Principally, Cloud Computing is recognized as a great eliminator of the hefty costs and complex processes that come with evaluating, purchasing, configuring or managing software and hardware essentials that are necessary for enterprise applications. Using the Cloud, these applications are delivered by providers over the Internet “as-a-service.”

Cloud employment has radically changed the way businesses are run, with many players pushing for enterprise cloud adoption. Unsurprisingly, Synergy Research Group’s latest Cloud Market Share Report reveals that for the first six months of 2011, the cloud equipment market sales figures have exceeded $17 billion. The growth of Private Cloud platforms is escalating at more than 30% annually, while Public Cloud – which accounted for the largest share of Cloud equipment spending, was up by 56% during the same period.

Read about the difference between Private and Public Cloud.

The Enterprise Cloud Service Models

Cloud computing as a service is essentially categorized under three major layers: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). These models – which are characterized by enhanced management of IT services with lessened flexibility and control – vary according to the IT service levels that each provides alongside the levels of control enterprises must hand over to the Cloud service provider.

Taking into consideration their “as-a-service” functionalities, SaaS essentially caters to end users in an organization. SaaS providers are tasked to determine the resources that should be devoted to the use of an application, which include the virtual machines, the servers, and the network equipment, among many others.

IaaS, on the other hand, belongs to the opposite end of the enterprise Cloud spectrum. IaaS providers offer the virtual machines or storage resources for organizations that want to take control of their own software environment, including its maintenance, but do not look to acquire any servers or similar physical equipment.

Somewhere along the IaaS and SaaS spectrum is PaaS, which provides application developers with specific tools to develop a certain platform. Driving a new age in mass innovation, PaaS offers the infrastructure necessary to run Internet-based applications.

As the Cloud service models IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are enjoying wider adoption from businesses and consumers alike, it is believed that deployments of Public Cloud will substantially increase in the years to come. In a recent finding, Cisco Systems Global Cloud Index projects that by 2015, Cloud computing will have a 12-fold ascension in terms of traffic, which in turn, will account for over 30% of data center workloads in the year 2014.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

While highly celebrated as the next big thing in the IT enterprising arena, Cloud Computing has become a common subject of debate – owing to its benefits and disadvantages that many industry insiders believe are worth digging deep into. As with any new technological innovation that comes with merits, the Cloud does accrue its own share of consequent drawbacks.

Some benefits that come with the adoption of Cloud Computing to a certain degree may include:

• Improved Accessibility
  With a business network on the Cloud, people are able to access data or take them everywhere. In most cases, secure logins – which constitute a username and a password – let people access information from desktops, laptops or even smart phones.
• Enhanced Collaboration
  Cloud-based collaboration tools enable all IT employees to contribute to the conceptualization of projects and their development. With better information and data access, the workplace essentially experiences better connectivity, which translates to boosted efficiency and productivity.
• Better Scalability
  Perhaps one of the most illustrious benefits of Cloud adoption is its ability to enlarge or shrink network capacity to tailor-fit business needs.
• Significantly Reduced Cost
  The cost benefits that moving to the Cloud presents essentially point to reduced one-time purchasing expenses. For instance, companies that employ SaaS only pay subscriptions, and do away with often costly upgrade purchases. An IT department that moves to the Cloud entails outsourcing of the network, which may mean trimming down the staffing costs. Similarly, enterprises eliminate the costs and time issues that usually come with investing in, operating and maintaining physical infrastructures.
• Eased Communication
  The utilization of Cloud Computing creates a constant flow of information, which in turn, creates improved communication between the outsourced and the outsourcing. Unlike most other remote systems that struggle with data flow because of outdated database communications, the Cloud offers ease in the way information is accessed.

The drawbacks that have been identified by Cloud Computing non-supporters are essentially related to:

• Security
  With some hacking and other forms of malicious online intrusions remaining unresolved, the Cloud-based model is being frowned upon for failing to address security issues. Companies dealing with sensitive information are concerned about the possibility of becoming vulnerable to these security threats and data breaches.
• Reliability
  With sensitive information relegated to the Cloud, some are not very convinced that they can have total peace of mind about the processes involved in data backup using Cloud Computing. On the client-provider end, the idea of entrusting the guardianship of data to third parties makes enterprises skittish enough.
• Ownership and Intellectual Property
  With innovations on the rise, a company that creates or invents something new may look to and integrate the Cloud as part of the development of that product or service. In such a case, arguments may arise regarding possible invention claims from the Cloud provider.
• Data Conversion or Portability
  If in case a client is unhappy with the Cloud provider’s services, switching to another may be an option. However, some are wondering if it may be too difficult to retrieve, convert and transfer data. Will such a scenario not prove to be costly?

Businesses that need to take Cloud Computing on a balanced view are out of the question. It is a logical step for any organization to ascertain whether or not to jump on the bandwagon. A business may be lured to the newness of the concept – but may in fact be unprepared for the problems that are most likely to arise.

You may be familiar with services such as Netflix and Hulu. They offer online and streaming-based video content. This means they allow users to stream video content directly to their television sets from their online catalog. However, Apple and Google have found ways to integrate such services into either the Apple TV or Google TV. They both offer not just a single service, but a digital content network of services. They also offer more than just TV or movie content to run from their service. These two tech giants saw the ripe opportunity to conglomerate various streaming networks. Let’s discuss each of these products as standalone devices and later we will compare them.

Apple TV

The Apple TV is a set-top box that acts as a digital media receiver and connects to your TV set via an HDMI connection. It focuses on bringing streaming or synced iTunes content to your living room. It will allow you to stream or sync content from your PC or Mac with iTunes, as pointed out by Apple. You can also stream content from iOS devices with AirPlay. You can even purchase content directly from the Apple TV box when connecting to iTunes. The earlier models have a hard drive, so you can download full shows onto the device, while the latter ones do not and are designed for streaming.

