Implementing a multi-CDN is spreading a site’s content across multiple CDN providers. Once upon a time this was a strategy that was typically only found at larger enterprises. However, a multi-CDN strategy is now common among businesses of all sizes. Multiple CDNs provide the obvious benefit of delivering content beyond a single point of failure. So, what’s the best approach to building resiliency into your content streams? In this article I’ll cover some common multi-CDN options.

One of the biggest reasons for increased demand in multiple CDNs is the single point of failure associated with a single CDN. There are also some regional differences between CDNs that affect performance. Beyond the single point of failure, performance is another one of the strongest drivers for moving to the multi-CDN. Customers want to deliver the best content to their customers at the highest performance possible. Security is also a reason a company may consider multiple CDNs. The availability to move away from a CDN if needed could prove to be crucial if stream level access is compromised. Let’s take a look at each of these reasons in more detail.

CDNs are not always 100% reliable and there will be periods of downtime. If this happens to be during peak traffic times, it can be very costly in lost traffic and revenue. The magnitude and region of an outage can vary. Major outages for all zones affect the entire CDN, but there are also smaller outages that are limited to geographical areas. Sometimes smaller outages can go undetected if specific monitoring to detect these is not configured. Multi-CDNs allow for an environment where traffic will automatically failover to a backup to prevent downtime and eliminate interruptions.

Video content along with an overall increased consumer appetite for content has led to an increased focus on performance. Utilizing a multi-CDN is the perfect use case to increase performance. There are several ways to configure a multi-CDN, but the first choice for optimizing one for performance should focus on the Domain Name System (DNS). DNS matches domain names to IP addresses. With multiple CDNs, the domain points to the host names of the CDN providers. Those providers then point to the IP address of the closest server to the user who requested the domain. This does not require any additional lookups and leads to faster load times. Many DNS providers offer continuous monitoring of the CDN providers to test for responsiveness. The fastest performing server to deliver the content is then selected based off the results.

Finally, security should be a top concern for any organization. If a CDN is compromised it could lead to many additional problems. Beyond the potential loss of functionality, further attacks on additional systems and customers are possible. In the case of a compromised CDN, a multi-CDN configuration would provide the flexibility of having additional options available.

Multi-CDNs provide specific companies with strict content demands a massive amount of positive benefits. Now may be the time to consider one in your own environment for performance and availability.

Many benefits can be obtained when companies take advantage of cloud computing. Among the most attractive are the scalability and cost-effectiveness available by engaging public cloud providers. The flexibility afforded by using cloud resources enables an enterprise to pay for what they need and easily add or remove capacity as required. Another reason for using the cloud is to leverage services or capabilities that cannot be replicated on-premises due to a lack of technical or physical resources.

When an organization decides to move some or all of its present computing environment to the cloud, there are many ways to move forward. It is essential to have a well-defined plan for what will be migrated, where it will be hosted, and how the move will be executed. Without proper preparation and planning, the probability of a successful move is dramatically reduced.

A Checklist for Cloud Migration

Employing a methodical approach offers the greatest chance for a smooth migration to the cloud. The following basic checklist provides a solid foundation when considering a move to the cloud.

• Determine the cloud strategy and goal of the migration. An essential component of this step is to gather baseline metrics regarding your current environment. This enables the creation of key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used during the migration and can help identify if the move is successful. Metrics such as availability, response time, and CPU usage will allow you to gauge how well applications are performing after the move. 

• Evaluate the applications that will be migrated to determine an order in which to move them. Some systems may need to be redesigned while others can be moved as-is. Security concerns might come into play and identify applications that are best left in-house. 

• Create a data migration plan that takes into account the ability to maintain data integrity and operational efficiency during the move. 

• Choose the cloud provider based on their offerings and the requirements discovered during the planning process. Factors such as support during the migration, its level of experience in the type of application you are moving, and tools to assist in the move should all be considered when selecting a vendor.

Online Versus Offline Migration

Another factor that can influence the success of cloud migration is whether it is performed using online or offline methods. Offline migration is done by copying the data that will be reposted in the cloud to portable storage media which is then physically delivered to the cloud provider. Online migrations use the network connections between the on-premises systems and the cloud provider to perform the data transfer. 

