Why The Cloud May Start to Burst in 2015

With all the 2015-tech-predictions swirling around making you simultaneously excited and a little skeptical, I thought we’d focus on our good friend the cloud—and why that cloud might just start to burst into rain starting this year.

Why the Cloud Might Not be for Everyone

Much like Snuggies, the cloud is starting to become over-hyped. Everywhere you turn, something is being stored in the cloud. It’s great when it’s utilized correctly (see: makes sense), but there are instances where the cloud just doesn’t make sense.

However, most companies hear all about the cloud and want their data and services to be hosted on there even when it might not be the best course of action. This is leading to what’s called in the IT world as “Cloud washing.”

Cloud washing, according to techtarget.com, is “the purposeful and sometimes deceptive attempt by a vendor to rebrand an old service by associating the word ‘cloud’ with it.”

In explain-like-I’m-five terms, that would be like Domino’s saying they have their pizza’s in the cloud.

Cloud washing could become tiresome to many consumers, so it may be the companies who can realize before their competitors that there might be a better, faster, and more efficient way to host their data / offer their services than the cloud who will come out on top.

Until then, enjoy the cloud washing.

Private Cloud Will Be Too IT Intensive

Remember all those tech-predictions we mentioned above? Well, I’m sure you’ve read about “Private Cloud.”

If you ask most companies if they want more control over their data, nine times out of ten they’ll say yes. And that’s where private cloud snakes its way into their minds and ensnares them into thinking it’s a good idea.

I mean, it sounds great. That’s why it’s predicted to take off in 2015. But there’s something off.

To get more control over their data than they would if they were using third-party cloud services, they would have to sacrifice their IT budget. All the great, relaxing IT that was handled by these third-party cloud services is now in house and needs to be constantly monitored.

And the cloud management platforms needed to build the companies solution will require a cloud-architect with a really big toolbox (see: invoices).

So, if companies make the switch to private cloud, see how awful it potentially could be compared to how it used to be, then they might start to pursue other options.

Colocation is Making a Comeback

As our company name suggests, we love colocation and believe that you should stay grounded from the cloud. And apparently we are not alone.

As far as IT goes, colocation for big business will always be useful and will seemingly be around for a long time. While cloud landed a few body shots to colocation over the years, it wasn’t the end-all be-all. In fact, it really couldn’t be.

Colocation and cloud share similar characteristics, one being self-service operations—meaning that both perform poorly in areas that don’t involve basic tools and monitoring.

Ted Chamberlin of TLC3 Consulting recently wrote an article for Gigaom.com under this subject matter where he poignantly said,

“Cloud does have the benefit of hyperbole, which drives high adoption, where colocation is equated to leasing real estate.”

I believe Chamberlin’s quote is a realistic insight into the way cloud is heading. Eventually companies will realize that colocation is actually the more cost-effective IT infrastructure for hosting their data.

However, Chamberlin also noted that most who want cloud services typically would like to distance themselves from the critical kilowatts and cross connect vernacular of the colocation world and just go with the cloud. But those companies who are fiscally responsible might think otherwise and head on over to colocation (again).

Net Neutrality Will Have an Impact on the Cloud Market

We’ve talked about Net Neutrality at length, and the subject continues to pick up steam as the President’s State of the Union address looms ever nearer. But what does net neutrality have to do with the Cloud?

Well, it’s all about access to websites. And many of those websites deliver cloud application functionality.

Basically consumers (in the ring with the Democrats) do not want to pay for faster websites whereas internet carries (backed by the Republicans) want to charge the consumers for faster access to websites.

One way or another, the FCC’s ruling on net neutrality will determine how web developers design applications if they require faster access while working with lower latency.

This has really been an issue for years and with the need for speed on websites becoming more and more in demand…well the cloud may just take a huge hit.

Cloud Security Has Always Been An Issue

Much like how we’ve written at length about net neutrality, we’ve also written a bit about cloud’s security vulnerabilities.

Protecting your data is no joke, and while some cloud services are highly secured, some are not. And that’s leading to wide-scale customer information hacks from major companies including Apple, Sony, Home Depot, etc. And since it’s all on the cloud and not on a dedicated server. It’s all shared. So pretty much everyone on the server gets their information stolen. Yay!

Actually, cloud security has become such a problem that the Department of Defense has launched new cloud security requirements.

As part of the Service Requirements Guide (SRG), “Consistent implementation and operation of these requirements assures mission execution, provides sensitive data protection, increases mission effectiveness, and ultimately results in the outcomes and operational efficiencies the DoD seeks.” That’s a resounding message to cloud service providers if I’ve ever read one.

While there are certainly benefits to hosting with the cloud, it might not take off like widely predicted in many tech site’s 2015 predictions.

If you’d like to keep up on the matter, please take a few moments to watch The President’s State of the Union address (or DVR it—it’s 2015) and see where net neutrality will be headed and then make an educated decision on how you feel about cloud.

Remember to never let your brain be cloud washed.