According to the Apple TV product page, “Apple TV gives you access to everything you want to see and hear — blockbuster movies, TV shows, your music and photos, even news and sports — right on your widescreen TV.” iTunes content can now be stored in iCloud as well. This essentially makes the streaming service cloud based.

Other non-iTunes services are also starting to make their presence. Apple has pointed out that Vimeo, YouTube and Netflix are all supported. Users can also watch live, or On Demand, MLB and NBA (sport) games. Other services like music and pictures are also available to share on the big screen. One thing still missing is a Web browser when compared to Google’s offerings. Another thing is apps. Apple TV does not run iOS nor allow users to run apps form it. However, if you own an iOS device, you can use AirPlay Mirroring to put its content on your TV.

Google TV

Google TV generally comes as a packaged product inside various electronics. This means that certain Blue-ray players or TV sets, like the Sony nsx-40GT1, offer Google TV as part of their package. In terms of set-top boxes available, I only found one. It is called the Logitech Revue and costs $129.99 new, vs. the Apple TV price tag of $99.99. The Google TV hardware, however, isn’t manufactured by Google per se. Google is working with a couple different vendors in getting it out on the market. These vendors have options to make the hardware the way they see fit, or integrate it into other hardware the way they see fit. Google provides the platform for them to use. Google also offers both a Chrome Web browser for Google TV and an Android operating system. With the Android mobile OS being available, users can download various apps onto the device to use from their TV sets. Unlike the Apple TV, which is mostly tied to iTunes, Google TV is open to a variety of content.

The Android Marketplace is also quite open and free from restrictions as opposed to the App Store (although the App Store isn’t available on the Apple TV anyway). Various manufacturing partners have options of putting up their own digital stores and content on the device as well. Services such as Netflix, HBO Go, and Amazon Instant Video are available as well.

Something really awesome about Google TV is the amount of free TV shows you can stream and watch without a subscription to an external service. According to Gigaom, “Turner Broadcasting was one of the official Google TV launch partners, so it’s not surprising to see the company’s networks TBS and TNT embrace Google TV. But we were pleasantly surprised to see that Syfy.com is streaming its shows to Google TV as well, despite being owned by NBC, and we loved the streams made available by Comedy Central.” The report mentioned Fox being supported, as well, in regards to certain shows.

Google TV vs Apple TV Comparison

Apple and Google have brought their own software models of distribution to these two products. Their differences fundamentally lie in the difference between the two companies’ philosophies. If you want a more open platform with a variety of streaming content available, then Google TV may be your best choice. If you want an Apple product that integrates all of your iTunes content — from movies and TV shows to pictures you want to share — then the Apple TV may be good for you. It depends on if you want a streaming service tied to iTunes and other Apple products you may own; or a service that conglomerates various media in a single package, with more freedom by vendors in implementation of software.

Google TV is actually integrated with more services than the Apple TV. Examples of these services include Netflix, HBO Go, and Amazon Instant Video. However, as mentioned, Apple does work with a couple, like Netflix as well. Google TV isn’t tied to a single distribution network like the Apple TV with iTunes. The main difference lies in propriety vs. non-propriety. Google is allowing their manufacturing partners creative flexibility in the features they allow into their Google TV hardware. While Apple isn’t even working with other manufacturers and producing the top-set box themselves.

VentureBeat recently ran a story about why Hulu isn’t available on the Apple TV yet. This has to do with Apple wanting its share of revenue after rentals and purchases themselves (via iTunes). Google, on the other hand, allows it and wants as many customers to use this service as possible. Unlike Apple, Google also is partnering with various manufacturers and wants to appeal to them.

In terms of hardware, Google TV also offers more flexibility to users. Yahoo Shopping puts it bluntly, “Need composite video outputs, 1080p decoding or some other, yet unknown feature on Apple TV? Tough luck, wait for next year. Need it on Google TV? Just wait for some manufacturer to pump out a deluxe box.” Also, keep in mind you can actually search for broadcast TV channels from the Google TV over the net and you can’t from the Apple TV, as pointed out by SearchEngineLand.

You read that right. Apple TV does not currently support 1080p resolutions and only goes up to 720p. This may be a big deal to those of you with huge HDTVs that support 1080p. Another thing to remember is Google TV runs Android and Apple TV does not run iOS. This may be a deal breaker for many of you who want apps and additional content from the device. However, Apple has been expanding the Apple TV in features and you can now read the Wall Street Journal from it for instance.

Combating Cable and Satellite Companies

In terms of TV shows, and not just movies, both the Apple TV and Google TV have a lot of room to grow. Their services have a lot of popular TV shows missing from any service offered. This is mostly due to cable and satellite TV companies fighting the digital distribution model. These companies want consumers to continue purchasing many channels at home from them at the traditional distribution model. Although they embraced DVR, they still fear what streaming content and cloud-based TV may do to their business model. However, it is only a matter of time before more consumers switch to the digital model and more shows are offered this way.

Conclusion

Both the Apple TV and Google TV are great steps in the digital distribution direction that TV is heading. Apple TV offers live sports coverage already and there is a lot of TV content available through iTunes. Google offers an open platform that integrates Android apps and the Chrome Web browser. There is a lot of free content available for the Google TV in terms of TV shows as well. For movie fans, they are both great options with other services compatible like Netflix. However, the answer on which you want may depend on if you just want a streaming video content device (Apple TV); or a device that also runs a browser, Google Chrome, and an entire app ecosystem on your television (Google TV). In terms of pure hardware, though, the Google TV wins out because it supports 1080p HD quality of playback while Apple TV only supports resolutions of up to 720p. The bottom line is that TV is going to the cloud and both of these models are steps in this direction.

While other devices, like Intel Ultrabooks, can be used as full PCs and enterprise solutions, the cloud and remote access apps are paving the way for this on smaller devices as well. Although traditional desktop PCs will probably always be far ahead in hardware specs and software compatibility to enterprise apps, all of these mobile devices have a very good chance of one day becoming full workstations. Even the iPad, which was once looked at as just a consumer fad, has many great apps that benefit IT professionals.

