Matthew Finnie2013-06-18T03:07:09-04:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=matthew-finnieCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Matthew FinnieGood old fashioned elbow grease.An App Store Coming to Your Doortag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28827462013-03-15T05:46:36-04:002013-05-15T05:12:01-04:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-finnie/
The enterprise applications world and specifically many IT professionals have eyed this development with a mix of envy, nervousness and trepidation. On one hand wouldn't it be great if after your CEO buys a new company that integration was a simple visit to your online store CTRL C, CTRL V and you're back to playing Angry Birds, job done. Albeit with the inevitable feeling that if it's become that easy maybe you'll have a lot more time on your hands to play Angry Birds in the future.
But will it really be that simple? There are enterprise app stores that purport to do this, but in many cases the parallel falls apart once you have downloaded the app. In the consumer world we are downloading an app onto a tightly controlled platform (or let's say 5 or 6 variants) Apple, IOS and OSX, Windows, Android, HTML and latterly RIM. Either way working your way through 4 or 5, or maybe 6 application environments to standardise the delivery of millions of applications is a small price to pay for the scale economics. The app store not only replaces the downloading of the app (i.e. the CD) but also the installing and configuration so you're up and running in no time.
The challenge of the enterprise app store
For this model to work in the world of corporate IT, you not only need to deliver a 'package' but install and configure it to some level. Otherwise you are simply replacing a small part of the problem (i.e. the acquisition of the application license). For the enterprise app store to make a difference it also needs to help simplify the IT infrastructure, its creation, offering scale and security in equal measure. This not only helps the app developers create greater opportunity, but it also aids the beleaguered IT professional who, in order to meet the demands of the new multi-platform mobile IT edge, needs to greatly simplify their infrastructure regardless of what else they may have on their mind.
The challenge with most app stores aimed at the enterprise is that they either do nothing to help with the infrastructure i.e. they are straightforward images or only use the internet as an access method because it's simple and maximises the market you can reach. However, for the typical corporate IT manager the app store is fraught with 'what if's and concerns; where is my data exactly, is it mine or can you move it, how do I secure content that is private from my corporate web presence; or, unified communication is great but how do I use it to call outside my corporate network of connected devices, without becoming a phone company? These concerns are fed by those with the most to lose; typically the consultants and tin shifters who have grown fat on years of slow laborious IT projects.
So what's the answer? The IT professional wants to simplify infrastructure, but bunging it all out onto the Internet is simply a step too far, especially in Europe where member states have strict requirements on data sovereignty and if not that then the tax man does.
The SDN opportunity
The answer lies in the less well known, and very dry but emerging world of Software Defined Networking (SDN), which is facilitating the convergence of computing and networks on a massive scale. When the the network and the computing are automated it allows service providers to create sophisticated, automated solutions that allow the IT professional to know where their data is, maintain data confidentiality and integrity and generally retain control. But also it means service providers are able to layer on automation and crucially integrate the app with the infrastructure thereby going a long way to replicating the world of the smartphone app store in the enterprise space.
It's very much in its infancy, but the ability to create a sophisticated ICT solution without compromise, eliminating painful and slow IT projects and instead being able to react with fast IT solutions may yet convince your CEO to let you carrying on playing Angry Birds. After all,l if you're smart it's simply ALT TAB and no one will everknow.]]>Top Ten Cloud Predictions for 2013tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.24720992013-01-21T12:52:31-05:002013-03-23T05:12:01-04:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-finnie/ 1. The network will become the computer, and the computer will become the network
The evolution of computing, moving from isolation in the data center to being a part of the network will continue in 2013, as high levels of resilience are created. As the computer is added into the network it will drive the creation and integration of hybrid environments, on and off premise. With this evolution comes the second wave of migration to the cloud, as businesses better realise the savings that come with moving IT into the network.
2. Innovation will return to IT with a vengeance
The emphasis in IT will be firmly placed on the T in the year to come, as increased numbers of technical staff are needed to create fast, effective solutions. The cloud is going to re-balance the 80:20 IT spend rule, where 80% of cost has traditionally gone on business maintenance and only 20% has been invested in new innovation. The traditional 20% innovation budget will increase dramatically as the cloud reduces the cost and complexity of running IT environments, and creates space for new ideas.
