Get your head out of your aaS: The truth behind "Cloud" and marketing

Everyone’s favorite phrase now is “Cloud is just a marketing term, what you mean is IaaS, SaaS, PaaS, etc.” but I strongly disagree.  If anything all of the “aaS” are the marketing terms and the Cloud is the technical term.  Stick with me and I’ll explain why…
 

"Cloud" is a technical term

When studying for my CCNA in 2002 we often came across an icon that looked similar to the picture on the right.  For about a week folks were so baffled by what the “cloud” was.  It represented anything not on the network.  It could be the internet, and ISP, or some other infrastructure which couldn’t be defined because we had no visibility into the environment.

At this point Cloud was a TECHNICAL term.  Once we understood that whatever was in the “Cloud” could be anything we moved on to learning more important things.  “Cloud” represented everything we were not directly responsible for or what we also called “AMP” (ain’t my problem).

I agree and accept that the "Cloud Computing" (IaaS) concept has been around since the 1950's and it was then called "time-sharing" on mainframe computers.  Mainframe time-sharing is similar to cloud computing but they were not the same technically.  These mainframes lived onsite or nearby and where physically shared either by workstations/users where now resources are logically shared and are off the local network.  This was not in the "Cloud".  The comparison should really be between time-sharing and virtualization.  Virtualization is what has made IaaS possible.

Back to the future

Fast forward to present day and what’s changed?  Not much.  The cloud is still the same, we just use it differently and it is more widespread.  Instead of just being network infrastructure for which we aren’t responsible, it could be computing, software, or everything our businesses are built on.  To me the cloud is still a technical term, albeit a very vague and all encompassing technical term, but that was the original intent for the term.  In actuality all of the “PaaS, IaaS, UCaaS, DRaaS, etc are the marketing terms.  

I don’t have a problem with marketing.  I believe it plays an important role in taking complex ideas and breaking them down into bite sized information the majority of folks can understand.  Since the cloud is vague “as originally intended” we need easy to remember buzz words to help us define different aspects and uses of the cloud.

So I beg you, please stop being “that guy/girl” on forums who feels the need to point out the “Cloud” is just a meaningless marketing term used to describe technology used in the 1950's, you are wrong.

2014 and Beyond: 5 Bold Predictions on Where the Cloud Will Take Us

I often think about where all of the new innovations will take us and what opportunities are out there for businesses.   I have compiled a list of my favorite predictions which I think have the best chance of coming to fruition.

1)  Fully Virtual New Businesses

These days the cloud has almost everything a start up business needs.  Websites, email, phone systems, servers, financial systems and more are already available via the cloud.  The only problem is you have to go to many different providers to bring all of these aspects together. 

I predict service providers will become a “one-stop-shop” for starting a business providing everything they need.  I foresee an “app store” where you can grab a website, VDI, cloud computing for test dev, a CRM and phone system for your sales team, Quickbooks for accounting, hosted Exchange and SharePoint, marketing software, backup and disaster recovery solution all in one place. 

This will make starting a small business easier and with “one throat to choke” simpler to manage.  Cloud service providers will become resellers for other SaaS solutions to fit every need a small business may have.

2)  Service providers will be the #1 employer of IT personnel

With starting a company in the cloud and going to your service provider for all of your needs, they will need to beef up their managed services teams.  The services providers will need armies of experienced and knowledgeable IT professionals to handle the rapidly growing demand.  A fully hosted organization will have little need for an IT team.  That doesn’t mean they won’t be needed at all, just that the open positions will move from the individual business to service providers. 

Not all of the IT positions will migrate to the service providers.  There will need to be someone who can work with their service provider to trouble shoot problems and maintain onsite network equipment.

3)  Plumbers, HVAC, electricians, and building contractors will need to hire IT teams.

Our houses and appliances are already utilizing the cloud for security and remote management of our home.  Right now that is usually set up by the service provider but soon contractors will be including it in the new homes they build.  This will require the other service contractors (plumbers, electricians, etc) to ramp up their knowledge of networking and technology or to hire someone to manage that part of the business.

M2M (machine 2 machine) communication is rapidly evolving and will integrate everything we use together.  Residential wiring closets and network equipment will become a standard element in the home of the future similar to how the breaker box is today.  The “geek squads” of the world will be a common service we call on, similar to a plumber or electrician.