One thing is for sure: the trend as of late has been for mobile devices to get smaller and lighter. The rise of tablets, netbooks, smartphones and other gadgets shows that the form factor is shrinking in popularity. This is the direction many companies are going as well. Mobile PCs are also becoming smaller and lighter.

This new shift of paradigm comes at a cost though. Many of these lighter and more portable devices can’t compete with similarly-priced laptops in hardware specs. Some of them are also ditching the optical drive, large HDDs, or even USB drives and rely on cloud services.

Here are some of the latest mobile PC devices to look for in 2012.

5. Intel Ultrabooks

Intel ultrabooks offer a blend of tablet and laptop features commonly associated with each product lineup individually. Intel has big plans for these new ultra-thin computing devices, and is partnering with various manufacturers to get them out on the market in 2012.

Some models have already been released. However, most will not be available until next year. Examples of already released models include the Asus Zenbook UX21 and the Acer S3-951-6646.

Both are dual core with a decent amount of memory (4GB DDR3); however, the Zenbook offers much more SSD storage. The Acer offers both a standard hard drive and a 16GB SSD drive. The Zenbook offers a 128GB SSD.

Despite the price premium over tablets, there is a lot of interest in them already. At first glance, they seem more similar to netbooks or the Macbook Air, rather than modified tablets. However, here are some tablet-like features Intel is preparing for them as reported by PC World: “Intel has said it will equip ultrabooks with tablet features such as touchscreens, long battery life, instant-boot features and always-on connectivity in the coming years.”

I would say that ultrabooks are a direct response to the Macbook Air and tablet popularity, rather than a replacement for netbooks. Keep in mind that netbooks exist with their current low-end specs mostly due to their price. Ultrabooks will not be available at this sub-$500 price point, at least not for quite some time.

However, due to the enterprise market being less price sensitive, ultrabooks may appeal to enterprise users in a strong way. They do offer a full Windows OS and application capability unlike Windows 8 tablets that need apps redesigned for the interface. They also have the added benefit of portability over netbooks due to having a touchscreen and a strong battery life. This means users have less to worry about in terms of peripherals, as compared to standard laptops or netbooks. Enterprise users can get work done without always having to carry an extra battery charger or a mouse.

Their hardware specs have to match current laptops to be relevant though, even in this market. The ones already released seem to have decent hardware, but some cheaper models are also in the pipeline from various manufacturers that may not.

Look for many different ultrabooks to hit the market in 2012.

4. Google Chromebooks

Google Chromebooks are portable computing devices designed for the ultimate Web experience. They are geared toward Web browsing and Web-based services or applications. Like ultrabooks, their form factor represents laptops, but they come at a much lighter size and weight. Chromebooks also have a very quick boot process, an instant browsing feature, and are designed to be used almost instantly on the go. Their boot up process only takes eight seconds according to Google’s Chromebook product page. They also don’t rely on any anti-virus software for security or need any maintenance done by end users. Applications are compatible from the Chrome Web Store and ones designed in HTML5.

Chromebooks may truly represent the future of mobile computing and the impact that cloud computing has had on the industry. Google’s cloud services, like Google docs, are an integral part of the Chromebook experience. The whole Chrome operating system is designed around the cloud. Google doesn’t design the hardware, but offers the platform (Chrome OS) that manufacturers utilize in their products. Google just provides the OS and Web platform, kind of like Android for tablets.

Google also stores user data in the cloud rather than the actual Chromebook hard drive. The hard drive is reserved mostly just for the operating system. This is a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it. Your company does not have to worry about data loss via theft or hardware malfunctions because of this. On the other hand, Google will have access to it and many companies may not want sensitive data to be in Google’s hands.

According to Search Engine Marketing Group, “The Chromebook isn’t a computer in the traditional sense, but what has been known in IT virtualization circles for years as a thin client. The Chromebook is less than a computer, less even than the iPad; nothing more than an interface which allows you to interact with websites and online apps. Pre-loaded with the Chrome browser ‘OS’, loaded with bookmarks to Google web apps, devices like the Chromebook probably could replace your desktop, laptop and smart-phone. But imagine not storing anything locally, and handing everything to Google on a plate.”

3. Android Tablets

There are various Android tablets available on the market right now that mostly came into being as a response to the iPad. The latest operating system is called Android Honeycomb. However, it isn’t generally available on the budget tablets coming out. Instead, it generally exists on iPad competitors like the Motorola Xoom. The OS is designed to offer a unique tablet experience that makes it stand out from smartphones. Many Android users prefer its flexibility and freedom over iOS. The next version of Android, called Ice Cream Sandwich, will be coming out very soon and it looks to offer more integration between smartphone and tablet usage.

There are also many different manufacturers in the Android tablet business with various models of tablets to offer. Some of them, like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, offer a laptop-like experience with added docs for keyboards, and even mouse support. Others, like the Galaxy Tab 10.1, offer an iPad-like experience with an Android flavor. There are also tablets that run Android in a variety of form factors. Some range from 5″ like the Dell Streak, while others are around the iPad’s size of 10.1″.

There are a lot of options in this category and they keep growing. The Amazon Kindle has recently been released, but it is geared for consumer consumption rather than enterprise productivity. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime also recently was released and it is the first quad-core (Nvidia Tegra 3) tablet. There are many more options to consider when picking an Android tablet.

2. Apple’s iPad Lineup of Tablets

The iPad was launched in the early part of 2010 and took consumers by storm. Ever since the iPad was released, the concept of a media-consumption tablet has become synonymous with Apple. Before the original iPad hit retail there was a lot of confusion about what type of product it will be and why consumers would want a tablet in the first place. As users put their hands on it, however, the answer appeared in front of their eyes. The iPad was the first tablet really geared at the consumer mass-market. It is a consumption device first and foremost; and its portability, easy-of-use, and application support is second to none.

