provide a more inclusive destination for other cloud services to reside in. Specifically, the Compute Engine is facilitated by the Google API’s console which basically creates an account which you can fully customize and add services to. cloud offering Compute Engine IaaS

What individuals and businesses end up doing with Google’s Compute Engine is yet to be seen. Given that this latest offering is so similar in features and capabilities as Amazon’s EC2, we’re likely to see more of the same (which certainly isn’t a bad thing). However, since we are talking about highly functional independent cloud computing “instances” here, it will be interesting to see how certain types of businesses end up approaching and utilizing this new technology.

One of the most inviting aspects of the Compute Engine service is pricing. How affordable could it possibly be, you ask? Well, how does around $0.145 for 1 core, 3.75GB RAM virtual machine, sound to you? It’s really easy to see why so many companies are eager to jump on board the Google’s mothership; they’re basically rewriting the rules when it comes to affordable cloud computing with this latest service.

What kinds of things can you do with the Compute Engine service?
As previously stated, Compute Engine looks and behaves a lot like EC2; in other words, anything you can do with one, you can do with the other (as far as we know right now, that is, they could of course change some things prior to official release). Naturally, high performance computing applications are a given – which allow individuals and organizations to access supercomputer-like power and process multitudes of parallel processes simultaneously. Moreover, demand for high performance computing is increasing as more and more businesses become increasingly reliant on IT and web technology.

Clients who run media delivery, storage and social networking sites will also be able to take advantage of Compute Engine’s ability to perform lightning-fast batch processing. Research groups, universities, search engine companies and other businesses who routinely analyze large volumes of data will also be able to reap the rewards of Google’s Compute Engine.

Side note* – A little preparation never hurt anyone
All of this talk of exciting new Google-based cloud computing services highlights an important point which many businesses might have been avoiding up to this point, which is – how well prepared is your organization for utilizing cloud computing. You could argue that simply “utilizing” cloud computing might not be enough, to take full advantage of the technology (and cash in ahead of one’s competitors) you really need knowledgeable and qualified personnel online or on-site who can help you achieve this.

Simply being able to employ the services is not going to give you an edge; you need professionals in your organization who are able to see the “big picture” in every scenario. The easiest way to achieve a more cohesive and intuitive IT / cloud computing operation is to seek out affordable and accommodating cloud computing certification and training.  Learn more about that here.

What effect will Google’s Compute Engine have on Cloud Computing as a whole?
Google and Amazon are not the only ones with massive cloud computing operations / services on the table. A number of other major companies are pushing (or have already pushed) similar technologies to the market. However, none of these other organizations are making the kind of waves that Google and Amazon are making, so it’s probably not important that we focus on them too much for right now.

The major players in the cloud computing game seem to be Microsoft, Google and Amazon, with a great number of pundits and experts arriving at the conclusion that Google will pull ahead of the pack. Why Google’s Compute Engine, what makes it so special?  First of all, Google already has a dizzying number of individual apps and services which will likely be directly integrated into its cloud computing services at some point in the near future. Think about it, Google basically has an app for anything and everything.

Secondly, Google seems to be a very inclusive organization; when they see something they like, they either quickly incorporate it or copy it. This assimilation tendency is part of the reason for Google’s overwhelming success, wouldn’t you agree?

Thirdly, Google is better positioned within the world or the internet and internet-based research than virtually any other organization out there. While other groups might have been focused solely on hardware or software, Google has been developing products and services based on research gathered directly from billions of users and the demand they generate. In other words, it could be argued that Google knows (better than anyone) what people want and need in terms of cloud computing services.

Lastly, Compute Engine is slated to deliver comparable or better results than all competitors and its price tag (right now) is much cheaper than what is being offered via the competition. In fact, Google has publicly stated that they anticipate Compute Engine to cost around half of what the competitors are charging.

Add all of the above factors together and it seems pretty clear that Google may in fact have a huge lead and edge on the cloud computing provider market.