4)  Enterprise hardware will not go away

I often hear how the cloud will replace all equipment purchased by enterprises.  I agree that sales will continue to decline but there will always be a small minority who will hold on to their hardware.  It may be due to nostalgia or pure stubbornness but it will never go away.   For example, Vinyl records are still being produced and used today.  The manufacturers will likely begin producing less and less hardware for enterprises and will need to increase production of hardware for service providers. 

5)  Consumer VDI will take over the PC market

Once the price for VDI comes down it will infiltrate the consumer market and will likely be provided by their current cable and internet provider for a monthly fee.  Eventually consumers will go the way of businesses and stop buying PCs bundled with an operating system, word processing .  They will utilize VDI for personal computing and store their files on their personal cloud storage account. Once the price for VDI comes down it will infiltrate the consumer market and will likely be provided by their current cable and internet provider for a monthly fee.

The majority of consumers PCs are used for internet browsing, social media, and homework and everything needed for that will be standard in the consumer VDI.  Other applications like photoshop or games will be purchased through an app store.  Apple has already begun the app store trend for PCs and this model will be adopted quickly by Windows.

Cloud: The DR Game Changer

Everyone knows that having a solid disaster recovery plan is good business practice. 

MarketsandMarkets recently predicted that "The global DRaaS and cloud based business continuity is forecasted to grow from $640.8 million in 2013 to $5.77 billion by 2018".  Cloud innovations have changed the DR game and made it possible for companies of every size to have a dependable DR solution. 

Below I explain the predicted growth of cloud DR and how it can help you.

Disasters Happen

 

• ·24% of companies said they experienced a full data disaster (Forrester)
• ·10% of small business disasters are man-made (NFIB National Small Business Poll)
• ·30% of all small businesses in the USA have been impacted by natural disasters (NFIB National Small Business Poll)
• ·95% of companies experienced a data outage in the past year (Ponemon Institute)
• ·Average midsized company has 16-20 hours of network, system, or application downtime per year (Gartner)
• ·Average cost of downtime for a midsize company is $70,000 per hour (Gartner) though International Data Corp and Strategic Research put the estimates at $84,000 and $90,000 respectively
• ·Survival rate for companies without a disaster recovery plan is less than 10% (Touché Ross study)

Why are most of the studies about SMBs?

 

Many of the difficulties around having a comprehensive disaster recovery plan center around its cost and complexity.  Usually large enterprises have the funds to not only pay for the solution needed to prevent a disaster from running their business, but also to pay for the expertise to implement, test, and maintain the DR infrastructure.  These are luxuries most SMBs don’t have. 

The problem, a look at a typical SMB disaster recovery 

plan.

 

Forrester says that 50% of SMBs that do have a DR plan are unable to test it.  Typically smaller businesses just do the best they can with an affordable solution.  They back up to tape (usually the same tapes they have been using for the last 5-10 years) and hope that in a disaster they can quickly recreate the environment.   

Often testing this plan would require the organization to bring the servers offline, causing downtime.  If the recovery is unsuccessful then an organization is now in a live man-made DR scenario so testing usually doesn’t occur.  Backing up your critical infrastructure is good business practice but it isn’t a DR Plan.

According to the Veeam Data Protection Report 2013 there are too many issues with backup and recovery plans to depend on them for a disaster.

• ·84% of CIOs stated they are experiencing complexity related issues with backup and recovery of virtual environments
• ·23% experienced difficulty backing up to tape
• ·45% of CIOs stated that backup takes too long
• ·38% stated recovery takes too long
• ·28% stated restores fail too often

What are SMBs to do with the looming threat of a disaster?

 

Gartner estimates that only 35% of SMBs have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place.  This is where the cloud comes in.  New innovations in cloud computing and virtualization make it possible for any size organization to afford a comprehensive disaster recovery plan.  Instead of having to invest in new infrastructure and additional personnel to fail-over  There are a few options out there but one I’m most familiar with is DRaaS (Disaster Recovery as a Service) offered by Windstream Hosted Solutions.  This service in particular offers a RTO of less than 4 hours for a site wide outage and annual testing of your DRaaS environment.
in the event of a disaster, you can now virtualize your production environment and replicate it to the cloud with near real time information.

There are other providers offering similar solutions like Latasys’ DRaaS solution and Peak10’s On-demand Disaster Recovery.  The point is there are options and you should look at all of your options and determine which solution meet’s your business needs.  It is often hard to know where to start with building a disaster recovery plan and working with a services provider can help give you direction for outlining your  plan.


