Is Cloud All Hype?

Gartner's latest hype cycle diagram shows cloud at a peak of hype. Is there any substance to the technology or is it just smoke and mirrors?

Cloud Computing is definitely not just all hype. Are there unreal expectations related to the "cloud"? Sure, there are, which is not unlike with any other "star" technology such as SOA. The "tending to infinity" number of definitions of a cloud is not helping; nor are all the vendors scrambling to reposition their products and services as being what "cloud" is all about. But, when you cut through whatever hype there is and dispel the myths you end up with a business and technology model that is rooted in best practices and a solid track record. The underpinnings of cloud are not new. Virtualization, SOA, Utility and Grid Computing, and the various "-as-a-platforms" have been around in one form or another for a while; each with success stories of its own. Keeping that in mind, "cloud" is simply the next stage in the continuing maturity evolution of our use of technology to achieve business goals in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Cloud Computing is definitely real and is here to stay for the long haul.

* Originally posted in the ebizQ Cloud Computing Forum on August 19, 2009.

Where Do you Think Web 2.0 Applications Are Going Next?

With so much buzz happening around Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, what do you see will be the next wave for Web 2.0?

That's what I've been researching these past few days. The answer to me seems to be a combination of what is referred to as Web 3.0 and Web 3D.

Web 3.0 is taking the current Web 2.0, which focusses on building relationships and social networking, into the next phase of converting the "relationship" data into knowledge that can then support "context sensitive" and "semantics based" searching. In the ideal Web 3.0 world, the browser would act like a personal assistant. As you search the Web, the browser learns what you are interested in. So, the more you browse, the more it learns about you until eventually it can confidently answer questions such as "where should I go for lunch?" or "what movie should I watch?".

Web 3D combines virtual reality elements with the persistent online worlds of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) transforming the Web into a digital landscape that incorporates the illusion of depth. In a Web 3D world you would navigate the Web through a digital representation of yourself called an avatar.

Ultimately, I think we'll see elements of both, neither 100%, in the future of Web 2.0. Also, I strongly feel that the Web will continue to merge with other forms of entertainment until all distinction between media are lost to the point that radio programs, television shows, and movies all rely on the Web as a delivery system.

* Originally posted in the ebizQ SOA Forum on July 21, 2009.

Do You Believe that the Quality of SOA Related Projects Will Improve or Decline in the Future?

There is a lot of talk about whether SOA is dead and, if not, then will the number of SOA projects increase in the future. But SOA project 'Quantity' is only half the story. A truly balanced discussion about SOA requires examining SOA project 'Quality' - the other side of the 'Quantity' coin. So, the question is: Do You Believe that the Quality of SOA Related Projects Will Improve or Decline in the Future?

Find out how industry experts are responding to my question on the ebizQ SOA forum...

How Will SOA Vendors Adapt to the Emerging Cloud Paradigm?

Has anyone asked you whether "SOA is dead" recently?

SOA alongwith other technologies such as Virtualization, Grid Computing, Broadband Networks, Open Source Software, Web 2.0, etc. form the foundation for Cloud Computing. We all know how hot Cloud Computing is being in the very early stages of its hype cycle. So it stands to reason that SOA vendors will very likely jump on the Cloud Computing bandwagon in order to marginalize any discussion about the relevance of SOA. After all, as they would say, how can SOA be dead if it forms a foundation for the "new" best thing since sliced bread - Cloud Computing?

* Originally posted in the ebizQ SOA Forum on July 9, 2009.

Are Social Networks Working for Businesses?

Social networks definitely get their fair share of hype but are they actually providing any true business value?

Assessing the business value of Web 2.0 is similar to assessing the business value of an analytical (OLAP) database in that the real value of an OLAP is not in the database itself but rather in the "knowledge" gained by analyzing the "patterns" of data within the database. Web 2.0 is the philosophy and associated web-based tools (such as twitter, linkedin, facebook, myspace, orkut, etc.) of creating a more "personalized", "humanizing" web experience. Just as in the case of an OLAP database, the real business value of Web 2.0 is neither in the philosophy nor in the toolset but in the "relationships" and personal information captured about the users that was previously unavailable in Web 1.0. Companies across the world are burning midnight oil trying to decode all of this new data about online relationships hoping to strike gold with profitable insights. Companies such as Facebook have grandiose visions about changing the way people interact over the web and even displacing Google as the "search engine" of choice. Decoding these online relationships in the sea of data within the depths of Web 2.0 could be just the keys needed to unlock unheard of riches!

* Originally posted on ebizQ Forum on June 30, 2009