The choice of which method to adopt should be determined by the amount of data being transferred to the cloud providers and the network bandwidth available for the migration. Moving a large amount of data quickly often necessitates an offline approach as networks cannot handle the volume of information in a timely manner. Mistakenly taking the online path may slow down the migration and negatively affect the overall timeframe of the cloud initiative. 

A cloud migration is a big step that an enterprise should not take without performing the proper planning. Spending the time for productive planning will ensure that the goals of the migration are achieved and that no impediments spring up unexpectedly.

Cloud computing presents organizations with many options with which to increase the capacity of their on-premises systems or introduce new solutions beyond their in-house capability to implement. Cloud providers are making cutting-edge technology available to anyone willing to pay for it. The cloud paradigm has gone a long way toward leveling the playing field when it comes to making efficient use of innovative computing methods. 

Among the many cloud offerings that an enterprise can use to their advantage is artificial intelligence (AI). The cloud is driving the adoption of AI by providing a vehicle with which to gather the data sets used as raw materials and the processing power and scalability required to turn them into valuable information. Tools and techniques developed by major cloud providers help fill the skill gap related to AI programming. They put the power of AI research or commercial development within reach of any size company.

Businesses are investing heavily in AI with an overwhelming majority of corporate executives considering it the most impactful disruptive technology in which they are investing. Companies can use AI techniques like machine learning and natural language processing to address business challenges in exciting new ways that can give them a huge competitive edge in their market sector. Multiple providers are offering the benefits of AI to their customers.

Major Cloud AI Providers

Here’s a brief look at some of the options for organizations looking to the cloud for a path to effective use of artificial intelligence.

Microsoft Azure AI

Azure clients can take advantage of decades of research and the same level of AI technology that powers Microsoft. The provider offers customers access to advanced capabilities in areas such as speech and object recognition and machine translation. Using the tools available through Azure AI, it is possible to rapidly develop, train, and deploy machine learning models to solve complex business problems. Open source development frameworks can be used to make solutions portable and avoid cloud vendor lock-in.

Google Cloud AI

Google is another cloud giant with a large portfolio of AI solutions that businesses can use in various ways. One offering is Google’s AI Hub which is a hosted repository of components that can be used in plug-and-play configurations. Another option is the provider’s AI building blocks which can be used to implement image and video analysis through pre-trained APIs or custom-designed systems. Google’s AI Platform provides a means with which developers can quickly deploy AI solutions cost-effectively.

IBM Watson 

Big Blue has long been known for the AI prowess of its Watson supercomputer. IBM’s cloud offering brings Watson’s power to the masses. The technology enables companies to convert between text and speech, perform visual recognition, and build trainable AI models. Deep and machine learning techniques available in the cloud allow researchers to address problems that were beyond the scope of their legacy computing environments. 

The convergence of cloud computing with artificial intelligence promises to usher in a wave of innovative business solutions and consumer applications. Clients ranging from large corporations to small startups can all benefit from the flexibility and scalability of cloud AI offerings. Your company should keep an open mind regarding how AI can help it stay competitive. Choosing the right AI cloud provider for its needs is the first step. It’s probably time to take it.

An entity defined as a hybrid implies that it is a combination of at least two distinct components. In the world of cloud computing, the term hybrid cloud is often used to describe various types of implementations. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines a hybrid cloud as one composed of two or more cloud infrastructures that enable data and application portability through the use of standardized or proprietary technology. 

Some companies use the term multi-cloud to indicate that a hybrid cloud merely uses multiple platforms and is not an entity unto itself. The hybrid cloud model is becoming increasingly popular as a viable method with which an organization can leverage the power of the cloud. In many cases, it offers advantages over a solution which only uses a single cloud model. 

Benefits Offered by Hybrid Cloud Environments

When an enterprise is considering the kind of cloud implementation that best fits its business needs, these are some of the potential advantages of a hybrid solution. 

Balancing capital and operating expenses - Rather than spending financial resources on additional infrastructure and hardware, a company can obtain the capacity they need from a cloud provider. Connecting the cloud to its existing infrastructure creates a hybrid IT environment.

Handling variable workloads - Businesses that see widely variable workloads due to seasonal factors benefit by the scalability of the public portion of the hybrid model. Cloud providers can scale on request to provide exactly the capacity required to satisfy increased demands. 

Encouraging innovation and development - The ability to rapidly deploy cloud resources can result in increased development speed and innovation. A cloud provider can offer virtually limitless computing power to be employed for a specific purpose and will quickly sunset them when the job is complete. 