Millions of iPads have been sold, shattering expectations. Meanwhile, Android tablets have been struggling to keep up. Apple truly bridged the gap between a smartphone and a laptop with the iPad’s portability, all-day high battery life, and sleek form factor. Now we are living in a second generation of iPads, called the iPad 2, and a third model is expected sometime in 2012. The question remains and has been buzzing around rumor mills, whether it will have a RETINA display capable of resolutions around 2,048×1,536.

Despite that the iPad has been geared for media consumption rather than heavy-duty productivity use, it can offer enterprise users many beneficial uses as well. Its apps make all the difference and make the tablet truly stand out. Many of them are geared for productivity and translate well for enterprise use. For example, Apple has an iWork suite available with a word processing app called Pages that allows users to add graphs, charts, and images. The app even supports exporting documents in the Microsoft Word (.doc) file format. Another iWork app, called Keynote, is a presentation app that offers support or compatibility with Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. There are also various cloud solutions for enterprise users, like Dropbox or iCloud, which allow documents to be saved and worked on across devices.

1. Windows Tablets

There are a number of Windows 7 tablets right now on the market. However, a lot of manufacturers are waiting for Windows 8 to be available before creating Windows-based tablets for consumers. Many of these tablets suffer from poor battery life, an expensive price tag, and are pretty much geared just for Windows desktop applications. They are supported by enterprise because of this application compatibility, but aren’t as popular among consumers in general.

However, Samsung is about to release a Windows 7 tablet that has a lot of people talking. This tablet is called the Samsung Slate PC Series 7 and will cost $1099 when it debuts at an undisclosed date. What will make this tablet stand out is that it offers both multi-touch and Wacom digitizer stylus support. It also comes with great specs and a very good battery life. According to PC World, specs include a Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 11.6″ display, 64GB SSD, multiple cameras, micro-HDMI, USB 2.0, micro SD, audio ports and a 40 Watt-hour battery rating. Expect it sometime by the year’s end or early 2012. It may be worth waiting for Windows 8 tablets though, as Microsoft is designing the OS with them in mind. Look for them to start coming out around late 2012.

Conclusion

These mobile PCs we highlighted represent just a small chunk of the options available right now for users. There are also the traditional netbooks, laptops, and Macbooks that are coming out in various flavors. A lot of variations of devices in many of these categories also exist for consumers to choose from. The mobile PC you choose for yourself — or your company chooses for its employees — may depend on the nature of the work you will be doing. Do you plan on doing light tasks to coincide with productivity from a laptop, or do you want a device to replace your desktop PC as a mobile workstation? Do you think cloud represents the future, and are you willing to trade local data storage for pure cloud storage and application usage? These are just some questions you may want to answer as you look for a mobile PC solution for yourself and your company.

So what’s the latest in VMware certification? Let’s find out!

VMware VCP5

Since I posted my update about the deadline to upgrade to the VCP5, the buzz about it has increased. Numerous VMware bloggers have posted their exam experiences (see VCP5 exam reviews from Scott Vessey and vPrimer) and free test preparation tools have become available (see Simon Long’s VCP5 practice exams). I will soon be posting my exam experience as well.

If you have a VCP4 you have until February 29, 2012 to upgrade to the VCP5 or you will have to, basically, start all over again, take a VMware Education class, and then take the VCP5 exam. By upgrading your certification before February, you could save thousands of dollars and a week out of work to take the required class.

What should you do? I recommend preparing for the exam now so you’ll be ready to go before February 29. The best VCP5 study resources include my vSphere 5 video training course, Scott Lowe’s book on Mastering vSphere 5, and the links listed here.

VMware VCP-Desktop (VCP-DT)

A great new certification, now out of beta, is the VCP-Desktop (VCP-DT). This certification covers your knowledge of VMware View and ThinApp. It doesn’t require any VMware education courses but it does require that you have a VMware VCP (which does require a VMware Ed course).

You would think that VMware would make the VCA-DT the sole requirement for the VCP-DT but they didn’t. Strangely enough, you don’t even have to take the VCA-DT to achieve the VCP-DT. Plus, the current versions of any of these desktop virtualization certs are based on vSphere 4 and View 4 with version 5 on the way. Oh well, no matter how it is structured, TrainSignal has great training for any of these options!

Currently in progress, we have an all new VMware View 5 Administration course. This course will replace our current VMware View 4 Administration course but we are starting from scratch and making this course “new and improved” instead of just updating the course. To start off with, we’ll have two VMware vExperts who have certs like triple VCP, VCAP, and even VCDX. The instructors are Lane Leverett and Brian Knudtson. Lane is the co-author of our vSphere Security course and Brian is the author of our View 4 Administration course. I am really looking forward to watching this one!

Upcoming VMware Beta Exams

With vSphere 5 and View 5 already being released, you may be wondering what about new exams and video training based around those versions. Of course, we already said that the VCP5 exam is available however, that is currently the only VMware certification based on vSphere 5 or View 5, to date. I am expecting that in the first quarter of 2012 there will be at least some beta news about VMware certs that cover vSphere 5 and View 5, but I don’t have any specific news. I encourage you to sign up for our Newsletter because as soon as new exams become available, I will post about them here and include info in our Newsletter.

Be on the lookout for certifications like VCAP-DCA 5, DCD 5, VCA-DT 5, and VCP-DT 5. As soon as the certifications are in beta, we will get to work on a correlating video training course and help you to prepare for the exams, as well as help you to prepare to be an admin in the real world. By the way, the View 5 training course that we will have out soon will be based around View 5 so it will already be up to date.

What Should You Do?

During the time that exams and courses change revisions, many people wonder what they should be studying and preparing for. My recommendation is:

1. Get your VCP5
2. If you already have your VCAP, begin learning vSphere 5 to be prepared to upgrade your VCAP (or get a new VCAP, based on vSphere 5)
3. Begin learning cloud computing by trying out the evaluation of vCloud Director 5 in your lab

Questions about VMware certification? Ask me here!

