Windows Azure Appliance - Why is it called an Appliance ? Its so because of being a turn-key cloud solution on highly standardized and pre configured hardware delivered to enterprises or large organizations. Don't think its going to be small. It will be hundreds of servers in pre configured racks of networking and storage based on a Microsoft specific reference architecture and provided by Microsoft's partners.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The appliance story from Microsoft
The Windows Azure appliance which was recently announced by Microsoft is to me, one of the most promising cloud announcements done my MS for enterprises. With this Microsoft is poised well in the enterprise cloud market. This will help Microsoft to play a major role in public and private cloud and straight away compete with the current leaders Vmware as well as Amazon.
The appliance as such will be a set of hardware unlike the servers on which the earlier version of Windows operating system used to be installed, from major vendor partners of Microsoft shipped as containers to customer locations or data centers and will be a versatile platform with options of customization.
This private cloud version of Windows Azure will allow large enterprises to take full advantage of cloud computing. This will help them in standardizing their service platform where Microsoft along with their partners will run the cloud for them. This can be in enterprise datacenters, partner datacenters or Microsoft's own data centers. More over this will also help enterprises to utilize their existing investments on server software or tools. Microsoft by offering the Azure appliance is giving back the control of the platform to the enterprise while providing the benefits of scale and operational efficiencies.
Security & compliance, Data privacy and Control are some of the major obstacles and concerns for enterprises for embracing the cloud. Azure appliance i believe is a solution for enterprises to take advantage of what a platform like Azure can provide within the four walls of their data center and can address the above concerns. More over this will provide lower operational cost for enterprises and an option to scale on demand to public version of cloud to handle any burst scenarios.
The appliance as such will be a set of hardware unlike the servers on which the earlier version of Windows operating system used to be installed, from major vendor partners of Microsoft shipped as containers to customer locations or data centers and will be a versatile platform with options of customization.
This private cloud version of Windows Azure will allow large enterprises to take full advantage of cloud computing. This will help them in standardizing their service platform where Microsoft along with their partners will run the cloud for them. This can be in enterprise datacenters, partner datacenters or Microsoft's own data centers. More over this will also help enterprises to utilize their existing investments on server software or tools. Microsoft by offering the Azure appliance is giving back the control of the platform to the enterprise while providing the benefits of scale and operational efficiencies.
Security & compliance, Data privacy and Control are some of the major obstacles and concerns for enterprises for embracing the cloud. Azure appliance i believe is a solution for enterprises to take advantage of what a platform like Azure can provide within the four walls of their data center and can address the above concerns. More over this will provide lower operational cost for enterprises and an option to scale on demand to public version of cloud to handle any burst scenarios.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Reasons that Keep CIO's away from public Clouds
For a while I have been thinking why should some of the CIO's in spite of understanding the advantages of the mammoth concept of Cloud computing say "No" or take a wait and watch position on Public clouds. Most of them accept the fact that the public cloud is one form which can very well support the enterprises on its overall economic goals. Beyond the cost aspect they are clearly aware of the innovation capabilities that a cloud computing platform can provide and thereby increasing their reach to their end customers or consumers multifold. Still there are strong reasons for them to keep away. The predominant ones what i believe are
1. Data relocation
2. Data Ownership
3. Vendor lock in
4. Loss of control of infrastructure
5. And finally Legitimate contracts
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