Providing enhanced security - Some systems may be considered too sensitive for their security to be entrusted to any third-party. A hybrid cloud scenario enables these systems to remain on-premises or in a private cloud while the public cloud is used for other computing activities. 

Examples of Hybrid Cloud Implementations

Some market sectors have embraced the hybrid cloud model more than others. The healthcare industry has increasingly been adopting the hybrid cloud and is expected to double its use of this computing platform in the next two years. Some of the factors driving the hybrid cloud in healthcare are the legacy systems that the industry often employs and the exploding quantities of data that are involved in providing healthcare.

It is more economical to use the cloud for infrastructure than to modernize current facilities. Managing growth and evolving compliance standards are more easily accomplished with a hybrid model that builds upon legacy information systems. Strict security of sensitive data can be maintained in-house if desired.

The financial services industry is another prime candidate for hybrid cloud environments. They too have a large investment in legacy systems that need to be maintained and upgraded. Sensitive data exists in their databases that management may not want to be exposed to any other entity. Hybrid environments allow them to move to the cloud deliberately, retaining full control of specific systems while using the provider’s infrastructure when it makes sense to do so.

Aligning a legacy IT environment with the cloud can produce a more flexible solution that can address the ever-changing business landscape. A hybrid cloud can also serve as a bridge toward a full public cloud implementation.

As businesses continue discovering the benefits that cloud computing can present with regard to efficiency and profitability, the use of cloud technologies continues to skyrocket. In the US for example, at least 70 percent of companies, whether public, private, or hybrid use cloud computing according to research done by IDG in 2016.

Owing to the evidence of the impact of cloud computing which has been seen over time, people are no longer talking about why cloud computing should be adopted. Rather, they now talk about how they can move operations and services to the cloud. These are the issues you need to consider before migrating to the cloud:

1. Make sure your cloud applications are an improvement to the on-premise applications you already have

Every business’ intention is to have systems that are better than what they already have in order to compete favorably in a highly competitive business landscape. This is no exception when migrating to the cloud. Your new cloud systems must give you the competitive edge you need as you cannot afford to lose anything when migrating to the cloud.  Ensure that you only pay for what you will use to avoid duplication and costs. You should ensure that you change everything to meet the shifting demands by improving the efficiency of your systems.

2. Decide where and what processes to start with

Moving to a cloud is not something you start and finish once. Rather, you need to have a concrete plan that involves moving operations in phases to avoid total disaster in case of a failure. Since it is new technology, it requires a phased approach where simple business processes are moved first and lessons learned from the previous phase applied to the next one. For a company that has subsidiaries or branches, you can start with one branch and scale your deployment to other branches.

3. Manage compatibility and interoperability with other vendors

Interoperability is perhaps one of the leading areas of concern when migrating to the cloud. As you select your cloud vendors, one of the leading areas you should investigate is compatibility of architecture and applications with other vendors. Incompatibility can cost your business a lot and can be the cause of problems when you want to migrate to another cloud service provider. You should also address integration issues that can create separate silos and affect operations.

4. Ensure the strategy of your vendor aligns to your company’s business strategy

Failure to align cloud strategy to business strategy remains the single most challenging area for many organizations and ends up jeopardizing everything. Before you commit to a cloud vendor, take your time to acquaint yourself with the architectural requirements of the service provider. Ensure that the service provider you choose offers all the capabilities that a company needs such as reporting options, budgeting features, and planning options as well as regulatory compliance. Most importantly, ensure that the vendor has integration and security strategies that can be verified by other businesses. Furthermore, inquire the investment of the vendor on future technologies such as blockchain, machine learning and IoT all of which signify intentions of the company to adapt to the future as you would always want your company to do.

IT departments responsible for facilitating the migration of companies’ cloud-based infrastructure often find themselves struggling due to the many issues they face. Most of these challenges are due to the complexity of managing different environments. The issues have been made even more difficult by the growing number of the new cloud initiatives which increases complexity therefore leaving the IT teams wondering about how they are going to update legacy IT environments and processes into a state that befits the prevailing digital space.