Research firm Gartner, Inc. is highlighting the importance of applying innovation for business success. It has become imperative for business leaders to work with the company’s CIO in order to explore and understand the business benefits that IT brings, as well as the significance of properly investing in it.

Providing an analogous finding, Fortune Magazine notes that more and more CEOs are viewing technology as a strategic tool that does more than just foster efficiency in the workplace. It is high time to realize the value of a strategic IT approach, as technology becomes critically intertwined with the achievement of business objectives.

The 9 Big Mistakes

Owing to these business realities, IT departments are becoming indispensable. Consequently, CIOs tend to play an increasingly influential role in the enterprise, compelling them to exhibit industry-best practices. With that said, CIOs are expected not only to keep up with the increasing IT demands of the organization, but to avoid committing crippling and costly mistakes, such as the following:

1. Refusing to exploit new technology trends
   The emergence of developments in the tech arena gives IT authorities the green light to explore new, and perhaps better and lower cost, tools and strategies. CIOs who choose to stick to old technology – because they still work — are rejecting a golden opportunity to keep the business up with the times. Needless to say, they are contradicting the principle behind not only the tech division, but the IT director headship itself.
2. Disregarding the evaluation process of newly adopted technology
   The implementation of new technologies that are determined to boost business or process productivity is a reassuring phase for a company. However, the risks that come with it can be equally uncertain. Absent from a formalized and careful evaluation, the risk of organizational disruption is heightened, and can in fact lead to overspending and failure to meet objectives.
3. Failing to clarify technology utilization throughout the enterprise
   The significance of ensuring adequate, enterprise-wide knowledge of the purposes and usage of implemented technologies cannot be overstated. Every person in the company should have a general idea about what the new technology can and can’t do, and how it can or cannot help them. Policies on effective technology usage should be in place, and reduce the risk of employees engaging in behaviors that jeopardize safety and productivity.
4. Neglecting the existing business culture and organizational structure
   Conflict in any and all areas of business thwarts a company’s overall success, thereby compelling CIOs to reconcile IT decisions with organizational design, behavioral norms and company priorities. In the presently empowered IT era, the job of a CIO is not anymore exclusively confined to technology management and execution. A Forrester blog underscores that a CIO’s evolving role requires empowering employees and encouraging innovation across the enterprise.
5. Disregarding the value of communication skills
   The ability to negotiate, engage stakeholders and fellow executives, and sell an IT investment is crucial for a CIO to be effective on the job. A CIO who is unable to fully ascribe the business value of an IT project in the works cannot expect management support.
6. Implementing poor security tools and policies
   The importance of information and technology security is an often-heard issue among companies. A CIO should be able to identify and push for the implementation of tech tools and policies to adequately secure data from viruses, and regularly back up critical information to shield the company from intrusion or accidental data loss. Failing to secure company data is tantamount to putting business at high risk and watching it being robbed of productivity, money or time.
7. Paying less (or no) attention to software license updates
   Businesses that are not current with their software licenses are doomed. License updates keep users current with critical updates; as such, failing to keep track of these does not only keep the business from running as productively as possible, but also increases security risks.
8. Settling for the second-best IT team
   Leadership is a key, and so is a strong support team. A top performing workforce that makes delegation less agonizing is out of the question. The fast-paced IT segment of a company that is aiming to enhance productivity and reduce expenses cannot afford to accommodate underperformers.
9. Ignoring employee training
   With the top workforce on board, CIOs cannot afford to assume all employees know everything they need to. Resorting to training – especially when new technologies are being introduced – is a certain mechanism to help surge productivity.

Reshaping the CIO Function with Cloud Computing

Now more than ever, it is important for CIOs to scan the environment for current trends, new developments and breakthrough innovations. However, as the IT leadership role continues to scale with intensifying tech demands, Gartner, Inc. is emphasizing the need for IT frontrunners to “re-imagine” IT and welcome the “post-modern business” driven by an outburst of business systems enabled by the Cloud.

Similarly, a Forbes blog is giving particular emphasis to the strategic value that the role of CIO offers a company in an environment that embraces Cloud computing as a factor to ensure future competitiveness. While reshaped CIO functions still require a thorough understanding of architecture and infrastructure, basic know-how on technical operations may become less important in the future.

With an increased awareness about pitfalls in IT-related decision making that can potentially break a business – and the right knowledge about avoiding them – CIOs are able to create a more meaningful thrust to IT and leverage its value for long-term business success.

This thinking represents something of a dramatic shift in attitudes over a short span of time. Earlier this year, at the TechEd trade show in Atlanta, many IT professionals were saying they feared that cloud computing could take their jobs.

Watch this interview with Sean Deuby talking IT career outlook.

But industry educational efforts appear to be paying off in transforming the views of computing professionals. Recent industry reports indicate that the net effect of any job losses caused by cloud computing will be more than made up for by the new jobs required for careers associated with the cloud and its applications environment.

A Brighter Picture

According to a new survey, released on Nov. 7, 2011, IT professionals have a “brighter picture” for their current career outlook than might otherwise be expected, given the fears over a double-dip recession and consolidations in the IT industry. The survey conducted by Braun Research, Inc. for Modis, an IT staffing firm, found that 89% of IT professionals are “happy” in their current jobs, and 64% plan to stay where they are currently employed. Almost half of IT professionals expect a raise next year, and only 26% reckon their salaries will remain the same next year.

The poll surveyed 502 IT professionals from October 7th through October 14th and had a margin of error of +/- 4 points and a 95% confidence level. The survey results are available online at the Modis blog.

“These results are consistent with what we are seeing and hearing on a day-to-day basis,” says Jack Cullen, president of Modis, which earlier this year merged with Ajilon Consulting. “IT professionals are generally happy in their current roles and are cautiously optimistic about what 2012 may bring.”

