A post by John Pironti, Risk Management and Security Track Chair.

Cloud computing is no longer an interesting idea or concept to be investigated by most organizations but reality that is now part of their normal business activities. It is well understood through numerous studies and analysis that security is currently the primary roadblock that prevents organizations from widely adopting cloud computing capabilities for their core and critical business activities. This situation creates an interesting scenario that is similar to the theory of the unstoppable object (Cloud Computing) and the Immovable Object (Security) and what happens when they must coexist and thrive. The capability that will ultimately help organizations to solve this challenge is the use of information risk management. Continue Reading »

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CIO cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect Risk Management Security

Cloud Computing was supposed to usher in an era of computing on demand. However what we have today is a mix of the old and new – difficult to scale compute resources and billing models that penalize consumption based billing, both of which are only as granular as a preset server size and hourly or yearly based billing.

In this upcoming Cloud Connect webcast we’ll review how we got here, where the architectures of our applications are and how they fit to today’s cloud. We’ll also look at common IaaS packaging models, billing models and how new innovations are driving a more “true” cloud model and how future application architectures will take advantage of the next generation cloud computing architectures. We will discuss how to optimize cloud architectures to maximize infrastructure and control costs for today’s and tomorrow’s cloud computing platforms.

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Time: 11:00 am PT/2:00 pm ET
Sponsored by ProfitBricks
Presented by Cloud Connect
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Join Joe Weinman, noted cloud-computing expert and author of Cloudonomics and Pete Johnson, Platform Evangelist at ProfitBricks for a lively discussion and practical takeaways on cloud architectures and cost modeling.

*** Register now for this free webcast ***

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Presenters:

Joe Weinman, Author, Cloudonomics and Senior Vice President, Telx

Pete Johnson, Platform Evangelist, ProfitBricks

Moderator:

Steve Wylie, General Manager, Cloud Connect

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architectures cloud computing cloud connect IaaS infrastructure ProfitBricks

Chris Taylor, the Big Data Processing and Parallel Computing Track Chair at Cloud Connect, posted an informative and thought provoking piece on Wired’s Innovation Insights Blog called: Cloud Underpins Rapid Tech Change.

He’ll cover that topic much more in depth at Cloud Connect Santa Clara 2013. In addition, Big Data will be fully examined at the event as well.

Big Data is so much more than a buzz word. With the maturing of cloud and map reduce technology; the question has changed from simply, “What is it?” to a more complex, “How do we connect, store and process vast amounts of data using the most cost effective and secure ways and as close to real-time as possible?”. There are many infrastructure and connectivity choices to wade through to find the right combinations of technologies and architectures to make it all work together. In this track, you’ll hear industry leaders and visionaries tackle the issues on the forefront of the big data and cloud marketplace.

Register with priority code SMCCBlog by March 2 and save up to $500* on your Cloud Connect All Access or Conference Pass.

*Discount calculated based on the on-site price and not combinable with other offers. Offer good on new registrations only. Prices after discount applied: All Access: $1,899.00 Conference: $1,499.00, Workshop: 699.00, Expo Plus: $100.00, Expo Only: Free

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CIO cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect

Adrian Cockcroft is the director of architecture for the Cloud Systems team at Netflix. He is focused on availability, resilience,performance, and measurement of the Netflix cloud platform, and has presented at many conferences, including the Cassandra Summit, QCon/GOTO, Cloud Connect, Velocity, Gluecon and Structure.Adrian is also well known as the author of several books while a Distinguished Engineer at Sun Microsystems: Sun Performance and Tuning; Resource Management; and Capacity Planning for Web Services. From 2004-2007 he was a founding member of eBay Research Labs. He graduated with a BSc in Applied Physics from The City University, London.

Here is an inside peek at his session at Cloud Connect – Netflix and Amazon Web Services Case Study: Strategy and Economics of the Cloud

• Perhaps the best well known case study for cloud use is Netflix’ use of Amazon for transcoding and streaming. Jinesh Varia, Amazon’s leading expert in Cloud Economics will review cloud cost justification approaches and financial models. Adrian Cockcroft will delve into Netflix’ rationale for using AWS.

Register with priority code SMCCBlog by March 2 and save up to $500* on your Cloud Connect All Access or Conference Pass.

*Discount calculated based on the on-site price and not combinable with other offers. Offer good on new registrations only. Prices after discount applied: All Access: $1,899.00 Conference: $1,499.00, Workshop: 699.00, Expo Plus: $100.00, Expo Only: Free

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Adrian Cockcroft amazon web services cloud cloud computing cloud connect Netflix ROI TCO

Troy Angrignon is a sales and marketing executive with sixteen years experience in the IT arena, spanning network consulting services, enterprise software, software as a service, web 2.0 software, and cloud computing. As VP Sales & Marketing, Troy is responsible for working with the team to ensure that Cloudscaling is building market focused solutions that serve our client’s business needs.
Continue Reading »

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CIO cloud cloud computing cloud connect hybrid clouds private clouds

A post by Scott Bils Partner, Everest Group & Organizational Readiness and Business Cases Track Chair.