3. The cloud will gain respect
As the cloud shifts from a maybe to a reality, the long slog to respectability will accelerate. In 2012, the nuances of cloud computing were played out, vendors and operators chose their side and the muddy waters around cloud became clearer. Finally, the understanding that not all clouds are created equal was established. In 2013, organsiations will recognise they need the cloud to compete on cost savings, efficiencies and performance, and it will become part of the accepted IT model.
4. The enterprise app store will rise in prominence
The network will become the warehouse, as physical applications start getting replaced with virtual ones. The emergence of enterprise app stores will escalate and the fight to develop the breadth and scope of choice within enterprise app stores will continue.
5. SDN gets real
In 2012, Software Defined Networking (SDN) was a hypothetical research project - an experiment. In 2013, SDN will start to become a reality and with it there will undoubtedly be both real excitement and serious hype.
The move towards SDN will start at the access layer, and once trust is established it will move into the core of the network. But, watch out for the nay sayers. They are sitting on the fence!
6. Attempts for one vendor dominance will finally be extinguished
After years of promise we will finally start to see multi-vendor, inter-rich media communications, despite the many vendor attempts to assert technological dominance through-out the technology stack over the years. In 2013, it will be widely acknowledged that it is unrealistic to buy everything from the same vendor and as a result we will see the final unification of communication.
7. The cloud will exterminate the grand IT Plan
With the cloud gaining ground in 2013, it will threaten to annihilate whole swathes of project management, advice and risk mitigation. After all, what used to take months and cost millions now takes minutes and costs considerably less. Moreover, if you don't like it, you can simply start again.
8. Old software licensing models will be ripped up
The traditional strangle-hold of a few mega vendors will loosen in 2013, as the barriers to accessing technology are eliminated.
9. The tablet price drop will shift enterprise mobility up a gear
The consumer has won. With tablet wars about to escalate, driving down the cost of devices, 2013 will be the year where consumers own multiple devices. Moreover, the workforce will go truly mobile next year. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in particular looks set to shift up a gear. This increasingly mobile workforce is going to force IT to get progressive and catch up. A standard infrastructure is going to become a prerequisite.
10. Platform-as-a-service becomes obvious
As more people get comfortable with using basic computing, network and storage infrastructure, they will look to higher levels of integration that can combine that infrastructure with the applications environment and accelerate development. As such, Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) will become an inevitable area of growth for 2013.
Matthew will be speaking on day one of Cloud Expo on 29 January on 'The rise of the Enterprise Application Store - will the Enterprise App Store change the way we purchase technology forever?']]>The Rise of the Enterprise Apptag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19607812012-10-12T07:46:08-04:002012-12-12T05:12:01-05:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-finnie/
Three years later we sold the company and three years after that the market for new start ups writing and developing applications for the enterprise pretty much dried up. The incumbent software vendors to the enterprise wiped out innovation by zeroing any efforts to expand the corporate desktop by saying it's "a free part of the ecosystem". The smart money shifted from the enterprise to the consumer which was easier, more financially rewarding and was not strangled by the bureaucratic nightmare that filled the innovation void in the enterprise space.
Finally, after nearly 10 years, the poor beleaguered employee, confused over why his personal consumer experience was so much better than the dusty corporate one, decided enough was enough. After all, his personal smartphone, tablet and web-based CRM tool didn't cost the equivalent of the national debt of a medium sized nation and it worked well enough. The app was back.
In the past, the buyer was the IT guy, the gatekeeper and innovator all rolled into one. However things have changed. It's now the end user who brings the function in. The decision making unit is splintered, IT is outnumbered and in many cases has retreated to being a point of compliance and risk management.
Before we pine for the past, the benefits of this new approach are clear. It's sweeping away an unsustainable (unless you are a vendor or consultant) business model, which most companies simply can't afford that was allowed to proliferate for too long. Applications are now many and varied. They provide a utility which solves a task, be it time management like PayMo; personal cloud storage like ZettaBox, or Microsoft app rental from the likes of Nivio. There is a raft of new companies finally innovating again, competing on a level playing field for the enterprise dollar.
