Let us breathe, then, and draw in some of the new language this upheaval has brought into our revised realities.

Cloud Computing: Here, computer users share resources, business processes, applications and information as a utility service over a network. This shift takes an organization’s management of its own data from traditional software models to the Internet. Its existence traces back to large companies’ realization that their computing infrastructures weren’t exploiting their capacity consistently—in spite of a consistent cost.

Cloud Provider: An organization that makes a cloud-based infrastructure available to others to use and pay for.

Cloud Application: A software application that’s never installed on a local desktop computer, but is always available exclusively via the Internet.

Cloudware: The various bits of software that enable the provisioning, deployment, operation and management of applications in a cloud-computing environment.

Cloudburst: In its most negative sense, this term refers to a cloud-computing environment’s breakdown due to its inability to cope with a spike in demand, rendering the data it keeps inaccessible to their users. On a more positive note, the same word denotes the dynamic operation of whatever internally deployed software application works against just such a potential failure.

Vertical Cloud: A public cloud-computing infrastructure that’s designed to service the particular requirements of a single industry.

Hybrid Cloud: A combo of both private and public clouds, where users dip into one or the other, as needed.

External Cloud: A cloud-computing environment that’s outside the boundaries of a particular organization. It’s set up for use by select external parties, though not the general public.

Public Cloud: A cloud-computing infrastructure that’s open for use by anyone in the general public, including individuals and professional organizations.

Private Cloud: A cloud infrastructure that’s dedicated to the needs of a single organization for its exclusive usage.

Community Cloud: A cloud infrastructure that’s shared by multiple users (though not as many as share a public cloud) who possess common approaches to such issues as security, business continuity, privacy, availability and security.

Cloudstorming: Those instances in which multiple cloud environments are connected in a single, unified, virtual cloud. This is also referred to as a “cloud network.”

Cloud Portability The ability to easily move applications (and, often, their attendant parcels of data) across cloud-computing environments from discreet cloud providers, whether they be private or public clouds.

Cloud Enabler This term describes vendors who are not bona-fide cloud providers, but who facilitate users with the cloud-computing technology—along with its associated advantages—through such tools as cloudware.

Cloudwashing The arguably deceptive act of attaching the magical word “cloud” on existing products and services in order to capitalize on the spilloff effects of its power.

We’ve said it before and we will again. Cloud computing is a saviour of sorts—and for more than just your bottom line and overtaxed systems. No, cloud computing has a larger calling than that. One might even say that cloud computing is poised to deliver the world to a finer place, one in which waste and excess are recalled as sins of a more reckless age. With this communal data-storage marvel, the carbon emissions that would otherwise be sent heavenward from a churning-away corporate entity can be slashed meaningfully, and the world thus scores a significant reduction to its reliance on carbon. 

This news comes by way of the Carbon Disclosure Project, an AT&T-funded European study whose just-released results suggest that large companies in the UK and France who migrate their data to shared data networks in the cloud could cut their emissions by a full 50% by 2020.

The savings, quite simply, are a result of the decreased call for energy consumption of the new over the old. The cloud’s responsive flexibility means customers only use what they need, sidestepping the wastefulness and redundancy of yesteryear.

Money Savings, Carbon Savings

The study, which focused its attention on large IT companies in Great Britain and France, found that big UK organizations that move to cloud computing could enjoy carbon reductions that are equivalent to the annual emissions of over four million passenger vehicles. Oh, and they’ll also save in energy costs, to the tune of about £1.2 billion—findings that underscore a recent announcement by a British cabinet minister that the UK government’s cloud strategy could save British taxpayers as much as £460 million a year—so it’s not all selfless stuff on offer here.

The figures were understandably somewhat lower in France, where nuclear power reigns supreme in the business of electricity delivery, but blue-chip French companies are also poised to exploit some pretty noteworthy savings, too. And, say the study’s authors, the exploitation will be on a grand scale, as almost 70% of these organizations’ IT resources will reside in the cloud by 2020. That’s up markedly from the 10% at which the services are currently used.

Closer to Home

Closer to home, the report concludes that a large North American company that made the switch to the cloud now could be sitting on top of $12.3 billion in yearly savings, and annual carbon reductions that are equivalent to 200 million barrels of oil, by 2020.

Considering that neither of these diminutions—energy or cost—serve as the most persuasive reason to switch over to the cloud (that distinction remains a function of speed, and the accelerated pace at which all corporate activities can take place in the cloud), the argument is more compelling still. Where developers used to take 45 days to get new servers, one pundit remarked, the much more responsive-to-demand internal cloud has shrunk that lag to just a couple of minutes.

