A post by Eric Hanselman, WAN and Cloud Networking Track Track Chair.

With all of the enthusiasm for the compute and storage aspects of cloud capabilities, it’s easy to take the networks that bind them together for granted.  Networks haven’t been a very visible part of early cloud computing deployments, but they’re critical to effectively leveraging cloud’s advantages and ensuring success in implementations. Networks take on new forms and characteristics in cloudy deployments, too. There’s increased flexibility, but also a dependence on the cloud provider’s network designs. That dependence can make a transition from typical enterprise network architectures a challenge.  Understanding the differences can help smooth the way to being able to take advantage of the many benefits of cloudy worlds. Continue Reading »

Tags: cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect networking WAN

A blog post by Infrastructure Track Chair, Bernard Golden, Vice President, Enterprise Solutions, enStratus Networks.

The concept of cloud computing is simple: computing resources offered across the network via self-service, providing elastic capacity from a resource pool carrying no long-term commitment and paid for on a per-use basis.

As the old saying goes: simple, but not easy. Providing cloud computing services requires a transformation in both infrastructure and operations processes, and this transformation is affecting all parts of the traditional computing infrastructure. Continue Reading »

Tags: Architecture cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect infrastructure networking Performance and Availability private clouds

Most failed cloud computing projects can be traced back to bad or missing architecture and design practices.  This was the trend in 2012, and it is continuing into 2013.  The reason: Lack of architecture and design methods and approaches, as well as the lack of a general understanding of the processes required to deploy solid cloud computing technology and solutions.

The complexities around multitenancy, resource sharing and management, security, and even version control lead cloud computing startups — and enterprises that build private and public clouds — down some rough roads before they start to learn from their mistakes. Or, perhaps they just have to kill the project altogether as they discover all that investment is unsalvageable. Continue Reading »

Tags: cloud cloud computing cloud connect infrastructure networking Performance and Availability

Here are five ways that you can accelerate your cloud computing strategy at Cloud Connect Chicago:

1. Attend 30+ sessions across 8 conference tracks including big data, cloud infrastructure, application design and architecture.
2. Hear from keynotes and top industry leaders as they discuss hot topics including private and hybrid clouds, mobile clouds, and cloud performance.
3. See all the latest cloud solutions from 50+leading companies.
4. Enjoy vendor-hosted beverages while you check out the latest products and network during the Cocktail Reception on the Expo floor.
5. Hear about new cloud solutions hosted in the new Cloud Solutions Theater.

Cloud Connect Chicago will provide four days of inspiring cloud dialogue and get you up to speed on how to leverage new cloud technology solutions to increase efficiency and improve your business agility. Register by August 10 with priority code RFPQCH04 to save $400 on Platinum or Conference passes. Don’t forget to tell your friends as well!

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Cheers,

Jason

Tags: adoption applications Architecture Chicago CIO cloud cloud adoption cloud computing cloud connect Cloud Connect 2012 infrastructure networking PaaS Performance and Availability private clouds ROI SaaS WAN

A blog entry from WAN and Cloud Networking Track Chair Eric Hanselman.

When interconnection works well, it’s invisible to the user or the application that’s taking advantage of it. For a long time, we’ve lived in environments where the bulk of the interconnection that we need runs really well. As virtualization and cloud deployments have scaled up, we’ve started to hit the limits of the traditional ways of interconnecting. Those limits are in capacity, but also, increasingly, limits in agility are becoming a greater concern. The big benefits of cloud are hard to achieve, if the networks on which they run can’t keep up. The networking track at Cloud Connect Chicago 2012 will look at these issues and explore how to deal with them and manage needs for sophisticated interconnection. Continue Reading »

Tags: Chicago CIO cloud adoption cloud computing Cloud Connect 2012 networking virtualization