Cloud Connect Silicon Valley is just around the corner. Once again we’re assembling a group of enterprise IT leaders and top thinkers in cloud to deliver current, unvarnished and useful information for companies mapping their strategies for organizational transformation through agile business models empowered by cloud computing.

And speaking of maps, this year’s theme for the Organizational Readiness and Business Cases track is “Time to pull over and check the map.” On our road to the cloud, enterprises have taken wrong turns, one-way streets and paid some hefty tolls. After all this exhausting traveling, where are we? So, we’re going to safely pull off to the service plaza and check the map.

The first session (Wednesday, April 3 at 9:00 am) will feature a keynote address from the IT leadership at a Fortune 500 enterprise that has made aggressive moves to push much of its workload portfolio to cloud infrastructure. Participants will learn how this enterprise made the business case for organizational transformation to cloud; what assumptions it made in building its strategy for migration; and where the organization is seeing early successes — and warning signs.

Session two (Wednesday at 3:45 pm) is called the “Cloud Witness Protection Program.” We’ll hear entertaining but serious insights from an enterprise IT executive whose identity we’re concealing. He (or she) will share with the audience hard-learned lessons and strategies for avoiding the same mistakes. A quiz session from a panel of experts will follow, digging deeper for keys as to what to look for in a cloud vendor; tough questions to ask before the contract is signed; and what terms to insist on — or walk.

The third session (Thursday at 2:30) is titled, “Disruptive Innovation in Cloud Technology and Tools.” Experts from technology providers, open source projects and enterprises will give participants a tour of new cloud technologies and tools that are available, proven in production environments and ready to deploy. Participants will leave the session armed with an understanding of which tools are the best choices for their enterprise cloud deployments.

The final session (Friday at 10:15) looks at disruption from a business models standpoint. I’ll lead a discussion with two enterprise executives who have used cloud to fundamentally disrupt organizational business models. Participants will hear how these leaders helped their organizations first understand and then embrace the agility, flexibility and dramatic time-to-market compression that cloud enables. Building sustainable competitive advantage through a transformation in business model assumptions is the goal of cloud, and this session will give participants new insights on how to help their organizations get there.

At last year’s Cloud Connect Chicago, we unveiled the results of the inaugural Enterprise Cloud Adoption Survey. Building on the success of that effort, we have launched the 2^nd Annual Cloud Adoption Survey. The survey will help us track year-to-year adoption trends and drivers. Tell us about your journey to the cloud, and you could win a complimentary conference pass to Cloud Connect Silicon Valley. Take the survey now.

Register with priority code SMTB to take advantage of the Early Bird pricing.

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adoption CIO cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect

It’s a big day for the Silicon Valley event…Cloud Connect just announced their keynote speaker lineup.  Presenting a high caliber of thought leaders in the cloud space is of the utmost priority and it’s exciting to see who will be hitting the mainstage in April.  To date, looks like the stellar lineup of speakers includes:

• Alistair Croll, Vice President, CloudOps Research
• Lew Tucker, VP & CTO Cloud Computing, Cisco
• William Ruh, VP & Global Technology Director, General Electric
• Michael Barrett, Chief Information Security Officer, PayPal, Inc.
• Joe Weinman, Author of Cloudonomics & SVP, Cloud Services & Strategy, Telx
• Duke Skarda, Chief Technology Officer, SoftLayer
• Dave McCrory, SVP of DSP Engineering, Warner Music Group

It’s fundamental that the keynote speakers be able to present Cloud Connect attendees with relevant, vendor neutral information and education that can help them shape their business strategy.  As such, it appears to be a good blend of visionaries and practitioners who can wrangle and speak to the latest insights in cloud technologies and use-cases.  Looking forward to seeing what meaningful ways Cisco, GE, PayPal, SoftLayer and more pair down and explore the wide range of innovation in the cloud.

If you’d like more insight on these folks, check out their bios on the Cloud Connect keynote page.

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Joylyn Tanner
PR Manager
UBM Tech

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As Vice President of Marketing for UBM Tech Events, each day holds new and meaty challenges. Responsible for a team of seasoned event marketers, and focused on promoting more than ten global technology event brands in the networking, computing, telecom, and business services categories – we stay challenged and energized year-around.

Our cross-functional teams pride themselves on creating high-quality event experiences that offer our guests the opportunity to learn, network, collaborate and connect with the latest thinking and solutions in their fields. Our goal, and the goal for many of our event guests, is to help them (and the companies they represent) remain progressive and professionally competitive.