Areas expected to see the most growth over the next five years, per the survey, include cloud computing and software as a service, which is poised to grow by 29%. Other areas of growth are likely to be software, at 21%, and mobile solutions, at 18%.

“When we talk to CIOs and IT decision makers, they regularly bring up these three key areas as vital within their organizations,” says Cullen. “Finding technologists with experience and skills in these areas is critical for their IT departments.”

The survey also demonstrated that IT hiring may be on the rise in the future. Though the majority of IT hiring managers (65%) indicated staffing levels will remain the same next year, more than a quarter (28%) believe their teams will “increase headcount,” and perhaps significantly in 2012, the Modis study claimed.

Now is the time to continue to skill-up to meet the demands of cloud computing, researchers said. “IT workers need to do their part,” said Cullen. “They shouldn’t get complacent in their careers. One of the most critical factors to IT career success is not just gaining new technical skills, but also gaining domain knowledge – a deep understanding of the specific business environment you work in, be it in financial services, health care, or energy.”

As cloud computing matures, and CIOs seek to retain much of the technology on their own corporate campuses, they will require more servers in their data centers. These servers, in turn, are supported by IT professionals. They will have to be skilled in Windows Server, Hyper V, VMWare, and even Azure cloud computing software, among other packages. Perhaps, long from now, in the distant future, there will be true virtualization due to cloud computing. But first, there will be a veritable big bang in consumption of IT resources. From that big bang will come a new universe of jobs, including storage and data architects, software engineers, enterprise architects, capacity planners, and even analysts.

Despite the downturn in the global economy, high-tech employment still represents 5.7 million U.S. jobs, and the average technology worker’s wage is 93% higher than the non-technology employee, according to recent reports.

To be sure, however, lower-skilled IT employees who don’t develop the capacity to work in automated, enterprise-wide environments are going to find reduced job opportunities in the future. But those with dynamic personalities and growing skill sets will thrive. Workers will have to cultivate their professional networks to progress. Good, old-fashioned networking is the best way to find a new IT position, said Cullen.

Cloud computing has stirred a massive curiosity in the marketplace, catching the attention of consumers, vendors and analysts. A myriad of online reviews, opinions and articles have attempted to define, explain, praise, ridicule and sell the cloud concept – proof positive of how it has surfaced as a phenomenon in the business circle.

However, questions and concerns surrounding the cloud concept remain hovering. Cloud service providers and consumers alike are still looking for exact ways to ideally respond to issues or expectations, and address the most pressing concerns hounding cloud security. Nevertheless, businesses struggling to keep up with increasing data storage demands are seeing how the cloud offers a viable solution.

A report from leading information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc. puts emphasis on how enterprises are turning into post-modern businesses by leveraging the trends of the current era – cloud computing in particular. More than just providing vendors with cost-savings, cloud-based platforms are headed for an enterprise adoption boom, and are predicted to play a key role in customizing services so they respond better to customer needs.

Why Get Cloud Certified?

Owing to the widespread adoption of the cloud, the need for the development of cloud computing standards is becoming apparent. There is a continuing clamor for cloud-focused training programs targeting service providers or vendors, operations professionals in the enterprise, as well as systems integrators who are tasked to navigate, deploy and operate cloud platforms.

Skills of IT professionals who are directed toward cloud technologies can have a huge impact on an existing infrastructure. There is therefore a need to require these pros to develop and enhance their cloud computing skills, and become bona fide professionals fit for cloud-based jobs. Conversely, companies’ high interest in the cloud warrants the building of staff capabilities to keep them ready for the change and maintain their relevance.

Companies aiming to reap the benefits that cloud computing offers need to have well-educated and highly-trained IT professionals on board. Needless to say, technical certifications equate with gaining a spectrum of advantages: better pay for professionals who want to move up the ladder and better prestige for the company, which all boils down to better business with cloud utilization.

Cloud Certification Options

Generally, IT professionals are expected to be prepared for a multitude of cloud tasks and environments that they may find themselves targeting. With the advanced cloud technology still relatively new, companies can expect new paths to emerge – for which it pays to enhance the skills of their workforce.

In the last few years, technical trainings on the different facets of cloud computing have come in numerous specializations.

A pioneer in cloud certification courses and training, IBM has been introducing a series of cloud certification courses starting in 2008. From its Big Blue program, IBM is now offering Professional Certification to allow skilled professionals in the IT world to show their expertise; assess their skills; validate their knowledge; and demonstrate proficiency in cloud computing using IBM products and solutions.

Believing that cloud technology opens doors to new opportunities while impacting existing enterprise roles, Microsoft Learning provides avenues for IT professionals specializing in the cloud to build and enhance their skills through cutting-edge technology. Serving Microsoft partners worldwide, Microsoft Learning showcases an array of cloud computing certification courses central to Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).

Another player in the e-certification arena, the cloud training course from The Art of Service, a leading provider of worldwide IT education, has developed its Cloud Computing Foundation Program to help IT professionals take that step to become cloud computing managers.

On the other hand, CA 3Tera offers cloud certification programs through instruction and hands-on labs. The courses from CA 3Tera Cloud Training cover basic cloud concepts, best practices, automation and advanced technologies.

Re-skilling cloud experts in the enterprise, Cloud Security Alliance presents the Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge. Essentially catering to security professionals, the CCSK program is aimed toward an improved understanding of the challenges besetting cloud security. It also cites industry best practices to pave the way for an increased trust in the utilization of cloud services.

CloudSchool, a leading provider of vendor-neutral cloud computing training courses, offers the Cloud Certified Professional or CCP, a collection of courses for professionals who want to successfully deploy the facets of the cloud platform. With emphasis on the different fields of specialization, CloudSchool certifications apply to all vendors.