Mistakes are common in many IT projects. However, any project management professional will tell you that some mistakes are just too risky and some can even keep you from moving forward and succeeding. The same can be said about cloud migration. Cloud migration mistakes can be costly and companies can lose not only money but also time. If the company fails to identify these mistakes early, chances are that the mistakes can end up badly impacting not only the performance but may also damage confidence in your company’s cloud strategy. It may also lead to loss of confidence in the company’s IT team leaders which may hamper adoption of cloud strategy. As an IT team leader therefore, you should identify the potential issues that you can encounter while implementing cloud strategy and address them to ensure that your cloud deployment is successful. Here are three crucial issues that you need to watch in migrating to the cloud.

1. Failure to analyze your apps before the migration

Failure to analyze the company’s applications before migrating to the cloud is an issue that has bungled many cloud strategies. Before any kind of movement, you will need to do an analysis of applications to determine whether they are good for migration or not. For instance, you can do this by splitting the apps into two groups of apps – one listing the apps which will be replaced and the other of those which will be migrated. For example, you can replace on-premise email application with a cloud app like Microsoft’s Office 365. As an IT manager, you should consider checking how sensitive the application is to compliance. Companies on the other hand should be aware of apps which are sensitive to workloads. Initial app analysis enables a company to identify the attributes of all apps and enables one to avoid potential issues during the migration phase.

2. Not carrying out business analysis before migration

Embarking on migration without a clear business case is another issue which sees companies trying unsuccessfully to migrate to the cloud without understanding the benefits of it. Although some may think that migrating to the cloud is as easy as picking an application and moving it, the truth actually is that lack of business analysis may jeopardize everything. The analysis should include financial implications of migration, requirements, space required and the benefits that migrating to the cloud brings.

3. Inadequate training

 Although you might be in charge of many IT personnel, there are chances that most of them don’t know a lot about the cloud. This might be worse when it comes to cloud migration which makes the whole thing more complex. Since finding cloud-savvy employees can be expensive, you will have to train your personnel to reduce problems that are encountered and increase speed. You might need to find some consultants who are experienced in this area to train employees on the correct cloud migration strategies and how the it can be used in general. Inadequate training may cause legacy knowledge to be brought into the cloud which in the end may impact productivity and strategy in general. This has been one of the biggest challenges that many companies encounter during cloud migration.

Going by the discussions that are happening in the corporate world and the evident influx of new technologies, it is clear that businesses are changing their approaches to computing. Businesses have gone digital. It’s impossible to talk about computing without mentioning cloud computing, which is perhaps the leading buzzword in the world of technology. It’s promising to alter the corporate landscape for the better.

A critical factor to consider is how it can be used best and managed appropriately to achieve the needs of a company and explore cloud computing’s full potential. Here are the 4 most important things that companies need to understand about cloud computing and its management.

Performance

It is true that cloud computing can offer enhanced performance. However, it is important to note that there are instances whereby erratic performance can be experienced. This, of course, depends on the vendor. That’s why selecting the right vendor is critical. Before making a long-term commitment, make sure that you have a service level agreement (SLA) which guarantees all services required and which you are paying for. You also need to ensure that the services will always be available and verify the guaranteed availability before initiating the agreement

Security

For any company security of information is the most important aspect that must be guaranteed by a cloud service provider. It is not always easy to keep the systems secure as this requires investment in both technical and non-technical resources. Public cloud service providers are often highly secured and have cutting edge security mechanisms making them highly protected. Ensure you have highly trained employees to handle all emergencies with regard to security and be aware of the cost associated.

Portability

Before making a commitment to sign for a particular vendor, always take into account interoperability and portability. Many companies struggle with vendor-lock after signing up with some cloud companies. Among the leading issues which have been reported are setups of architectures and tools that some cloud vendors use which make migrating to another provider expensive and difficult. When looking for a vendor and during configuration, you should always make sure that industry standard settings such as APIs, data formats and protocols are used. This makes migration from one vendor to another not only less complicated but also less expensive.

Expertise

With the ever-changing technological landscape, new challenges associated with having the right expertise crop up. Consequently, managing services driven by technologies such as cloud computing require the right human resources to ensure operations run efficiently. This has become a huge challenge to organizations as experts in cloud computing are few and cloud technologies change constantly. So, IT staff must be trained adequately and regularly to handle different aspects of cloud computing. Also consider getting outside help to fill the existing gaps.

Government and private agencies are now shifting their computing operations to the cloud. This has been accelerated by the huge advantages that the cloud has over legacy IT because of its effectiveness, cost efficiency, scalability, and performance. However, various cloud computing issues still haunt its users. These challenges are mostly associated with the increased levels of complexity that demand that the CIO identifies the right vendor for the applications to run on and the features available from the stated vendor. These are some of the most important issues you need to address when planning to move your operations to the cloud.

