Cloud Computing: Redefining Business Requirements

Cloud computing is a term that is currently experiencing a similar hype as the term "Web 2.0". It describes the cloud computing event, its software applications that users no longer need to operate. The data generated is no longer stored on the local disk, but is stored on servers on the Internet - the Cloud. This will have drastic impact on the business requirements in future.

The user has an advantage of accessing his data from any Internet-enabled computer. For many years free mail providers are doing great. Is it old wine in new bottles, then? No. The development does not stop here. Google has already taken the next step in this evolution and is now offering the online word processor, Google text and Google Spreadsheets besides host of other applications. Microsoft, meanwhile, is committed to end-users with the service known as Live Mesh cloud computing.

Even Amazon has been experimenting in the filed of cloud computing with the Amazon Web Services (AWS) which is unnoticed by the masses. AWS is aimed mainly at business users, and the service is most likely to be associated with the term "infrastructure as a service description. These companies claim that they are responding to the changing business requirements of organizations.

How Amazon Web Services offer the ability to respond flexibly to the IT infrastructure requirements of customers remains to be seen. These customers will also benefit from Amazon's own global IT infrastructure. Furthermore, customers do not have to bear with contracts having long duration and high costs, but they are charged at fixed rates just as they are used. In addition, companies receive easier access to high-end systems through cloud computing, and benefits to a large extent from the realization of scalable capacity with traditional in-house solutions which is often beyond the financial reach.

Amazon has a smart design in terms of cost of service. Amazon offers a wide range of so-called Amazon Machine Images (AMI). While this sounds simple in theory but it can be a stumbling block in practice. Although Amazon has a very good documentation system of its services, everything is not self-explanatory.

Amazon offers Amazon Web Services as a very powerful service that is tailored primarily to the needs of enterprise customers. The pricing is transparent. Companies can flexibly adapt their IT infrastructure to the respective requirements.

The operation of the Amazon Web Services may be entirely via command-line programs such as the EC2 API tools. With a little practice, one can easily master the API tools to, efficiently carry out the server management. This demonstrates that cloud computing is here to stay and as it gains popularity the business requirements would become more dynamic.

More companies are coming forward to embrace cloud computing which they term as the next revolution. Enterprises would benefit from customized technology, which offers scope for further customization to suit the individual business requirements. No matter what it is evident that cloud computing has gained firm foothold over traditional computing. It has demonstrated that the future would be free of maintaining and upgrading technology.

Nick Uberoth is author of this article on Software Requirements. Find more information about Business Requirements here.