Send your stuff up into the cloud, it seems, and you just might save the world.

Apples recent public release of IOS5 and iCloud has been widely anticipated for quite some time. Yes…I know; “it’s not iPhone5″ you might say, but it is still a move forward in the Apple world and worth investigating. Up until now, there have been; let’s call them ‘deficiencies’ in mobility management for small or medium businesses. As with all things cloud, we are now one step closer to the technology utopia that we are all secretly dreaming about.

Utopia may not be attainable, but I am tired of being plagued with evil thoughts when it comes to any sentence containing the words ‘iPhone’, ‘backup’, or ‘centralized’. Even now ‘iCringe’.

The Answer Every Business has been Waiting For…or Not?

Apple has now put the ‘up’ in ‘backup’, taking us one step closer to IT bliss. Allowing users to backup their devices over Wi-Fi to iTunes or into the iCloud directly, provides a lot more flexibility when it comes to making sure your data doesn’t fall in the toilet along with your iPhone (I’m sure there are a few red faces right now). With your data stored in the cloud, recovery becomes one less worry for IT administrators. From a high level, it’ll back up virtually everything on your device except for music not purchased through iTunes (At least not yet).

Do You See What I See?

The next undisputed benefit to iCloud is that it has become device agnostic. Get access to your iTunes music, photos, documents, books, and apps from any Apple device or through your PC using icloud.com. Since many of us already have a combination of PC’s, Mac’s, iPhone’s, or iPad’s, the iCloud makes your content accessible when you want on whatever device you prefer.

Document Management

Apple carries this idea of synchronization to the next level with shared documents. iCloud enabled apps include; Pages, Keynote, Numbers (Apples version of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) which allow you to make changes to your doc’s. Harnessing the power of cloud based storage, enables you to access the changes from other devices in your arsenal.

There’s That Word Again…Productivity

If my calculations are right, we should now be so productive that tasks are completed before we even start! A few productivity features introduced with the iPhone navigation include; the ability to Tweet something from many different applications, and tabbed browsing for the internet. Also, those pesky notifications are better managed through the notification centre so you are not interrupted when you’re in the middle of an important email or text.

I’m interested in hearing how you see IOS5 and iCloud changing your business, if at all. Like it or hate it, Innovation Happens!

By Jason Meilleur
Infrastructure Team member

We are living in a world full of unique businesses, all fighting to establish their niche in the marketplace.  Whether you’re a small start-up with a handful of employees, or an established organization of several hundred, technology decisions are often made on a best-effort basis.  Many businesses have developed their own “culture” – if you will, of how they consume technology.  This creates a growing challenge for IT decision makers who are faced with a myriad of questions regarding their available options. With the technology landscape in constant motion, IT Managers are left with the time consuming and often daunting task of researching and downloading evaluations, to determine which products or technologies will accomplish their goals.

To Cloud, or Not To Cloud

Cloud computing seems to be taking a front seat in the hearts and minds of the masses. The idea of leveraging someone else’s massive infrastructure investment, for a fraction of the cost, is too good to pass up.  Almost every day at least one person asks me about my thoughts on this topic, hoping to glean some new information on whether or not it would be right for them.  Some IT Managers have come right out and told me they’ve made a decision and are starting the process of moving into the cloud.  After asking them a few basic questions, they quickly realize they’ve bought into a solution without understanding how it will impact other technologies within their organization.

To Partner, or Not To Partner

Leveraging an outsourced pool of resources is not only a service that is provided by the cloud, it’s also available through technology partners.  As with any small or medium business, many rely on a single person with strong IT Kung Fu to make all of their technology decisions.  Combining forces with the right partners can provide low-cost access to a large network of highly skilled professionals. Thus enabling, proper solution development and minimal surprises (a.k.a. downtime or sinking money into the wrong technologies) all based on industry best practices, learned through experience with past implementations. In a recent meeting at Microsoft Canada Mike Ryan, SMB Server and Cloud Specialist cited a particularly telling statistic; over 80% of small and medium businesses who attempt a migration into the cloud fail unless they are working with a partner who has navigated the process in the past.  If you see the value that cloud computing brings to the table, the benefits of establishing a relationship with a trusted partner for technology should go hand in hand.

Jason Meilleur is the Infrastructure Team Lead at 360 Visibility. As a Microsoft Certified IT Professional and Cisco Certified Network Associate Jason combines his technical and business development backgrounds to help customers overcome business challenges by utilizing innovative technology solutions. For more information, contact Jason at jmeilleur@360visibility.com or (905) 907-3606.

