The Cloud: A misunderstood technology term.

If you were to take the sum of all things assigned the attribute of "cloud computing" you would have a definition that encompasses every technology know to man that ever though of being on the web. I think understanding what the cloud is can start with understanding what it is not.

First of all a remote connection to a terminal session to run applications on a desktop located somewhere far away is not cloud computing. It is a pretty cool thing to be able to do, and the technology behind it is pretty cool as well, but it is an "old school" solution to the very problem that the cloud addresses, which is what if I need access to my information and I'm not near my computer or in my office. When I say "old school" - you must remember that this type of terminal processing is where we started with mainframe computers and dummy terminals. Use this technology where it is beneficial, but don't call it cloud computing.

Secondly cloud computing is not just a really fancy web site. If your web site allows customers to log in, place orders and check order status - you have accomplished a very important business process using web technology, but you are not cloud computing. Again this type of technology is really cool, but not really cloud.

So what then is cloud computing? ... Well that is an excellent question. I believe that at the core of cloud computing you have processes, data and communication elements that are not directly tied to a specific application (web or otherwise). These elements are available however to any number of applications that my require them, or may even be used in a custom solution. There is also an element in the cloud of combining these various elements from various sources on the web, so for example you may have a web portal that uses Windows Live to authenticate a user, mapquest to provide mapping data, and weather information from weather.com. Additionally this portal may also include elements from your own network to pull together a complete experience. And just to really drive the point home this same experience may be available in another applcation that uses web service to gather the necessary information, or even on your phone.

In the cloud the various experiences are centered around processes that you are involved in, rather than a particular place you work - or even a particular computer or piece of software. Microsoft has made Exchange (amoung other things) available as a service in the cloud. Now you can setup Exchange without having to worry about the server. Once setup it addresses the processes around contacts, calendaring and messaging. Any number of applications including a web portal interface, outlook, your phone or some custom application can help you perform the processes your require all centered around a single source of data.

Microsoft cloud services are perfect for your business!

Cloudy with a chance of profit!

It is difficult to imagine a scenario where cloud computing would not save any sized business a great deal of expense, and therefore allow that company to make more money and spend more time doing exactly what they do.

In the smallest of scenarios lets say that you are a business with just a few people involved and you have the need to communicate with one another. Lets also assume that you have the need to be mobile because you don't exactly have an office - you are in fact the new improved "lean mean virtual company". Your needs may look like this:

• The ability to communicate by eMail
• The ability to work on shared documents
• The ability to conduct web-conferences and meetings
• The ability to check your eMail / calendar and contacts from anywhere you are.
• The ability to have all your eMail / calendar / contacts / tasks and notes all synchronized to your phone.
• In simpler terms you need access to your stuff any time and anywhere.

Lets just leave it at that for now ... I'm sure you can think up some additional requirements. Basically you have three possible choices

1. On Premesis - Get a Small Business Server, connect it to the internet and start setting things up to work.
2. Hosted - Try to find an ISP (Internet service provider) that meets all of these needs. (Good luck)
3. Leverage the cloud by using Services already running and avilable.

The on premesis solution is one I'm quite familiar with - I've done a lot of that and I can tell you that you'll spend a minimum of 3000.00 on a decent server running Microsoft Small Business Server. The good news is that Small Business Server has all the stuff you need - it is just costly to configure. This costly configuration can be outsources, but will cost thousands to implement and then some on-going costs to keep it running. Even if to save money you "host" it in your home office with a fixed IP internet connection you are still conservatively north of $10,000.00 in cost.

The hosted situation is one that I've avoided because it is VERY difficult to find a good hosted solutions provider. Hosting a simple web site or application isn't too much trouble, and its pretty easy to find eMail hosting, but when you start trying to integrate documents and custom business process stuff it falls short. I will say that this can be a good solution for a small business becasue the cost can be so low. I just hope for your sake that you find the right hosting provider.

And the winner is ...

The cloud is perfect for this solution ... in fact you can get it all for less than $20.00 per person each month with Microsoft. Microsoft is commited to the cloud and the offer excellent solutions:

You get the power of Exchange for email, contacts, calendaring, notes and tasks which can be accessed from your computer, someone elses computer using the web interface and even from your phone!

You get the power of Sharepoint for managing the documents in your business and the use of Net Meeting to conduct virtual meetings when you need to.

The best news of all is that all the interfaces are designed to be simple to manage. All the complex stuff is taken care of - you just setup your users and start working immediately!

Understanding the cloud by its counter parts.

Types of Computing

On Premesis Computing

On premesis computing is the typical scenario where all of the necessary infrastructure necessary to your processes is located in your physical location.

• I buy my own hardware.
• I manage my own data center.
• I have complete control and responsibility for my systems.
• I am heavily invested in capital costs.

Hosted Computing

Hosted computing is where you outsource certain physical portions of your IT infrastructure to a hosting company. This is typeically done by either shared hosting or by leased servers depending on the requirements.

