Technology trends: how serious is Cloud computing?

Undoubtedly one of the major things happening now in information technology space is the move to ‘Cloud computing’. If you haven’t heard of the term yet, Cloud Computing refers to the fact that your computer programs and data don’t necessarily have to be on your computer or laptop, but could be run by a company on a server somewhere far away (or better: on multiple servers at once, in an unidentified location).

Sounds weird? Chances are that you are using one form or another of Cloud computing already. Gmail, Hotmail or even Facebook, in effect these are ‘Cloud’-based applications, since you don’t run any of the software to use these services on your computer. The only thing you need is an access to Internet.

We’ve seen various attempts in this direction in the past –anyone remembers the ‘Application Service Providers’? So why should it become real now? Well, the benefits and the technological possibilities have evolved, obviously.

Cloud is serious business, so serious that the World Economic Forum has spent a couple of workshops on the matter. The results are gathered in the document: Advancing Cloud Computing: What To Do Now?

This report offers some compelling read. It starts with some key figures with regard of Cloud computing:

The report then goes in length over the benefits and the issues of Cloud computing. Let’s not forget the participants of the workshops were mainly providers and government agencies –no end customers, which is a bit strange. Anyhow, on the benefits side the report stresses the fact that Cloud computing could be key to accelerate innovation. It’s interesting that they put this benefit much higher on the list than, take, the cost savings for corporate IT divisions:

The issues (and bottlenecks for adoption of the Cloud) offer no surprise, although I must confess I was not so much aware of the geopolitical implications of Cloud computing (most Cloud providers will likely be coming from the US).

Question is: will the benefits ever outweigh the issues?