Have a well-defined strategy and a business objective

There are various reasons why you should consider migrating to the cloud which includes agility, cost, scalability, digital transformation and flexibility. However, many people don’t get it right when it comes to aligning the cloud strategy with the business strategy. Your organization’s business strategy must dictate the cloud strategy. This may be complex in many instances as many companies may face problems due to lack of alignment of cloud strategy with the existing business objectives.

Security, time and cost

Cost is a significant issue faced by companies, but cost, security and time are also major stumbling blocks. Transferring data to the cloud is often a slow process that can take both man hours and bandwidth to succeed. Moreover, cloud computing being a new technology raises some security doubts which need to be understood and addressed accordingly. Overcoming these challenges is often one of the biggest hurdles but must be addressed regardless.

Get people and processes right

The biggest challenge when it comes to the adoption of cloud is not technology. On the contrary, it is usually people and processes. These two must change to adapt to the new needs and changes in the organization. However, this may end up taking a lot of time therefore negatively affecting cloud adoption. For you to manage transition easily, consider adding tech innovation test centers to make the entire process easier. Large companies are likely to face massive challenges when it comes to adopting the cloud fully as a result of complications which may come up in the transition process.

Select the right platform

Among the leading cloud computing issues is the failure by companies to pick the right platform. CIOs should always take their time to compare platforms and choose the most appropriate one that meets the technical requirements for each workload. The chosen platform should also meet the unique needs of your firm and suit its line of business. A smart company performs a comparative analysis of the existing platforms and chooses the one which fits all its business needs.

In summary, cloud transformation is a long process that can be simplified with the right expertise. To effect a successful cloud adoption, you should always keep in mind that selection of cloud vendors is a process and not an event and a process is a step by step undertaking.

According to GCN, the cloud is becoming more attractive to municipalities. 

As cloud-based technology matures, it has been increasingly adopted by local governments and public-safety organizations. 

Read article on GCN

Wayfair is taking to the cloud wiht Google’s Cloud Platform, reports ZD Net. 

Wayfair is ramping its hybrid cloud strategy with a bet on Google Cloud Platform.

Read article on ZD Net

Russia is the king of cloud based bitcoin mining, reports DeCrypt.

The future of cloud-based bitcoin mining is in Russia, not China, according to a new report by TokenInsight, published Friday. 

Read article on DeCrypt

According to Business Insider, Microsoft's tweaking to teams to make it useful to sectors like retail is helping get it a larger sector of the cloud market. 

Industries like retail, manufacturing, banking and healthcare are not often thought of as quick to adopt new technologies, but Microsoft wants to change that.

Read article on Business Insider

When an organization decides to move some or all of its computing environment to the cloud, selecting the right provider is of paramount importance. Making the right choice can lead to a fruitful relationship with a cloud partner that benefits your business. Selecting the wrong provider may result in unfulfilled expectations regarding the financial and operational implications of the move.

There are many cloud providers from which to make your choice. While Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are currently the biggest players, many smaller and more specialized providers exist that may make sense for a particular implementation. This post offers some guidance as to what to look for in a provider and some questions to answer before entering into a contract with one of them.

Differentiating Characteristics of Cloud Providers

Getting past the marketing hype can be difficult, as every provider believes they have the best solution for your needs. Here are some specific factors that should be considered before committing to a cloud provider. 

Security and compliance - The security of your systems and data are critical no matter where they are located. Trusting them to the cloud requires you to determine how basic security will be provided and if there are additional protections that can be obtained at an extra cost. There are shared security responsibilities in a cloud implementation, with both customer and vendor sharing the burden of protecting the environment. Compliance is also performed in a shared manner and the details need to be fully understood to avoid the inability to provide evidence that your systems are complying with security and privacy regulations.

Management responsibilities - Varying degrees of customer involvement in managing the cloud platform result from adopting different cloud models. A Software as a Service (SaaS) implementation will usually require very little customer management, whereas they may have significant responsibility for a move that employs the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model.

Architecture and storage - The underlying architecture used by the provider may influence your decision to use them for your cloud computing needs. Certain providers may use tools and applications that facilitate integrating your environment into their infrastructure. For instance, if your business relies heavily on Microsoft products, you may benefit from discounts and licenses offered through Azure. The method used to store your data and the flexibility afforded in how and when you can access it are other factors that need to be clarified.