Why IT professionals shouldn’t be afraid of cloud computing IT professionals and cloud computing

Cloud computing is popping up everywhere, people. Whether private or public, personal or business, there are cloud computing apps and services delivering data and in effect, running nearly everything around us. You’d think that most IT professionals would be stoked by the incredible potential of the cloud, but there seems to be just as much fear as there is approval.

Groups like Anonymous, or malicious hacktivists are still the biggest sources of dread and anxiety for most people of the business-minded IT crowd (absolutely no question there), but cloud computing is also provoking panic for some reason. For some reason a large cross-section of IT pros tend to think that their career and livelihood is going to be undermined via cloud computing. While it is true that cloud computing will require most IT employees to adapt in some way or another, the fact is, only those who are in direct opposition to cloud computing have anything to fear (in terms of their career). Likewise, those who are prone to procrastinate or put-off familiarizing themselves with cloud technology and infrastructure may soon find that they aren’t quite as effective in their daily duties as they once were.

One of the great things about cloud computing is that once you understand the basics of how it works in terms of infrastructure, you can easily adapt to any advancements as they emerge. In other words, if a new app is released every month (something that adds new potential and / or functionality to the way your company does business), the cloud infrastructure allows you to seamlessly incorporate it into a familiar environment. Moreover, as an IT worker, you only have to concentrate on understanding how these emerging components / capabilities actually work and how you might fine-tune them for your organization. Cloud computing is a very stable form of infrastructure; you can deploy new technologies in a cloud without having to worry about it leading to system instability, crashes or other risk factors. Non-cloud forms of IT infrastructure however can be somewhat finicky when it comes to incorporating new software / hardware; quite simply, you have much more to fear without (cloud computing) as opposed to with.  

Getting certified in cloud computing is not at all difficult or expensive either. If you elect to continue your professional development with an online (e-learning) course, you can actually learn / retain more information at only a fraction of the cost of college classes (where you have to physically sit in a classroom). Aside from the fact that e-learning is just the all-around better choice, it is also one of the only ways to get a quality cloud education (and certificate) without severely disrupting your busy work schedule. This is to say that if you have to try to squeeze classes that require physical attendance into your agenda, your career will probably suffer greatly. The end result of these schedule conflicts will be increased stress and poor performance while on the job, which obviously runs counter to your original objective of improving your career options, right? At the same time that these negative consequences are manifesting, you are not going to be able to concentrate on your cloud computing class either.

Basically, trying to fit classes which require physical attendance into a situation where you are already working full time is a recipe for disaster. The great thing about e-learning is that it takes place entirely online. After you purchase your course, you gain access to digital textbooks as well as interactive lessons and practice examinations. You can study at your own pace, at any time or place. Likewise, quality e-learning programs are accessible through virtually all devices, including tablets and smartphones. Once you have completed your course, absorbed the necessary information, and are ready to move on, you can take the exam and attain your certification.

Whether or not you like it, cloud computing is slowly replacing traditional IT (in nearly every way imaginable). The question is; how do you shed your fear of the cloud so that you can move on and grow with your industry? IT professionals who actually have some form of accredited cloud computing certification are among the most well prepared individuals in their field. In short, any fears that you might have about cloud computing will be eliminated once you complete a training / cert course. Through a more intensive study of cloud computing most IT professionals discover a wealth of new potentials which they never even knew existed. Basically, anything that can be done with traditional IT can be done faster and more efficiently via cloud computing. Additionally, any critical applications, services or systems can easily be adapted for deployment in a cloud (pretty much anything’s possible). So, don’t fear the cloud, embrace it, and open your mind up to a whole new set of possibilities with regards to your career (and future).

What are the real costs of cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the most affordable and powerful computing and networking solution but it is not without its qualms. While power can be increased while consuming less energy (annually) under cloud computing, and IT costs can be trimmed, we’re not talking about an autopilot system here. Yes, it’s true that the cloud offers incredible potential for savings in IT; you still have to remain somewhat vigilant and informed enough to make the correct decisions for your specific organization.