Cloud Connect is one of our fastest growing brands in the US and India, serving technologists responsible for implementing cloud solutions that keep their companies competitive and stay agile. The cloud computing industry has evolved quickly over the last few years, proving to be a strategically important category for companies of all sizes. Our own research in partnership with the Everest Group has shown that the value of cloud computing extends beyond simple cost-savings – allowing technologists to bridge legacy IT solutions to new more nimble ones that better meet the needs of the lines-of-business they support and enable quicker time-to-market.

A few years ago cloud computing was so new many companies and experts were only beginning to understand its potential as a category that could change the rules for businesses. And thanks to numerous mainstream applications of the Cloud, even the most business-focused and tech-limited professionals understand its value and importance in enabling the agility companies need to meet the needs of their customers. Cloud Washing? Perhaps, but all of this attention has also enabled the acceleration of this valuable category to grow into a proven value-based solution for the enterprise.

Today, mainstream cloud practitioners are moving beyond considering what’s possible and into an era where they must pioneer new solutions to real challenges in their own companies. Many of the experts in the cloud computing space understand that cloud computing, and other new technologies, don’t transform companies overnight. They must accommodate the sometimes slow evolution to new technology while continuing to support aging infrastructures that companies have previously spent millions of dollars on as capital expense.

All of the points I’ve written here explain why I enjoy working with the Cloud Connect team to build this world-class event. We focus on facilitating the latest real-world solutions and new ideas that cloud technology practitioners need to get their jobs done successfully. We do that by bringing together the best hands-on thought leaders in the cloud space with the latest technology providers, and even the industry analysts and venture capitalists to help ensure our delegates are truly getting the guidance and insights they need to be successful. I’m very proud of the unique offering we provide to our Cloud Connect guests, and at the unique differentiation we are able to provide in the market.

I hope to see you at one of our Cloud Connect events soon!

Follow Nerissa on Twitter @nsardi

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Architecture cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect social media staff

Hello Cloud Connect – Let’s Talk PR

When I don’t have my head in the clouds atop mountains high with a backpack on or my skis pointed downhill, you’ll find me buckling down at my desk trying to stay abreast of the latest and greatest in news and coverage around cloud computing.  My goal is to know the happenings of the cloud computing market and work to ensure that the folks who are covering the recent trends – all those coveted press, analysts and industry bloggers – are onsite to capture the magic of networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing and buzz around first-time announcements that unfold at a live event.

As the PR Manager for Cloud Connect, I enjoy promoting the event successes, our stellar keynote lineups, the conference program that’s ever-evolving to capture the innovations and trends of the cloud (check out some adoption trends featured in Forbes), and working closely with exhibitors and speakers to help them maximize their exposure and involvement leading up to and at an event.  I’m always interested in new insights and product or service announcements that can help build buzz with our eager media who are clamoring to cover what’s hot like Big Data (InformationWeek’sBig Data Vendors to Watch in 2013), Mobile Cloud (IDC’s12 month forecast), Private Cloud (CRN), Security (eWeek’s account of Gartner’s recent report) and more.  I’m eager to hear your story and what you’re excited about and how we can work together to promote your news at Cloud Connect.

So please, don’t hesitate to be in touch – I’d love to know what you have up your sleeves to promote your presence in Silicon Valley. I’m Joylyn Tanner (find me on Twitter @jtannerama) and as I support PR across live events at UBM Tech, I look forward to engaging with exhibitors and speakers and helping them get the most out of their participation.

Hope to see you in April and together, we can make a splash!

Joylyn

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Hello world! My name is Whitney Watts and I am the Sales Marketing Specialist for UBM Tech Business Technology Events, including Cloud Connect. I manage exhibitor communications including outbound emails, event collateral, and internal resource collaboration. I liaison between our Content, Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Creative teams and ensure the success of all of our exhibitor internal and external communications.  I am currently working on updating pieces of collateral for the Sales team as well as promoting our Enterprise Cloud Adoption Survey results.

I enjoy working on Cloud Connect because cloud computing and security are such a hot topics and there is a natural fire and energy surrounding these issues. I like that our audience of exhibitors continue to be diverse — from startups to seasoned companies. We get to market to many cloud segments – it keeps us quite busy and engaged. I’m excited to see what 2013 brings for cloud computing in general.

In keeping with Kristi’s theme, here are a few fun facts about myself:

• My favorite hobby is music – playing guitar and singing, discovering new music (I love Spotify!), and attending small venue shows around SF.
• I love the holiday season because it’s a great excuse to “treat yourself” (baked goods and warm beverages!) as well as a lovely time to treat other (giving gifts and gratitude).
• Technology is #1! I love staying up-to-date on all things tech. You can find me on the interwebs retweeting funny Onion
  articles and more @whitwatts

And so the countdown begins! Cheers to 2013 – see you all in Silicon Valley!

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cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect staff