Cloud Computing and the Enterprise

Introduction

Within two to three years the emerging Cloud computing phenomenon will affect enterprise IT software in a myriad of unthinkable ways. Cloud computing is the notion of outsourcing hardware and software to Internet service providers. In terms of innovation, cloud computing is showing the classic signs of a disruptive technology—it is not good enough for the masses yet, but it has the clear potential to shake things up and up heave the industry.

Enablers

Virtualization

Cloud computing will emerge as a protagonist in the enterprise IT industry because it incorporates a framework for dealing with a classic and asphyxiating problem in corporations: legacy software. Cloud computing enables strategic change by using technologies such as virtualisation to allow internal IT to function in a manner which is more akin to an external service, whilst also changing the business’ ability to consume cloud services. Virtualization can decouple legacy applications from their mundane platforms and infrastructures so that they can be independently integrated into a modern architecture. Virtualization enables the emergence and adoption of Cloud computing because this method for dealing with legacy applications is attractive. Corporations can save on hardware and infrastructure expenditure by virtualizing and their legacy applications in the cloud.

Software as a Service

Cloud computing incorporates SaaS. Cloud computing is the broad concept of using the internet to allow people to access technology-enabled services. According to Gartner, those services must be “massively scalable in terms of platform and infrastructure” to qualify as true “cloud computing”. The emergence of SaaS applications, scalable or not, is thus an essential driver for the capitalization of Cloud computing by vendors and consumers of enterprise IT.

Inhibitors

The capacity of the Internet

One of the reasons why cloud computing is not yet ready for mass roll out is that connections speeds aren't yet up to handling this much data. According to InfoWorld consumers and corporations could overload the current capacity and lead to fall-outs in two years unless backbone providers invest billions of dollars in a new infrastructure.

"Consumer and corporate use of the Internet could overload the current capacity and lead to brown-outs in two years unless backbone providers invest billions of dollars in new infrastructure, according to a study released Monday."

The whole idea behind it is resizable computing power. When you need the power, it's there, but when you don't, you can scale back. The bang for the buck with the Amazon program is the highest; it is almost a pay-as-you-go plan for computing cycles. 

Networks aren't ready for mass roll out yet, and connection speeds aren't yet up to handling this much data

The risk of data security, data-location, political boundary issues, long-term viability, data recovery are all aspects which inhibit this driving force.

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