Cloud Computing - White Paper

Microsoft Learning has published a white paper for the IT professionals:

What IT Professionals Need to Know

I would recommend everyone to read this piece of paper. If you have missed the “cloud-train” by now, you have a chance to read up to see how it will affect your career.

And it`s quite interesting. Most of the IT-pro`s I talk with on a day to day basis are not stressed at all when it comes to cloud computing.

Let me address some gossip first:

"The cloud is just something that Microsoft, Amazon and Google provides for their customers. It has nothing to do with me, my organization nor my career “

First thing first. Please understand that cloud computing is not a “product” or an application that you install. Cloud is how technology has evolved over the last years, driven by… business!

It`s about time that the IT-pro`s take some steps out of their server room, and start investigating and gather information and knowledge on what their organization is up to. Cloud computing is all about business and technology – hand in hand.
You have to understand your organization, and how technology can help you to solve business requirements and make you a real competitor in the market you`re in.
If you`ll not able to understand how cloud computing can change your career, you might end up finding you another profession since you would be busted when it comes down to business.

“I might agree that there is something called cloud computing, but there is no such thing as a private cloud”

A private cloud is not about what you run in your datacenter, but more like how you run it.

Most people will mention the great scale and economic benefits with cloud computing – but that is solely aimed at the public cloud. BUT.. the private cloud will operate much more efficient than just a highly virtualized datacenter. With features like Dynamic Optimization and Power Optimization in SCVMM 2012, you`re able optimize your Hyper-V servers and Hyper-V Clusters. Only running what is needed to support the virtual workload.  And that will definitive  give you some cost savings and benefits. Remember that a private cloud is also highly automated, which mean that the IT-pro can focus on more important tasks than "ad-hoc".

Further, a private cloud has additional layers in addition to virtualization – which is only a common characterization (NIST Definition), but the IT-pro have to focus on these extra layers in the future. Like automation, orchestration, service and management.

Microsoft will launch several new System Center versions in the near future, and you can climb to the top of the food chain in your organization as far as IT concern. Read the white paper, and grab all pre-release versions of the System Center portfolio from here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Go-grab-your-System-Center-3948950.S.76995191?view=&gid=3948950&type=member&item=76995191

(the link above sends you to the Microsoft Private Cloud group on LinkedIn. Please feel free to join the group and participate in the discussions regarding cloud computing)

Cheers,