That level playing field comes from the great leveler - the "cloud" - in the shape of the Internet and technologies like ASP.NET, Java and HTML5, which have made delivery to the enterprise possible. These innovators had to work outside the restrictions laid down by IT. As I know only too well, small companies don't have the time or the deep pockets to fight a prolonged war with a funded incumbent. The inroads have been truly remarkable and the level of excitement is tangible. However, the current "in the cloud, don't care where" approach can be too much for many and rightly so. If you've ever had to explain to an auditor about data sovereignty or where a service is held, you'll know what I mean. After all, accountants are not known for their sense of adventure.
But the idea that this current wave of innovation will dry up because you can't conquer the enterprise desktop using the Internet, again forgets that innovation begets innovation. New delivery platforms are available that not only provide the elastic flexibility that developers need, but through network virtualisation can meet the demands of the enterprise for security and data compliance. The app is most definitely back and this is only the beginning.]]>Putting the Beautiful Game Into the Cloudtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16854472012-07-19T06:57:27-04:002012-09-18T05:12:17-04:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-finnie/
Behind the fouls, free kicks and near-misses of UEFA EURO 2012, the UEFA ICT organisation was supported by a select group of best of breed providers (which included pan European cloud provider, Interoute) to ensure a constant flow of uninterrupted images and data reached audiences worldwide. Online the UEFA.com website served hundreds of millions of fans during the tournament season and UEFA's bespoke Football Administration Management Environment (FAME), the application key to the planning, management and logistics of the competition, coped with constant use from over 40,000 users. So, it's no surprise that UEFA needed some serious technology infrastructure and support in place to ensure that everything remained up and running over the course of the tournament. It also needed a solution that was resilient and guaranteed to always be available.
In order to meet these demands, UEFA became the latest among a growing number of organisations taking to the cloud to meet its unique IT needs. In fact, an impressive 98% of its entire ICT architecture is hosted on Interoute's private cloud computing platform, which sits in two datacentres in Amsterdam and Geneva. When UEFA completed the move to Interoute's private cloud last August, 70% of UEFA's services were virtualised, leading to massive performance improvements and a significant cost reduction.
In the run up to UEFA EURO 2012, the strength of the cloud has truly been put to the test, as UEFA.com and FAME responded to the demands of UEFA's on-going competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. However, its resilience really proved itself throughout the UEFA EURO 2012 tournament. UEFA's FAME event management portal gives its 40,000 users access to a huge number of services including accreditation, media services, volunteer information, transportation, ICT infrastructure, as well as stats and information on all teams and players, so it was crucial to the running of the tournament.
Such is the importance of FAME that it is in almost constant use, with users across many time zones logging in around the clock. This presented a particular challenge for Interoute and UEFA when it came to testing the disaster recovery fail-over solution for FAME, seamlessly moving the application between Interoute's Geneva and Amsterdam Data centres. It took six months to find a time when a maintenance window for the test could be scheduled. But the advanced planning paid off when the application ran continuously throughout the championships ensuring the users had all the information they needed whenever they needed it.
Here are just a few of the highlights that went on behind the scenes at UEFA EURO 2012:
Match Night: On an average match night, 200 people in ten countries managed the content on UEFA.com.
UEFA.com: Throughout the tournament, 30-40 people uploaded data to the website, 12 hours a day.
Capturing every moment: From additional programming, to unseen angles of the games, UEFA had to closely manage the digital content it captured, distributing it at 100 megabytes per second, either edited or raw, for broadcasters to pick up and use.
UEFA.com Replay: This platform, hosted by Interoute, enabled fans to watch a recording of every match at midnight after it had aired.]]>Cloud Computing 101tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15506412012-05-28T12:05:56-04:002012-05-29T10:54:06-04:00Matthew Finniehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-finnie/
In its simplest form, and paraphrasing NIST, Cloud Computing enables convenient on-demand access to a pool of configurable resources like networks, storage, computers/servers, and applications.