Pricing structure - Billing may be done in a variety of ways and some of them may work better in a particular situation. Most providers offer on-demand payment plans with some also providing discounts for long-term or volume usage.

Other considerations - You may also be concerned with the physical location and safety of the data center that will house your environment. Other important factors include the history of downtime and level of support you can expect from the provider when a problem arises. 

Putting it All Together

A thorough investigation of the factors outlined above will help your organization make a good choice when selecting their cloud provider. You need to enter the relationship with a full understanding of what you are getting, how much it will cost, and the expectations that will be placed on your team. Taking the time to determine these facts before the engagement begins makes it much more probable that your journey to the cloud will return the benefits you desire. 

Rackspace recently rebranded and is focusing on providing unbiased managed cloud services. CEO Joe Eazor stated the rebranding of the company is intended to emphasize that “the primary goal is to accelerate the allure of the cloud for customers.” Rackspace is meeting customers where they are currently at with their cloud systems and assisting with the roadmap. The timing of this is very good as the adaptation of hybrid cloud and multi-cloud becomes the norm across the enterprise landscape. According to a Forrester research report, 74 percent of enterprises have added the hybrid cloud to their organizational roadmap.

New offerings from Rackspace include:

Managed VMware Cloud

VMware Cloud features VMware’s enterprise grade SDDC software in the AWS Cloud with access to native AWS services. VMware Cloud on AWS integrates VMware products (VMware vSphere, VMware vSAN and VMware NSX)  and VMware vCenter Server management that is configured to run on dedicated, bare-metal AWS infrastructure. VMware Cloud on AWS provides services between VMware datacenters and the AWS cloud, which integrates environments for easier management and better security. Having access to AWS services extends the value of enterprise programs over their product life cycle.

Kubernetes and Container Services

Rackspace launched its first managed Kubernetes service as part of the rebranding effort. Ramakant Pandrangi, Vice President of Product Management for managed hosting and private clouds at Rackspace, says “Rackspace will offer a managed service based on a handful of distributions of Kubernetes running on public clouds and on-premises IT environments. Initially, the focus will be on the Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) from Amazon Web Services, the Anthos platform from Google and the Pivotal Container Service (PKS) from VMware.” Kubernetes will be supported for both virtual machines and bare-metal servers.

Cloud-Native Support

This service will include Cloud Reliability Engineering. A Rackspace team of cloud infrastructure engineers will work with an organization’s internal IT team on cloud projects. This includes planning and deploying cloud infrastructure and optimizing cloud-native capabilities.

Rackspace Managed Security (RMS) Service Blocks 

The current product line, which includes managed security has been expanded to include proactive detection and response. Customers on VMware private clouds can also receive assistance with compliance. Managed public cloud customers will also receive support for native cloud security utilities on all the leading public clouds, starting with AWS.  This will help organizations integrate their managed cloud security into a single pane of glass.

Integration and API Management Assessment

Software purchasing decisions usually involve input from multiple decision makers across multiple departments. Often the opinions from users in departments are much different than the IT teams who are responsible for integrating and deploying these applications. The Rackspace Integration and API Management Assessment is designed to evaluate the current status of software integration. This is done from multiple perspectives including data, process analysis and current applications. From this assessment Rackspace will recommend integration strategies that align with company objectives and goals. This unbiased expertise and evaluation is outcome focused instead of product focused to narrow in on the best overall solution for the organization.

Developments in cloud computing have spurred many businesses and organizations to leverage the power available in this 21st Century technological paradigm. Cloud providers are constantly honing their offerings and introducing new methods to attract and serve their customers. They are also jockeying for position as they strive to increase their share of this very lucrative market. Amazon currently leads providers with 33% of the cloud infrastructure services market. Google, Microsoft, IBM, and AliBaba are the other large players in the field. They all are following accepted business practices and searching for ways to bolster their customer base.

The Big Get Bigger

One of the strategies that companies use when attempting to expand control over a market segment is to engage in mergers and acquisitions. This behavior is evident in the realm of major cloud providers. Here are some recent examples. 

• IBM’s acquisition of Red Hat, a developer of open-source enterprise software, is designed to strengthen the company’s cloud offerings as they compete with other market leaders. The deal cost Big Blue $34 billion in cash and stock. 

