Software Appliances Will Make the Cloud Take Off
There’s a lot of talk about cloud computing in enterprises today, but not as much action as you might think. According to Forrester Research, only 1 percent of workloads will actually run in the cloud next year. So, what’s keeping VARs and their enterprise customers from jumping into the cloud? Here are some of the challenges plus a look at why I believe software appliances will propel the cloud forward.
What’s holding the cloud back? One oft-cited reason is security. Once you put a critical workload “out there” in a public cloud, who’s accountable? Who’s to say it’s safe from hackers and thieves?
Regulatory compliance is another cause for concern. And management. CIOs are looking to simplify their data centers, but there’s always the possibility that one more layer will just make matters worse.
Now, Some Solutions
Intelligent workload management (IWM) is one approach that is helping to minimize concerns about cloud computing. IWM integrates identity management capabilities into application workloads, thus enabling built-in security, manageability, regulatory compliance and portability.
But before intelligent workload management can become a reality, there must be intelligent workloads. And that’s where software appliances come in. Software appliances let you deliver simplified, highly portable solutions free of the maintenance headaches that have often plagued enterprise IT—solutions that you can test, deploy and scale to your customers’ specific needs. In effect, software appliances make it possible to “mass customize” application delivery.
The SUSE Appliance Program is a good place to get started building software appliances. This program lets you develop applications for intelligent workloads that operate securely and efficiently across physical, virtual and cloud environments.
Making Software Appliance Moves
IBM is taking advantage of the program to deliver a portfolio of software appliances powered by SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. But you don’t have to be Big Blue to build and/or support software appliances. Thousands of ISVs and SIs have signed up for the program, and many are using SUSE Studio Online to build appliances.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is the OS you may want to consider for your software appliances. It can be easily tailored to provide just enough operating system (JeOS). In other words, you only use what your application needs. And your customers get only what they want, and nothing more. The result is a more efficient, streamlined deployment for you, and a lower price for your customer.
Do you have an idea for a software appliance that will help cloud computing—and your business—take off?
Dan Dufault is global director of partner marketing at Novell. Guest blogs such as this one are part of The VAR Guy’s annual sponsorship program.
Well, VARs and their enterprise customers are probably the least motivated to move to the cloud. After all, they have enjoyed a cozy business relationship for decades and cloud computing is a major disruptive force in their relationship. But I think that VARs who don’t re-tool for cloud computing better hope they are close to retirement. Within 10 years the entire IT landscape will look radically different than it does today. Cloud computing is an unstoppable trend in information technology. I think it represents the most important change in information technology since the introduction of the PC and the Local Area Network in the early 1980s. Someone from Novell should certainly appreciate that if they know anything about the history of Novell. I do agree with Mr. Dufault that using Novell SUSE Studio, JeOS and the intelligent workload management of SUSE appliances in the cloud is all good…Ground Work Open Source(GWOS)is one vendor who is already doing this…in the Amazon cloud.
Tim: Your Novell and GroundWork examples are on the mark. And there are plenty more. Solutions providers like Levementum and Open BI are moving customer applications into Amazon’s cloud regularly.
-TVG
Tim: We share the same assessment when it comes to the ‘re-casting’ of the IT Landscape. The big question is not so much ‘If’, but ‘When’ …and who will the early adopters be, and who amongst the channel solution providers, SIs and MSPs will be best suited and ready to respond to early customers. Your comments on ‘relationships’ are right on the mark, but as we all know there is always a tipping point. The tipping point with Cloud-based solutions will occur for individual enterprises when the likely return outweighs the likely risk. As we see greater numbers of customers move segments of their IT processes and data to the cloud and subsequently realize the promised ROI, the ‘ROI’ side of the scale will tip more enterprises in that direction. The key here (like any other time in ‘IT History’), whether you’re a VAR, an SI, a vendor or a customer: don’t be behind the wave -jump in front of it!