CompTIA is offering Cloud Essentials, a specialty certification that demonstrates the degree of a professional’s knowledge of the cloud computing concept from technical and business perspectives. Essentially about moving to and governance of the cloud, the CompTIA Cloud Essentials involves an examination that specifically tackles network configuration, business continuity, system integration, connectivity, and basic troubleshooting.

International organization Cloud Credential Council was formed with an aim to drive alignment for the cloud computing domain. CCC is comprised of leaders in the cloud computing arena, with a membership base that spans across vendors, associations, professional organizations and certification groups from across the globe.

Independent and vendor-neutral, CCC focuses on individual as well as organizational certification and training to benefit members, be it in their business-to-business goals contacts or the professional development of their staff.

While not specifically required in all, training candidates who have IT experience and direct involvement in IT responsibilities or decision-making are deemed to benefit more from each cloud certification and training course.

While requiring additional investments for companies and individuals, opting for cloud certification courses is a jumpstart to excellence in overall cloud strategy, and the development of real-world cloud computing proficiency.

What is the HP CloudSystem Matrix?

HP Cloud Services offers a range of IaaS options for differently sized infrastructures. The System is able to support Windows, Linux and HP-UX operating systems, as well as VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V and Integrity VMs as hypervisors. In the video above, Nigel also addresses the fact that while HP’s system functions as “self-service,” provisioining still allows for creating rules & permissions, including the option to use any enterprise portal. HP can provide “one-rack” solutions that are pre-configured, and fully supported custom solutions. Nigel also explains how HP CloudSystem can support both private and public clouds.

To learn more about the difference between private and public clouds, read our Cloud Computing 101.

When he’s not throwing the biggest party at VMworld, Sean writes commentary on developments within the industry, conference presentations, reviews and more on his blog SeanClark.us. He also worked on our VMware vSphere Training Package, and when he’s not busy with all of those things he uses his technical expertise to volunteer in his local community of Normal, IL.

In this video inteview, Sean talks about PCI security compliance and the enhancements of vSphere 5, his favorite topic’s from this year’s VMworld. For more commentary on the session at Vmworld and other topics, check into his blog and follow him on Twitter @vSeanClark.

About NetApp

Consider NetApp a solutions-driven company, in contrast to large platforms like Cisco, Citrix and VMware. They want to help companies optimize their data center management by achieving three significant & cost-effective goals: reduce data center footprints, improve storage system performance, and maximize data center ROI.

NetApp Certifications

In addition to helping companies implement efficient virtual storage, NetApp has established a certification track for it’s products. Particularly, the NCDA certification is an opportunity for storage admins or consultants to take 3 courses & exams that validate them as certified data management administrators who can specialize in NetApp equipment. The NetApp Certified Data Management Admin certification has concentrations in storage networking (NS0-153), data protection solutions (NS0-163) and mode administrator (NS0-154). There are also certifcations for NetApp Certified Implementation Engineer (NCIE) in SAN & Virtualization (NS0-502), and Backup & Recovery (NS0-510).

Nick’s blog, Datacenter Dude, serves as an information hub for NetApp news, and his take on virtualization & cloud computing alike. You can also follow him Twitter @that1guynick.

VCE stands for the Virtual Computing Environment Company, a partnership between Cisco and EMC affiliated with VMware and Intel. With a goal of helping companies adopt cloud-based computing models, the success of VCE focuses on reducing costs and time for IT infrastructure in all industries, from education and healthcare, to retail and utilities. In particular, the Vblock infrastructures offered by VCE are preconfigured with the necessary platforms, allowing for quick and cost-minded deployments.

Kendrick’s blog boasts a plethora of how-to articles, product reviews and industry commentary. As an extension of his VMworld session co-presented with David Davis, Kendrick recently produced a lengthy breakdown of his Top 10 Free vSphere ESX Tolls & Utilities. Follow Kendrick’s thoughts and insights on Twitter @kendrickcoleman and his blog kendrickcoleman.com.

vExpert, VCP Jake Robinson is an engineer at BlueLock, so we interviewed him about some of the hot subjects at VMworld 2011. Jake raves about the cloud, datacenters, and automation, as well as Bluelock’s new developments to service VMware vCloud. In this video Jake sheds light on the new features from Bluelock:

• GlobalConnect to provide a global presence for vCloud datacenters to be used worldwide as one system
• PowerShell Snap-in for VMware
• Portfolio tool for decision support and cost management within the cloud.

Visit Bluelock.com to see how a Virtual Datacenter can help make cloud computing work for you. Jake’s blog is Geek After Five and you can follow @jakerobinson and @bluelock on Twitter.

A couple of years ago I wrote an article on a beta software program that Microsoft was working on called Windows Live Mesh. Now the beta has ended and Microsoft has released the official version called Windows Live Mesh 2011.

Mesh allows you to synchronize files between multiple devices and the cloud using SkyDrive with 5GB of space for free. It’s similar to dropbox and other cloud backup and storage solutions.

Today we’ll take a look at how to install and configure the newest version of Live Mesh. I’ll also show you how you can remotely control the computer you have Mesh installed on.

Windows Live Mesh 2011: Installation

You need to have a Windows Live or Hotmail account and Windows Vista or Windows 7 to be able to use Windows Live Mesh 2011. Note: Windows Live is now also available for mac.

Go to http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh and click the download link to start the installation. The installer is actually for Windows Live Essentials, which Live Mesh is a part of, but we can choose what exactly to install.

During the beginning of the installation you will be asked what you want to install. At this point you can choose to install all of Windows Live Essentials, or choose the programs you want to install. For this example we are going to choose what we want to install – Windows Live Mesh.

Here I am going to uncheck everything except Windows Live Mesh, then click Install.

Once the installation is complete click Close. If the program doesn’t launch automatically, you can go to Start, All Programs, Windows Live, and click Windows Live Mesh.

From here you should be prompted to login with your Windows Live ID.

And this completes the installation of Windows Live Mesh 2011; now let’s move on to the configuration.