It’s would be counterintuitive to postpone a cloud transition because of financial concerns. For all intents and purposes, moving to the cloud is always going to be a more financially sound and technologically superior choice. There is a great deal of hard data which suggests that migrating to cloud computing is always going to yield excellent results; but once again, you need to carefully evaluate what you really need from it. Many people might not realize how important planning is to keeping cloud transition costs down. If you’re interested in maintaining your cloud budget, there are a few things you might need to explore and consider.

Testing new cloud services and components
While cloud computing is certainly “coming along” in terms of the development of infrastructure standards and federated rules for available services and apps, we have to keep in mind that it (cloud computing) is still young. The simple fact of the matter is that there are a number of outside services and components, including those being offered by some vendors, which occasionally require modification or debugging. Actual costs in this area can be attributed mostly to labor or time spent (and as we all know; in business, time is money).

Integration of 3rd part services and apps
New applications and services are going to emerge which your business will want to integrate into its cloud. However, some of these services and apps are not going to always be instantly compatible and may require some form of integration research or procedure; this is only going to become a more common occurrence as your experience with cloud computing grows. It’s not always a battle between individual components and the cloud infrastructure itself though; sometimes services and apps aren’t designed to work in tandem with one another. This shouldn’t deter businesses from steamrolling ahead into cloud computing however, workarounds as well as comprehensive solutions for incompatibility issues are always under development. For example, one proposed umbrella solution for the 3rd party cloud debacle is that of cloud federation. The concept of establishing federated clouds, which seeks to create a universal platform upon which all cloud applications and services can be incorporated, is still not ready to be implemented.  

Training and certifying your IT staff in various cloud computing disciplines
Arguably, one of the most overlooked (yet glaringly obvious) costs attributed to cloud computing is that of IT-related education and professional development. Let’s face it; running, maintaining, modifying, or even interacting with a cloud computing infrastructure on a technical level does require some specific expertise. Unless your IT staff is already certified in or familiar with the intricacies of cloud computing, they’re going to require some additional training. In fact, ensuring that your IT department is certified in one or more cloud disciplines is the best ways to ensure that issues and risks are avoided and future costs are suppressed. Online delivered e-learning and certification for cloud computing is actually very affordable and has been shown to increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of IT by many times over.

Storage and Data Migration costs
Last but not least we have costs which are associated with data migration and storage. To say that this area of concern is potentially the priciest is an understatement. Moving large amounts of data alone can run up charges in the thousands of dollars. This is because there might be hidden costs and fees associated with bandwidth usage with certain cloud providers. In other words, make sure you evaluate all the details and fine print with regards to limits and charges associated with data migration; being mindful of this one thing can actually save your organization a fortune in the long run (without having to sacrifice capability).

Storage is also an area where costs can quickly escalate if you don’t plan ahead. Aside from costs incurred from simply tapping a public cloud for storage, it’s vital that you have an idea of how much data you will be accumulating at any given time. In other words, if you tend to collect much more data during certain times of the year, you might opt for solution which involves utilizing specific cloud provider services during those times of high-volume. Likewise, after things quiet down, your business can opt for cheaper, lower-volume storage solutions.

Don’t be afraid to jump into the cloud, but look before you leap
From a scientific perspective, transitioning to the cloud is one of the best decisions any business can make, especially right now. There are real quantifiable benefits associated with cloud computing that simply cannot and should not be overlooked due to unmitigated fears of uncertainty. You cannot eliminate all risks from IT, but with some careful planning you can minimize them so that their influence is greatly reduced. Cloud computing adoption is not something to fear, but it’s important that proper preparation be considered. Good decision making today will certainly help to curtail and eliminate future risks and costs.

