Software giant Microsoft has communicated some thoughts as to how the continued expansion in the cloud computing industry is likely to affect businesses around the world.
Microsoft’s server executive Bob Muglia outlined the ideas during a speech at the TechEd 2010 conference in the USA, suggesting that in order to remain competitive, businesses will need to prepare for cloud computing now, rather than making the transition in a single leap at a later date when migrating services could prove to be costlier and more complex.
Mr Muglia said that the cloud computing industry is on the brink of significant expansion and evolution, which he believes will have an impact across all business sectors the world over. He also said that although the prospects of cloud computing are exciting to many, the actual process of integrating cloud solutions into existing in-house systems is neither simple nor quick to achieve.
Mr Muglia went on to say that many businesses are not aware that the applications that they use on a daily basis via their in-house systems are already optimised and ready for migration to the cloud. He believes that this transition will involve finding a hybrid solution or a happy medium between total cloud adoption and the rigid continuation of in-house system support.
Mr Muglia was keen to point out that he believes the idea that total migration to the cloud must be performed instantly and permanently is a myth developed by some vendors in order to further their own businesses rather than actually aid the client.
He went as far as to say that many firms will have invested in cloud-ready technology without perhaps realising that they had done so, which may mitigate the cost of migration and make the transition easier for staff as the user interface will remain the same while all of the benefits of the cloud can be assimilated.
Microsoft is clearly keen on publicising its own commitment to cloud computing, but it is facing stiff competition from many other firms in this fast growing industry.
