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Two years ago the promise of cloud was better defined and many had already made a successfull start. But new understanding was still unfolding. Now, Big Data is emerging very fast and in many ways enabled by and enabling of cloud. ( Check out Dan Hushon's blog for some perspectives on the meeting between the two. And of course as always, Chuck's blog.) So, I went back two years to reread my own perspective at the time, looking at independence as a cloud benefit. Didn't see Big Data coming then and it'll be interesting to look two years from at what we aren't seeing today. I repost here: Why is Private Cloud like Independence Day? My holiday ramble. Maybe this is a stretch but I'm entering a long weekend celebrating the 4th of July here in the US and a wandering notion struck me that there are similarities between the underlying principles of Private Cloud and the principles of independence. Bear with. Start with the definition of independence: 1 : not dependent: as (1) : not subject to control by others : self-governing. Synonyms include: freedom, sovereignty, autonomy, self-rule. Then listen to some of the reasons given by those moving to the cloud - beyond the financial ones - and you hear a lot about freedom - freedom of choice in equipment, location, provider, service levels, data movement... Call it freedom. Call it independence. Call it flexibility. A central idea of the cloud is freedom from the tyranny of centrally controlled IT. That concept of centrally managed data centers - think the British Empire - was justified for purposes of standardization and control and security and because the technology for viable alternatives didn't exist. Now it does. With cloud, that rigidity is gone. But with freedom comes responsibility and, sometimes, more than a little confusion and hype. However, I think the bigger implications are still unfolding. They aren't technical either. They are more profound in regard to how we organize businesses, how we communicate and even how we look at the modern world. We just don't understand them all yet. Can't even imagine. The original section of the old house I live in was built in 1756. Thomas Jefferson was just 13 and all of the best wide pine boards ("the kings lumber") were still being sent off to England - well not all, some are still in my living room floor. Twenty years later came the American Revolution. Independence. So, what would the builder of my house, Josiah Hersey, think of where we are now? How could he have imagined what the future of an independent America would be? How did he imagine the future? How well do we? Too deep for a holiday weekend? How about some fireworks instead? Happy 4th! |