• Google Cloud acquired Elastifile to bolster its storage capabilities. Elastifile provides a software-based technique for managing network-attached storage (NAS) which Google plans to incorporate into its cloud storage offerings. 

• Microsoft’s acquisition of GitHub will enable the company to strengthen its relationship with the developer community. The $7.5 billion deal will facilitate the use of Microsoft tools and services by the over 28 million GitHub developers and their products. 

These moves by some of the giant cloud providers are concentrating resources and intellectual capital within a small pool of corporations. In the opinion of corporate management, due to the economies of scale that their organizations provide, they can achieve the greatest benefits from these technologies. Believing that altruism is the complete rationale behind the mergers is foolish. All of these companies are driven by the need to continuously generate profits, and acquiring new skillsets contributes to that goal.

The Dangers of Too Much Consolidation

While consolidation may be attractive to the giant cloud providers, the practice may expose customers to some potential issues. As with any industry, consolidation in the cloud will undoubtedly lead to fewer alternative solutions for prospective and current clients. Monopolization of any market segment presents the prospect of price-fixing, taking advantage of the lack of competition for a particular service. The cloud will not be immune to this ailment. 

This absence of competitive alternatives ties in with the concept of cloud vendor lock-in. In this scenario, a vendor employs proprietary technology solutions that make it difficult for customers to adopt a new provider. This can be problematic for financial reasons if better deals for the equitable services can be obtained elsewhere. It can also result in the inability to optimize your cloud environment by migrating to advanced technologies that better serve your needs.

There is not much that the average IT professional can do about this phenomenon. It is something that you should be aware of and keep in mind as you plan to move your business-critical applications to the cloud. Your future choices may be more limited than they are today, so make them wisely.

Cloud computing holds the promise of many technological advances that will impact society in a myriad of ways. There are definite economic advantages to leveraging the power of the cloud. Sometimes overlooked are the environmental benefits that may accrue from taking advantage of the cloud computing paradigm. 

The economies of scale associated with cloud computing as well as a shift in how businesses address their intellectual capital have opened the door to more environmentally friendly means of providing the world’s IT support. Let’s take a look at some specific examples.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Production and Energy Consumption

A report co-authored by Microsoft and WSP identifies four ways in which the company’s cloud computing environment works to reduce energy use and minimize the effects of greenhouse gas on the world’s climate. They are:

• Operational efficiency - Through processes such as dynamic provisioning, multi-tenancy, and optimized server utilization, cloud installations provide large scale operational efficiencies when compared to individual on-premises data centers. 

• Equipment efficiency - Cloud providers can make use of specialized and efficient IT equipment which can lead to a reduction in electricity use by over 10 percent.

• Data center infrastructure efficiency - Power usage effectiveness (PUE) is a measurement of how efficiently a data center uses electricity. Hyperscale data centers such as those employed by cloud providers strive to reduce power consumption in lighting, cooling, and other areas of infrastructure support. 

• Renewable electricity - The consolation that occurs by moving on-premises data centers to the cloud paves the way for large-scale purchases of renewable energy.

Paper Reduction for Businesses

Data storage is one of the basic cloud offerings that alleviate the need for businesses to maintain their own storage arrays. A further step that many businesses are adopting is to go paperless wherever they can. Employing cloud-based technologies like DocuSign enable contracts to be signed and stored electronically without ever needing to be translated to paper. The paper industry is a notorious polluter so any reduction in paper use is a benefit to the environment.

Remote Workforce

One of the major selling points of the cloud is the ability to access your data from any location. This fact enables businesses to allow their employees to work remotely while maintaining the same functionality as if they were in an office. This reduces auto emissions and can lead to the business reducing the size of their physical footprint with commensurate savings in cooling, heating, and energy use.

Keeping Tabs on Cloud Providers

Rather than accept the claims of cloud providers on face value, savvy environmental groups have been monitoring the industry for years. Greenpeace is one of the organizations which has kept an eye on cloud providers and pressures them to increase their use of renewable energy. Their latest report was completed in 2017 and grades companies based on their commitment to using renewable energy to power their datacenters. 

Their findings show that Apple, Google, and Facebook are among the leaders in the drive toward the goal of using 100% renewable energy to power their IT infrastructures. Holding these giant corporations accountable for their energy use is key toward ensuring that the future of cloud computing minimizes any negative impacts on the environment.