The cloud computing “arms race” is heating up

How and why cloud technology is linked to the future of business

Large tech companies have been exploring and expanding cloud computing for some time now. Major players like IBM, EMC, Dell, HP, Cisco as well as Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon are all vying for power, clout and control over various portions or sectors of the current and future cloud markets. The game has changed a bit; now, cloud computing has a firmly established foundation of infrastructure providing support for increasingly faster technological developments and breakthroughs. Quite simply, the more knowledge you possess, the more possibilities you have. Now that we finally have established what amounts to the “underpinning” of what you might call your default “cloud system”, we can focus on other endeavors while exploring the technology at the same time. In other words, the blueprints and the foundation for your basic cloud structure are complete; which would also explain why most companies are now looking at ways to expand, explore and refine existing cloud technologies.

In the context of global economic turmoil, cloud computing should be construed as a blessing and a boon. Simply put, there is great potential for growth in cloud computing and other technological areas directly related to it. Furthermore, where you have growth, you will have the potential for generating profits. Since profits tend to create employment and spur further economic growth, how could anyone consider the cloud computing industry to be anything short of a step in the right direction?

Wide open potential
One of the great things about cloud computing is that it is still an open market, so to speak. Smaller cloud-based companies can still compete with large corporations. While it’s true that larger businesses have the upper hand when it comes to R&D and advertising, a large number of innovative ideas which utilize or expand on cloud technologies are coming from smaller organizations. Over time, most of these ideas will be absorbed by the larger corporations, of course; but the important thing to remember is that some form of quantifiable growth is occurring and it’s not relegated solely to the heavy hitters. This is really great news for businesses that have the ability to take advantage of cloud computing.

If your business is able to take two or more cloud apps, components, elements, abilities or services, combine them and then offer them to customers in a repackaged format, you can compete in the current “cloud arms race”. However, this will require you to employ personnel who are qualified to operate and service cloud computing infrastructure / software / hardware. While cloud computing certification and training might sounds like it might be costly or time-consuming, there are alternatives to conventional and intrusive education programs. Through online-based e-learning programs, beginners, IT pros, non-IT personnel, programmers, and even experienced, busy careerists can expand their understanding of cloud computing in an affordable and stress-free manner. Taking advantage of the current possibilities in cloud computing is entirely dependent on how much value your organization has with regards to knowledge and understanding of cloud computing. Arguably, the best course of action for the immediate future is to look at certifying one’s entire IT department.

Absorbing technology and delivering it
Wherever there is a major demand for some type of technology or service, you can rest assured that a large corporation is probably already (or soon to be) on the scene. Those that are capable of producing at a high level are often tapped to service consumer demands.  This is also true of cloud computing and the increasing number of businesses who use and rely on the technology. After adopting cloud computing, most organizations quickly become dependent on it. Likewise, due to the high number of individual benefits available through cloud service(s), businesses rarely, if ever, backslide into pre-cloud infrastructure. Once the move to the cloud has been made, the value of it to individual businesses becomes pretty clear.

As more and more businesses rush to adopt cloud computing, the organizations providing it will also continue to grow and absorb emerging ideas, concepts and technologies. The cloud “arms race” we see around us right now merely demonstrates the incredible demand exhibited by a majority of businesses for the technology. All of the tale-tell signs of a shift are upon us; cloud computing has already been adopted by a staggering number of governmental institutions, hospitals, universities, and of course, the US military. Taken together, the collective demand of these institutions gives service providers a reason to invest in research, advertising, innovation and creation of products. Additionally, services which are sold to and used by businesses will generate competition and encourage other businesses to invest in cloud computing as well.

The cloudy, yet bright future ahead
The byproduct of the current cloud “arms race” is a push toward worldwide cloud adoption. Given that cloud computing is vastly superior to traditional IT in nearly every way imaginable, more cost-efficient, and is “business-friendly”, it’s not unreasonable to assume that it will soon replace older forms of infrastructure. Today’s cloud architects are inventing new ways to improve the abilities of individual businesses, which will significantly impact the future of commerce in general.