 

Cloud Mindshare – Ascending the Diffusion of Innovation Curve

The Diffusion of Innovation Curve

The Diffusion of Innovation addresses the rate ideas and technologies are adopted by the masses.  I’m a firm believer that cloud education is key to the speed at which the majority gets on board with new technologies.  The problem is there are a lot of myths or old truths that are continually regurgitated which dilute new information about the cloud.  To combat this there are groups popping up all over to facilitate education of the cloud and dispel preconceived notions what is possible with the cloud.

A great example is the Open Data Center Alliance.  They have a “steering committee” of senior IT Executives from a large pool of fortune 500 and other notable companies with the mission to “speed the migration to cloud computing by enabling the solution and service ecosystem to address IT requirements with the highest level of interoperability and standards”.  Essentially addressing all concerns an organization may have about migrating to the cloud.

This is an important mission as many organizations don’t understand how to get the most benefit from the cloud since it is new for them.  The reason I started Cloud Collaborative is to accomplish something similar to the Open Data Center Alliance.  The goal of Cloud Collaborative is to bring the local “Innovators” and “Early Adopters” together with the “Majority” and provide them with an open forum to ask question and learn the new innovative ways the cloud can meet business needs. 

I believe we are nearing the “Early Majority” phase of the Diffusion of Innovation.  I often see comments about how the “cloud” isn’t new.  The truth is the concept of the cloud has been around since the 60’s.  While the concept isn’t new the technologies and applications for the cloud are continually evolving to meet nearly every business goal an organization may have for its IT environment.  With the growing adoption of the cloud it is important not to blindly jump on the bandwagon and that is where the cloud “mindshare” comes in.

Join groups and go to open forums where you can pick the brain of those early innovators.  Don’t rest on your existing knowledge of what the cloud has to offer.  If the cloud couldn’t provide you with what you needed last year, ask again.  Chances are, with the rapidly evolving technology, the cloud may be able to help you meet your goals.  

TelecomHub is another great organization dedicated to bringing together industry leaders and discussing how new technologies are addressing previously unaddressed business issues.  TelecomHub will soon be changing their name to “The HUB” because the name was a little misleading.  They discuss all things technology including M2M, cyber security, data analytics, and more.

Find these groups in your area and join them.  Listen to the war stories of the innovators who have blazed the trail for everyone else and be open minded.  New advancements are being made every day and we can all learn from the success of another.

7 Lessons I learned about the Cloud from Scotch

As different as the Cloud and Scotch may seem, while I was enjoying a dram one night I realized they aren't so different after all.  These are the lessons I learned from that night.


1. It isn’t for everyone

This is probably the hardest for me to “swallow”.  I like to think that Scotch is the king of all adult beverages but the reality is it isn’t for everyone.  I don’t always accept this truth when I hear it and I think “they just don’t understand it”.  Maybe in some situations they don’t understand it, but in others it really just isn’t for them.

Similarly the Cloud may not be a fit for many organizations.  That isn’t to say that some Cloud solutions wouldn’t be of benefit, but every solution doesn’t fit every organization.  A plumbing company may be able to use a hosted website and email, but they may not need cloud computing or cloud storage.  Too often I’ve seen providers attempt to shove everything they offer onto a business.  The cloud, where appropriate, may benefit an organization but that doesn’t mean everything the cloud has to offer is a fit.

2. Ease into it

You don’t want to start exploring Scotch with an Islay peat monster.  Start slow with something that you can appreciate and enjoy and then branch out. 

With moving to the Cloud, it is too disruptive to move everything at once.  Start with email, and then a server or two.  Usually Cloud adoption happens when servers are nearing end-of-life.  Instead of sinking money into new hardware which will need to be replaced again in a few years, the cloud is considered and often chosen as a more flexible and less expensive option.  Work with a provider that will help you plan your cloud migration. 

3. Enjoy its simplicity and marvel at its complexity

Scotch is simple.  It is a tasty beverage that makes you feel good.  Once you find one you like and you begin experimenting with other varieties you will start to appreciate its complexity.

The Cloud is simple.  It replaces the need for you to manage and maintain hardware and you can focus on running your business.  Once you begin using the Cloud, explore all it has to offer.  There is much more it can do than just serving email, or running applications.  It can protect you against cyber attacks, quickly grow when you need it, train your employees against “Spear Phishing”, replicate itself in preparation for a disaster, and analyze buying trends of your customers to increase sales. 

The technology that makes all of that possible is incredibly complex and doesn’t need to be understood, just respected.