If you’re thinking “Big deal, I already use Citrix!” that means you also pay Citrix Contract Support fee, Licensing fee and Citrix Software on top of Microsoft TS CAL. Microsoft RDS can do 95% of what you may need with less cost. It is also blazing fast using RDC7 client challenging Citrix’s ICA protocol performance – which is a big deal! For many years, the ICA protocol was the reason many large companies stayed away from Microsoft’s RDP connection-oriented protocol as it wasn’t as efficient or as fast as ICA was at presenting data. Application Virtualization was also previously an extremely expensive application solution that cost serious ducks in licensing, support and software purchases and contracts on top of consulting. However, with recent developments at Microsoft it would seem they have been in the lab working on these issues for some time. Their hosted platform solution called RemoteApp is the ’secret weapon’ for Network Administrators; its features, applications and low cost make it a valuable solution for many of our clients and may just be a great solution for your business too!

What is RemoteApp?

As part of the RDS Server role, it works by utilizing Microsoft Terminal Services and RDP to host applications installed on the server in user profiles. Applications are launched by RDC shortcut or .MSI file at the client PC, accessing server files in a remote session managed by the TS server with secure connections if needed. It is then presented through your built-in remote client in Windows XP and 7. Your application is hosted at the server and shows up on your desktop as a managed app run from either a shortcut distributed or an installer package that can create file associations for your users. It can also be accessed by a configured web portal with customizable access for users. By using Group Policy and RemoteApp Manager, you can string multiple servers together in Server farms with the same configuration and load balance the sessions. Another previously expensive enterprise solution! These services can also be hosted via an internally hosted setup in a secure IIS intranet site for even more value for sprawled employees on the road with access to a VPN. All this with integrated windows Active Directory security and you can setup to save your account info.

The Dance of IT Admin

With RemoteApp you’re able to go from a bare bones laptop – to having applications up and running in less than 30 seconds for each user, by distributing shortcuts to each PC. If updates are needed, a phased approach can be used to make this happen with less impact to your users.

Let’s say you had to roll out an application that was hosted on a RDS Server farm, with 4 servers, for 100 users. You can take one server down and the connections will automatically be load balanced to one of the other servers. Once it is updated, place it back into production and move to the next.

Pushing out apps using Group Policy is a good idea and a new machine can have a Start menu folder automatically created for launching the app. Centralized printing is also available for this solution, and works with any local printer no matter where the remote access takes place.

Who Would Benefit?

The possibilities for who would benefit from RemoteApp are endless; Hotel Clerk and Desks, Presentation Kiosks, Law Firms, Dental Offices, Government, Manufacturing and Health Care, just to name a few! Microsoft has done a fantastic job of packaging RemoteApp with the small and mid-size business in mind.

Imagine you are testing an accounting package that will virtualize and manage all the updates and deployment for your finance division. You can roll out RemoteAPP and test it with existing or new data with no impact to your users. Or perhaps you have a time logging application for a group of lawyers that timestamps your calls and conferences with clients. Lawyers can’t afford to waste 30 minutes to install a custom application with lots of add-ons and configuring with reboots; RemoteAPP helps keep time down and value up.

What if you work for a manufacturer of goods that needs a kiosk setup for factory stations – essentially a “set and forget” scenario with little configuration. RemoteAPP would be perfect for enabling a centralized configuration for Kiosk applications and touch screens.

If you are a salesman and need access to applications for critical contact information that you can’t do without, even if Viruses or malware attack, suddenly in almost any situation you can access the application from your web browser over the VPN. This can be done in a hotel, a client site, or even from home. You save your files in your network home directory safely on the RDS server.

It is easy to see the potential for RemoteApp’s added value and how it’s resolved multiple problems in the enterprise. With the proper planning this take on Application Virtualization can save you time, money and support downtime.

The future of cloud computing and the cornerstone of a successful and efficient IT practice is in creating scenarios where the application is separated from the PC desktop. The next time someone says to you “My Application does not work – can you reinstall it for me??” Remember RDS and let 360 Visibility help you plan for it so you can work smarter not harder!

Are a new set of cloud standards starting to form?

So it is with the developing shape of cloud computing. Definition is starting to emerge in the skies with the establishment of a set of standards seeking to best facilitate its adoption. Will they eliminate the confusion that currently shrouds the stuff? It’s a subject that’s scored a whack of attention from folks anxious to corral usability within manageable parameters. We take a look at some of the organizations trying to set the tone for this game changer.

