Cutting Through Cloud Chaos

We've been hearing about cloud computing for quite a while, but now the technology is truly affecting how enterprise architects and engineers do their jobs. Find out where you can get practical and actionable information to fight your way through the transition.

Brian Gracely, the Cloud Connect Track Chair at Interop, was a recent guest on the TechnologyAdvice Expert Interview Series. The podcast discussed some of the biggest cloud computing trends, the massive effects cloud computing is having on the tech industry in general, and the Interop Cloud Connect Track. Play the audio or scan the main points below.

1. Running the Cloud Connect Track is interesting because for so long, a lot of things were on premises, and there was lots of discussion about hardware, and equipment and enterprise applications. That's all changing.

"Cloud computing has become so pervasive in everything we do," said Gracely. "So whether it's a SAS application used for business, a SAS application used for Facebook and Twitter, it's become really pervasive. The interesting thing about it from our industry perspective is, as I always like to say, we're at the beginning of this next age. People are used to using cloud computing for parts of their work or their day-to-day life, but it's having this massive, massive impact on the industry. It impacts the vendors, it impacts systems integrators, and to a large part it very much impacts end-users, IT organizations, and application developers. So in a word or two, it's disruptive, it's chaotic, but it offers a huge number of opportunities."

2. The biggest challenge right now is definitely the ability of people to adapt.

"The conversations I have with friends and people in the industry reveal that a lot of them are really overwhelmed," said Gracely. "There are so many new technologies that are coming out, faster than they ever did before. We're using them in new ways. The whole premise of technology now involves changing things all the time. We're seeing application developers that are making changes to applications on a daily basis. We're seeing people that want to spin up resources for 24 hours and then tear them down.

"That's really hard for IT organizations to adapt to. It means they have to learn about automating parts of their job. It means they have to learn about working in chaotic environments. The people that run IT organizations are trying like crazy to keep up. They're trying to learn. They're trying to figure out which ones to prioritize, and that's a challenge. Right now we don't have a shortage for people, but we have a shortage of people who have the skills that are bleeding-edge. This is part of what we're trying to address here at Cloud Connect; to get them some sessions with people that are experts, help them network with people, and help them figure out 'Where do I invest my time so that I can be ready for the next challenge my business is throwing at me?'"

3. IT pros can learn from a good blend of practical experience.

"Whenever you have a state in the industry where we're at right now, which is a little bit chaotic, people are unsure of where to make investments, who's going to win, who might not win and so on," Gracely said. "We’ve got some technologies with the biggest names in cloud computing such as Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and others. At Interop, we'll have some people with very hands-on experience talking about the best practices of those types of companies, versus what you're used to today. We want to give them a sense of what's today and what's tomorrow. We'll also hear from people that have a lot of hands on practical experience doing things like transitioning an existing business application and moving it into the cloud.

"We're going to have people talking about how to think about mundane things, as well: How do I purchase these things? How do I budget for them? How do I deal with the fact that things are on demand, and how do I make sure they stay within budget? We'll also have lots of stuff about security, and lots about how to improve your skills. We're trying to really help people say, 'Hey, if the world feels chaotic, where do I go to try and feel like I have got a path going forward?'"

This podcast was created and published by TechnologyAdvice, an Inc. 5000 company looking to help buyers find the best cloud storage, payroll systems, and more. Interview conducted by Josh Bland.