CSW, and why `services’ make cloud so different

Welcome to Cloud Services World, something a bit different in the coverage available on cloud computing.

I have been aware for some time that there is something of a mismatch between the way Cloud computing has been covered as a subject, and what it is actually about.

As Cloud Computing becomes mainstream, it changes an important dynamic. The user – be that an individual or large global enterprise - becomes the consumer of the service capabilities that IT can provide, rather than the purchaser of technological products. They access and consume those services as and when required, rather than acquired systems on which to run them. Instead they often pay for accessing them on a per-use basis.

The biggest benefits, particularly for business users, is the agility it provides; the ability to change and adapt business models and practices that match changes in their market place and keep them on the competitive edge. That, after all, is why any business uses IT resources. It is not because they think the technology is `cool’, it is because they hope it will help them achieve a business objective.

And the increasing standardisation and commoditisation of the technology is allowing users to no longer be concerned about how or why the `car’ works: they can take that for granted. Instead, they can devote their attention to their destination and what they want to achieve when they get there. If they do think about the journey, it will only be to assess what options are available and what benefits might come from the alternatives. It is becoming increasingly rare that they need to think too much about whether they get there.

This is where Cloud Services World is unique. It reports on what the users need in terms of services, rather than the technology used to create them. This is the way the user community are coming to look at computing – what does the business need and where can it be accessed.

And yes, technology still underpins this change, but in the same way that no one argues too much about whether they picked up a pencil, ball-point or fountain pen when they want to scribble a note, the details of cloud technology have their place, but they are no longer the primary goal.

As Editor, I hope you enjoy reading Cloud Services World and find it informative, helpful and valuable. Above all, I hope it helps you think through what you want to achieve using cloud services, and how you want to set about it.

Martin Banks, Editor, Cloud Services World