Cloud Standards Customer Council.

This end-user advocacy group claims ownership of more than 100 members. It exists to complement existing cloud standards efforts. It seeks the production of a core set of client-driven requirements that lower the barriers for widespread cloud adoption by prioritizing key interoperability issues, including cloud management, reference architecture and hybrid clouds. It also hopes, with its existence, to facilitate the exchange of real-world stories that might provide illumination and insight into the practical application of this complicated new beast. A “resource hub” on the council’s website offers case studies in which users might find a useful reflection of themselves. The site also provides a compilation of industry news stories on the cloud, and cloud-based webcasts and podcasts can be accessed here. Notable members: Citigroup, Deere & Co., Costco Wholesale, North Carolina State University.

Open Data Center Alliance.

This Intel-backed standards organization was formed last year. Principles claim the membership represents more than $100 billion in annual IT spending power. This organization is behind the recent development of eight discreet “usage models,” designed to help IT managers in negotiations with cloud providers through the provision of various standardized templates. Indeed, this independent IT consortium is dedicated to having these usage models in widespread application in order to best help newcomers comprehensively appreciate the expected delivery of identified customer requirements based on open, industry-standard and multivendor solutions. Notable members: BMW, Marriott International, Shell and Deutsche Bank.

Cloud Security Alliance.

This not-for-profit, member-driven organization is committed to promoting the best practices for security assurance provision within cloud computing. Led by a broad coalition of industry practitioners, corporations and associations, the alliance is also keen to provide education on this subject for new users struggling with its dimensions. Its site helpfully lists upcoming events, such as the Cloud Security Alliance Conference 2011 (in Orlando, November 16 and 17). A blog features entries with such titles as, “Pass the Buck: Who’s Responsible for Security in the Cloud?” and “Understanding Best-in-Class Cloud Security Measures and How to Evaluate Providers.” It also provides a highly useful forum for the dissemination of the latest news, research developments and educational opportunities. Notable members: Coca-Cola, eBay, Reed Elsevier.

So as we move into the new paradigm keep an eye out for these cloud players; who knows, they may set the standards your organization has to meet.

Cloud computing - know your business

No sooner have you draped yourself with the very latest in technological bling then the calendar pages catch the breeze and you’re out of step once more. Bellyache all you want, but this constant condition of obsolescence is par for the course in today’s ever-evolving technical landscape.

It would be a tyranny to imagine keeping every last corner of your corporate house in technological currency. Still, it behooves all corporate citizens to take regular stock of the place, and to work to update at least the most outdated of their systems, regarding them particularly in light of how they support the shifting tasks and styles of the people who use them.

Survey Results: Sounding a Warning

It was on the strength of this premise that American telecommunications solutions provider Teo recently asked: Is your communications technology keeping up with the way you work? The survey, undertaken with more than 500 professionals across 13 industries to discover how technology is enabling them to work efficiently outside of the office, uncovered trouble.

Keeping a Grip on Technology: Some Key Results from the Survey

Many companies endure the chaos of operating multiple communications systems—including everything from instant messaging to land-line telephony. Because the individual systems were never integrated with one another, they exist as silos. Updating them to communicate with one another in a cost-effective way is vital.

Topping the list of respondents’ most-valued technology capability? The ability to connect with coworkers and clients via mobile devices. A solid 64% of respondents call the concept of using UC to work more efficiently outside the office “appealing.”

37% of respondents are not satisfied with the technology currently on offer to facilitate their remote working. Three-quarters of respondents spend more than half their time at their desks—likely because they haven’t the tools that will allow them to be productive beyond it. It’s a problem that needs to be solved. One 2010 survey indicated that businesses that let 100 employees telecommute half the time can save more than $1 million a year.

Making Sense of the Survey: Some Suggestions for Integration

The current crop of advanced mobile capabilities means today’s information workers can be every bit as productive as their deskbound contemporaries. Companies with unified communications (UC) enjoy increased employee productivity and efficiency thanks to remote and distributed staffers who are fully integrated with their office-based counterparts.

Critical to today’s telecommunications wishlist is the ability to access all communication tools through a single interface and advanced routing functionality. With UC, employees have a single phone number and IP extension, no matter their physical whereabouts, eliminating the multi-device, multi-ID, multi-application mess that so often hampers productivity.

So if UC is the future it’s important for principals to communicate the benefits throughout their organization; increasing the likelihood that it’ll be exploited to best effect. More than two-thirds of respondents confessed that they are not even aware whether their organization uses UC.