• I specify my hardware requirements.
• I pay for a fixed capacity.
• In a shared hosting environment I only control the services I need such as web application hosting.
• I am not required to do updates so my maintenance cost is lowered.
• My services may go down for routine maintenance at times I do not control.
• I probably have restricted bandwitdth that cannot be easily changed.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is something new. Basically it could be described as utility computing where you only pay for the actual consumption of resources you require at any given time.

• I can purchase computing power on the fly.
• I have no hardware specification requirements only service requirements.
• I pay for only the data storage I require.
• I can configure the computing and storage services to meet my exact requirements.
• I can manage my computing resources myself.
• My resources are abstracted from a pool of servers so uptime is guaranteed at 99.99%
• I pay as I go for only the services I require.
• I can scale up my computing power and storage requirements any time I need to and then scale them back down again if I so desire.

Lets talk abou the elephant shaped cloud in the room!

Watching vendors scramble around making claims that they are the very essence of cloud computing is quite amusing. In more cases than not what is actually happening is that they are attempting to clothe themselves in a brand new shiny computing term in an effort to remain relevant in the world of technology. The sad part is that people don't really stop to consider what this new term really means or to consider to any great degree what the implications are.

This whole conversation reminds me of a similar discussion years ago in the realm of computer service. Back then the brand new shiny technology term was "help desk" and vendors started the process of using the term with a great deal of awe. Their clients joined in the excitement and in many cases started writing checks to make sure that they were on the cutting edge of this grand new technology. I like everyone else involved in computer service had to determine my position in this bright new world ... and I did. I simply said that the new term was quite easy to understand ... it meant to put a process and supporting systems in place to help people fix their own problems. It isn't a real complicated process, but it did have some strong ramifications - especially if the person you were applying the concept to had no desire to "fix it themselves".

The new fervor about computing in the cloud isn't unlike the help desk experience ... there are lots of specifications, terms, discussions and claims being made about the cloud and who is and isn't really ready for the new world, but there is also a very simple concept in play that has actually been a part of the business process equation for quite some time. It is the age old tension between component stereo and the convenient "all in one" unit. Audiophiles will for the most part tell you that to truly have the ultimate audio experience you should use components allowing you to select each unit based on its own merits. On the other hand there are people out there who swear that if you simply have the "right" unit that you don't need to bother with all that other stuff. So the question remains ... do I buy the Bose wave player, or do I start collecting the best components I can find for each need. (amp, speakers, cp player, etc..) I guess the other option to consider is that I could hire an acoustic engineer to design a system for my home or office.

So am I the only person that is wondering why this whole discussion is vendor focused instead of customer focused. For decades we have been ensnared by thinking that we can implement technology just because it exists.

•  Is it possible that every individual has different needs, requirements and budgets?
• Is it possible that there is something simple that we are all missing as we try to understand how to exist in this brave new world of technology?
• Is there and elephant like that in the room?

I think the answer involves communication ... the real power of the cloud is simply an expansion of a concept that has been around for years, but hopefully with the cloud will gain more traction. I'm not talking about communication with other people I'm speaking of communication between our "systems" that causes us to have a more beneficial technology experience. The communication capability allows each provider to focus on their strong suit and allows the consumer to benefit from everyone seamlessly.

Let me explain by examples ...

Microsoft offers "Exchange" in the cloud ... simply put you can "pay as you go" for all the best benefits of an exchange server for your eMail, contacts, etc... So now I connect to my exchange server using my iPhone (Another really cool technology) and see that I have a message from a client that needs me to come see him. In one simple touch of my clients address I'm magically transported to my mapping application where I can now use a GPS to help me navigate to the site. While I'm doing the driving I call my secretary to add the appointment to my calendar. (Which of course magically shows up on my phone) After the appointment I make some notes on the appointment, which now becomes part of my documentation necessary for billing and mileage reimbursement. I could expand on this example, but you get the point ... multiple vendors ... multiple sources of data ... one fluid process!

The concept of the cloud says that as a consumer I don't have to find a "single" vendor to handle the various needs of my day, I just need the tools that can communicate with other tools to provide me a fluid experience. I know this is a simple example, but it really helps drive the point home ... I don't have my resume on my web site because LinkedIN does a great job of hosting a much  more advanced resume for me on their site, and I can simply reference it from my site. The same is true of Twitter ... I can use twitter for "micro updates" on various topics and simply feed that content onto my site.

The cloud is about separating the data, application and process in a way that makes it possible for a consumer to use the best components for each part of the process. Communication is the key!

How to get a new web site ...

This BLOG is based on numerous conversations with people about their experiences in acquiring a web site.

Requirements First!