4. There is no “Right Way”

There are those who feel Scotch can only be enjoyed and appreciated one way.  Scotch is meant to be enjoyed and there is no “right way” for everyone.  Some like it neat, with a few drops of room temperature water, with a little ice, or with a lot of ice.  I like it all of those ways depending on which Scotch I’m having.

The same holds true for the cloud.  There is no “right way” to use the cloud to enhance your business.  You know your business better than anyone and you shouldn’t listen to those who don’t attempt to understand your business.  Don’t be bullied into using a solution you aren’t comfortable with just because it’s what a competitor is using or a service provider is pushing for it.  That doesn’t mean it can’t be used effectively in those ways but try to get creative and find an even better way.

5. Experience may vary

We all have different tastes and enjoy different things.  Just because someone you know didn’t like a particular Scotch doesn’t mean you won’t.  I have a group of friends who get together for Scotch tastings and everyone’s view is a little different.  Sometimes we disagree but that is one of the aspects that make it so amazing.  You learn a little more about yourself by comparing your experience to others.

When a Cloud service doesn’t make sense for one organization, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it.  You may find it is a huge value to the way you do business.  Be open-minded and you may stumble across a unique way to save money or reduce complexity. 

6. Ask lots of questions

I find many people want to know about Scotch but they are afraid to ask questions.  Find someone who loves Scotch and they will be happy to answer any questions you have.  Don’t go to just one source because everyone has a different view.  Ask many people and eventually you will come to understand what you like and why.

Asking questions is the best way to learn how you can better your business with the Cloud.  Those who are using the Cloud or “Cloud Enthusiasts” will be happy to answer all of your questions.  Again, don’t go to just one source.  The flexibility the Cloud offers is what gives the Cloud its greatest value but with that comes different experiences.  Find someone who understands what you want and need and can express the solutions in terms of how it benefits your business.

7. Learn the lingo

The Scotch group I mentioned was a mess initially.  We would argue if a Scotch was “peaty” or “smoky”.  There is a difference between “Lemon notes and Citrus” or “Spicy and Peppery”.  Once we realized what everyone was saying we could truly begin to have a conversation.

I have had meetings where the terms “disaster recovery”, “business continuity”, and “backup” essentially meant the same thing to who I was speaking with but they mean very different things to me.  As you can imagine the conversation started off pretty rocky but by the end we completely understood each other and I was able to address the concerns they actually had.  Cloud has become a very diluted term and it can mean anything from SaaS (software as a service), to IaaS (infrastructure as a service), to hosting your equipment in a colocation data center.  It is important to understand exactly what everyone is saying to get the benefit of their insight.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t completely know what the other person is saying or even to confirm your understanding.

The "Cloud"...Why do we fear it?

I can’t tell you how many times I hear the phrase “We can’t put production in the cloud, we are concerned about security”, and I’ll bet a buffalo nickel that someone reading this has even said it at least once.  The majority of the fear I come across is the fear of change.  “You offer a flexible, simple, and secure IT environment without spending a ton of cash up front and reducing my TCO, what’s the catch”?  It’s time to start acknowledging the validity of using the cloud even for very security sensitive information.

Initially the public cloud was viewed as insecure because multiple organizations were living in the same hardware sharing resources.  Most now realize sharing resources doesn’t make the public cloud more vulnerable to security threats any more than sharing a gas station with your neighbor makes your vehicle more vulnerable to theft.  The virtualized environments are completely separate from any other organization using the shared resources.  Granted there could be other problems with the public cloud and sharing resources, but that is easily remedied by using a private cloud.  

I have heard concerns about the security of the connection to a cloud environment.  There are many secure connection options (VPN, MPLS, dedicated point to point) which make connecting to the cloud provider just as, and often more, secure as having servers on-premise.   

You can even use cloud services to protect your cloud computing environment.  Cloud IDS/IPS, Log Monitoring, Malware/Antivirus, and DDoS protection are all available and work incredibly well.  The best part is your provider can manage all of the patching and updating of your systems which is far more secure than waiting a month to install the patches because your IT personnel are busy with revenue generating activities at the end of the quarter.

Most importantly, do not be afraid to ask questions.  When your business depends on it, moving from something you know to something new is difficult. Talk to multiple providers and ask lots of questions.  This is an important relationship and while the provider should be able to help you meet your business goals, it is more important that they can show you how they will be met.  Once that happens you will have a trusted adviser, not just a vendor, and you will quickly find your fears are unfounded.