Michael Armistead

Here's a question: Which IT sector accounts for 25% of the industry's year-over-year growth and, if the same growth trajectories continue, will generate about one-third of the IT industry's net new growth by 2013? The answer is cloud services, according to research firm IDC. Cloud computing is garnering its fair share of industry buzz as well. Its promise of revolutionary cost savings and agile, just-in time capacity has driven IT organizations at enterprises of all sizes to build Cloud deployment strategies into their plans. (Source: Worldwide IT Cloud Services Spending, 2008-2012, IDC, October 2008) Realizing the Cloud's benefits, however, is greatly determined by the trustworthiness of the cloud infrastructure - in particular the software applications that control private data and automate critical processes. Cyber-threats increasingly target vulnerable cloud ap... (more)

The Benefits of the Cloud

Cloud computing is immensely popular with companies and government agencies in search of revolutionary cost savings and operational flexibility. According to industry research firm IDC, cloud computing's growth trajectory is, at 27% CAGR, more than five times the growth rate of the traditional, on-premise IT delivery/consumption model. [1] Cloud computing practitioners cite numerous benefits, but most often point to two fundamental benefits: Adaptability: An enterprise can get computing resources implemented in record time, for a fraction of the cost of an on-premise solution, an... (more)