Basically the cloud represents having your data, images, videos, applications, IT systems in one always available always accessible place, which can be expanded or shrunk according to demand, whenever you need it. Connect any device PC, laptop, tablet, mobile to the cloud and all the stuff you need is there ready to be watched, viewed, run etc.
If you are into IT, Cloud Computing replaces the need to buy physical servers and equipment, put them into a rack in a data centre or IT room, power them up, connect them to your network, load the software they need to run and manage them. In the same way that we use the Internet, Cloud Computing is a concept out to change the way we build and consume the data and applications we use every day.
Despite all the recent hype it's not new. The concept of the Cloud has been talked about since the early noughties. The word "cloud" comes from the internet - when you map all the relationships that make up the internet it looks like a cloud of connections. Also, rather than there being one fixed path from A to B there are a variety of different ways to get anywhere. Today "cloud" is the marketing name given to anything that is delivered "as a service".
The promise of Cloud Computing as a way to reduce costs, manage expansion and make the creation of new services easier is very real, but we're still in the early days of adoption. Organisations and governments are still largely digesting what they've heard, sifting through the benefits, and weighing up the "fear, uncertainty and doubt" concerning its impact on businesses and services.
What is true and very real is the impact it's having on how services are being created and how seriously corporate IT is taking it. For those wanting to build the next Facebook it's a no-brainer. Pinterest, the fanatically followed online pin board is the fastest growing site in history, (17m users in just 9 months), and to date it's pure cloud. However, for the corporate IT manager there's the issue of trust to be addressed. The goal is alluring; moving infrastructure into the cloud (which is also the corporate network) should be faster (cloud providers' networks are much bigger than the average corporate data centre or comms room); cheaper, and more convenient (pay for useage). But, can these providers be trusted with my corporate data, moreover with my corporate career? The simplest way to know is test it out in a limited way for yourself.
Adding to the confusion is the assortment of services available. The most commonly talked about is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), where business applications are delivered to the user's desktop on demand. At the other end of the cloud is Infrastructure-as-as-Service (IaaS), which enables organisations to purchase processing, operating systems, storage and networking on a utility basis.
It's time we put to bed some of the common myths and misunderstandings around the cloud. It offers something worth having for organisations across the globe so there's really no need to dress it up:
1.Cloud Computing suits all personality types
It meets the needs of people who can't wait, people who need to be able to change plans at a moment's notice, people who can't predict what they'll need later today let alone tomorrow. Why? Because it's easy, quick, avoids complexity, allows for flexible scalability up and down and you only pay for what you use.
2.Cloud Computing boils down to trust and money
Eventually everyone figures out how to trust you for the right money. It's something that has happened to everything else, from the internet and web commerce, to modern communication. Cloud Computing isn't any different.
3.Cloud Computing isn't a fad
Nor is it a rehash of grid computing or an analysts' hype cycle. It's what always happens to any technology. If you strip away the confusion over definition it is the same underlying process we have gone through for everything else that powers the internet and most corporate IT. It replaces the need to build services discretely out of individual servers, apps and storage. It has happened to networking and communications, so it's inevitable that it will happen with computing.
4.Cloud Computing ushers in real change
Cloud Computing is the means by which an organisation's IT can be fundamentally changed for the better, freeing the enterprise from the thankless drudgery of supplying its IT infrastructure. Letting them focus on the fun stuff.
5.Cloud Computing in the future
In the future, the cloud will translate to mass automation, requiring very deep and real networks and massive power and space resources in order to be adequately supported. The path for cloud computing, like all virtualised services, is to become so good you don't know the difference between the old dedicated version and the new cloudy one. Chuck in the fact that you can seriously start to consider real 100% availability for computing services.
Cloud Computing services are still developing and the fog of confusion around it can create hurdles to adoption. The secret to unlocking the cloud is to understand it. Those who have a good grasp of how their cloud is accessed and connected will be at an advantage when it comes to picking a delivery platform that matches their requirements. We're still reeling from the economic crisis and budgets are still stretched, but Cloud Computing can offer a path towards a cost-optimised and performance-enhanced IT world. In short, give it a whirl.