It is not a good idea to do a web site just because your competition has one - that may be a motivating factor, but it won't really yield much success. It is much more important for you to consider what the "site" or "web application" needs to do for you! Here are a few "rules" to follow before you start calling potential vendors about your site:

1. Write down what the web site should "do" without using technology terms.
2. Use ideas you see on other web sites, but be sure to apply those ideas to your needs.
3. Think about your potential clients ... what will they be looking for when they come to your site.
4. As for your home page ... consider this ... if you only have 10 seconds to tell a potential client what they need to know about you, what would you say?
5. If one of your clients or potential client come to your site what questions might they want answered?
6. How will people find out about your site?
7. Can you break down the various requirements and prioritized them so that if money becomes an issue you know what you can live without.

By clearly mapping out your requirements it is far more likely that you won't be "sold" on a site that doesn't really meet your needs. It also allows you to clearly measure differences between vendors based on how they address your needs.

Ownership is Important

There are some things about a web site that you MUST handle yourself ... becasue it is your site. If you outsource these things the result will probably not be what you were hoping for.

1. You should control all of your content - don't let someone else put words in your mouth.
2. You need to register your own domain name - setup your own account with a registrar like GoDaddy.
3. You need to have your own hosting account - you can't really do this until you select a developer because there may be requirements for the hosting company to meet based on the sites functionality.

A few things about vendors

Here are some things you should probably know about vendors and how they might impact your site. They are not all the same, and some will be better suited to help you with your needs.

1. Designers - some vendors are excellent at design the work they do will be beautiful, but may not be very functional. On the up side your clients will be quite impressed with your site, but on the down site graphics don't do very well on search engines, and sometimes what your site does is more important that how it looks.
2. Developers - Web developers are all about function, so your site will end up very functional, but it may not have the visual appeal you require.
3. Template Sites and Content Managers - In order to provide sites at a VERY reasonable rate there are vendors that provide template sites and content managers. Basically what this means is you pick a pre-done design and then insert and manage your own content. On the up side this is an extremely inexpensive way to get a site which is great for some organizations. The down side is that in the fiercly competetive marketplace you may need to control the design as well as the content to make sure your site visitors stay with you
4. SEO & SEM Vendors - these guys are really good at getting your site exposure on the internet through the various search engines. This one is tricky because your success with your site may depend on search engines, but a site optimized for search engines is probably not nearly as appealing to people. You also have to be careful because it is much easier in this field to make promises that can't be kept. (SEO - Search Engine Optimization, SEM - Search Engine Marketing)

Emmaus Road Productions is a group that focuses on Development and Design by having staff that have strengths in both. We really don't do any template sites, although we have recommended them numerous times because it was the best fit. As far as SEO we can help, but bear in mind that this can be a real "money pit" - so be careful!

Well that should help you get started on your pursuit of a good web site. I hope this helps ...

The Cloud and Relationships

Relationships in the cloud ...

The more important point about the cloud is not the individual company, but rather the ties between companies. Most companies have put lots of energy and resources into streamlining their business processes within their own company, but once they start to interact with other companies the processes start to break down because of disparity between how each business handles their own internal process.

Most of the proponents of cloud computing are expressing the benefits with the individual company in mind and overlooking the most powerful benfit of the cloud which is how processes span the boundries of various businesses. As individuals people are seeing the benefits of this new thought already ... for example why would I put a resume on my web site when I can simply use LinkedIn to provide that for me and then link directly to it. I'm not saying I shouldn't have my own web site I just need to use the best solution for each individual aspect of what I use the internet for. Facebook does a wonderful job of allowing me to share my personal adventures, pictures and thoughts with people who desire to be connected to me, so why should I do that sort of thing on my web site.

I can't internalize relationships and the cloud offers me the mechanism to manage those relationships using tools that are widely accepted. I could attempt to train my friends and family to come to my web site to see what is going on with me, but why would I do that?

The same principal will hold true for my business once this aspect of the cloud is adopted. Soon I'll be able to have information available in the cloud for my CPA to work on without having to take a box of papers up to his office. The outcome of his work will then seamlessly integrate right into my company systems.

Fonts on the web ... Great Misunderstanding!

Fonts - Tricky on the web! ...

Fonts can be used on printed documents to really accent your message - unfortunately this is not true on the internet. There are some choices for font families that can be used, but different browsers, operating systems and configurations will cause the fonts to be rendered differently. Here are some examples of the five primary choices and how they appear on your browser.

FAMILY: sans-serif

FAMILY: serif

FAMILY: cursive

FAMILY: fantasy

FAMILY: monospace

Specific font choices can be made, but the browser displaying the web page will make a substitution if the font is not available on the system. (For example a Windows computer does not come standard with the Helvetica font, but the Arial or Tahoma font on the PC may be used when a "sans-serif" font is called for.)

Beyond using these generic font families you have the choice of using "pictures of words" to display your message so that every browser will render exactly the same thing. This allows you exact control of the site visually but it does have several disadvantages:

1. Search engines cannot read pictures making your site more difficult to rank.
2. Updates to your site are more difficult because changes means uploading new images.
3. Your site will take longer to load into a browser.

Silverlight (The technology used to produce the banner on this site) allows the font to be embedded so that it will be properly rendered on the target computer.