What’s In Your Cloud?
December 14th, 2008 by Ross Chevalier
I’ve been thinking, which isn’t quite as dangerous as you might think. I’ve been thinking about cloud computing. Or more specifically what goes into cloud computing, the various definitions and what it could mean to us here at Novell.
There are a bunch of really smart people working with Dr. Jaffe on cloud computing. I’m confident that they’ll do an awesome job. We have customers and prospects asking now so let’s think about how might answer.
Google, Microsoft, Amazon and others all talk about their cloud deliverables. I think that when we look at their offerings, we can talk about potential fits today. Think about this. All cloud deliverables focus on some element of file storage. This is something we do rather well I think. Consider the new version of iFolder, our high performance file systems and the best file security in the business. We’ve delivered web access to store for a long time, so there’s one mechanism, iFolder is a different model, and provides sync services similar to Live Mesh or EC2 but with richer security and encryption.
The other providers look to deliver messaging. GMail is a really nice email model, but the calendar and task integration is limited and requires the user to manage multiple pages. Hosted Exchange has been debuted by Microsoft. GroupWise Web Access does everything in a clean, easy to use interface. In the social networking space, Google and Microsoft both offer blog pages, as does Teaming, only Teaming does a whole lot more. Yes you could consider Sharepoint Online Services, but it requires Exchange Online Services and Office Live Online Services. We don’t create this level of artificial constraint.
The most important element of any web based service is secure access and authentication for each user, while at the back end, the service needs massive scalability and reliability. Novell’s Identity Framework is the most scalable and unassailable out there. What better toolset to manage the access for cloud services?
How do you host this level of service? How about on a fast, reliable, secure and massively scalable infrastructure that can operate in a continuity model, with support for both physical and virtualized hosts. How fortunate that by combining Platespin and SLES we can deliver this.
Even as Google begins to deploy the Beta of its Native Client, we’re already poised for simple agent deployment and centralized management with our ZEN family of tools. Many ISPs deploy antivirus services to their customers but the level of protection is often inadequate. Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to offer centrally delivered security services on an opt in basis? We could even use our tools to push out applications directly to users in either a direct license or virtualized basis.
I don’t think I’m being overly optimistic. Combined with the right pricing model and the right hosting service, Novell solutions address all the deliverables currently offered in the cloud, with superior service and security. It’s just my opinion, I could be wrong. But I really don’t think so.
Until next time, peace.
Ross