Configuring Synchronization Settings in Windows Live Mesh

Once you are logged in you can configure your sync settings for files, folders, IE favorites, and Microsoft Office styles, templates, custom dictionaries, and email signatures.

Let’s start by syncing a folder. Click on the link to sync a folder then browse to the folder you want to sync with SkyDrive. For this example I’m going to sync a folder called Test. Browse to the folder you want to sync and click Sync.

Next you will be prompted to choose where to sync your folder. We want to sync it with SkyDrive so check this option and click OK.

Now you should see the folder you selected to sync listed under Folders. You can sync as many folders as you want to, but you are limited to 5GB of storage space. More space is available for a monthly fee.

You can also turn on syncing for your IE favorites. Simply click the link to turn on syncing for your favorites.

Syncing your Microsoft Office styles, templates, custom dictionary, and email signatures is also just as easy as clicking the link to turn on syncing.

Follow these same steps for your other computers that you want to keep synchronized.

Remote Access with Windows Live Mesh

Windows Live Mesh also allows you to remotely control the computer you have Mesh installed on. Let’s turn on remote access and give it a test.

Click on the Remote tab in Windows Live Mesh. This page describes how it works and allows us to configure remote access. Turn on remote access by clicking Allow remote connections to this computer.

To remote into your computer go to www.live.com and sign in with your Windows Live ID. Hover over the Windows Live icon in the top left and choose devices.

Now you should see a list of devices you have installed Mesh on. Click Connect to this computer next to the computer you want to remote control.

When you click Connect you will be prompted to install an ActiveX control. Make sure to install this so you can connect to your pc remotely.

Once you install the plugin you should be able to remotely control your computer.

Accessing Your Documents via the Cloud using Windows Live Mesh

So how do you access your documents via the cloud? Go to www.live.com and login with your Windows Live ID. Hover over the Windows Live icon in the top left corner and choose SkyDrive.

Then click View synced folders.

Now you should see all of the folders you are synchronizing with Windows Live Mesh. In this example we only have one folder called Test.

From here you can manage all of your files that are being synced. This makes it really easy to access your important documents from anywhere via a web browser.

How does Windows Live Mesh Compare to Similar Products?

Live Mesh is very similar to Dropbox but has the added feature that allows you to remotely control your computers. This is a great benefit in case you don’t have the file you need synchronized with Mesh but the file is on your computer at home or at the office.

There might be other scenarios where you need to run a proprietary program on your computer at the office or at home. Now you can use Live Mesh to remotely control your computers and run the programs you need to from the PC you want.

Live Mesh also has a version available for Macs and features available for Windows phones.

Mesh is a fairly competitive rival of Dropbox and could be considered better because of these additional features and functionalities. I’m sure as cloud computing becomes more and more popular, there will be other alternatives that pop up as well.

What other types of cloud synchronization programs are out there that you like to use?

What do you like about them?

VMware vSphere 5 Training: Available Now

Our new VMware vSphere 5 training course includes instruction on all the changes from vSphere 4 to vSphere 5, such as new high availability, new storage and networking, image builder, and profile driven storage. Since the new vSphere 5 was just announced, we are proud to bring you the first vSphere 5 video training by renowned vExperts David Davis and Elias Khnaser.

The instruction in our new vSphere 5 training also addresses new licensing information, not to mention using the vSphere 5 Web Client, installing ESXi 5, and configuring the new interface.

Elias even has an entire section on using the new AutoDeploy feature. You can also find extensive lessons on using vMotion and svMotion for moving virtual machines and virtual storage.

Our vSphere 5 training course will also help VCP4 professionals get quickly on track for their VCP 510 exam preparation, helping keep your career on the forefront of virtualization. Current VCPs can actually take the VCP 510 exam without the class requirement now through February 29, 2012.

An appealing point of emphasis with vSphere 5 pertains to smaller businesses, in contrast to corporate enterprises, looking to capitalize on the advantages of cloud computing and virtualization. The storage appliance feature allows for greater accessibility to shared storage, a key to maximizing its policy management. Instructors David and Elias even walk you through one of the most interesting upgrades in the platform: administering vSphere 5 using the iPad!

As I mentioned, the course is led by distinguished vExperts David Davis and Elias Khnaser, who collectively hold over 30 years of IT experience. These two instructors are all-stars when it comes to virtualization and cloud computing, and have already made many successful virtualization courses.

Don’t wait to get ahead of the game using the new features of the vSphere 5 platform, and master the efficiency of cloud computing with our VMware vSphere 5 training.

Sean pointed out that at the Career Development Seminar he noticed two distinct atmospheres; on one hand, the IT developers were rejoicing over the opportunities to develop for the cloud and mobile technologies, while on the other, the IT professionals were expressing their concerns and fears over these same technologies taking away their jobs.

In the video Sean explains how he and the other speakers dealt with some of these concerns at the seminar. They found that many of the fears that IT pros were sharing with them actually stem from confusion around cloud computing and virtualization concepts, which Sean explains in depth in his Cloud Computing 101 article. Additionally, the more recent article titled Is Cloud Computing Really Killing IT Pro Jobs? might be of interest as well.

Sean also touches on some of the career and technical skills that IT professionals should be paying attention to now, like PowerShell and tells a great story that Jeffrey Snover, the inventor of PowerShell shared with him about a sysadmin whose career took an interesting turn after he finally mastered PowerShell… but I’ll let Sean tell it.

Watch the video to learn why you shouldn’t be worried about cloud computing, why you should be learning PowerShell and how to bullet-proof your IT career for the future.

Using a free browser-only version of Microsoft Excel whenever the mood might strike is a wonderful thing. However, sharing still requires either getting everyone together at the same time in a conference room or emailing copies back and forth to everyone. It’s better than having an administrative assistant pass around photocopies, but just barely.

Office 365 combines the power of web apps with a collaboration environment. Now, when Joe creates a new Excel spreadsheet while using web apps from a computer he is using while on the road, he can have Dave take a look at the spreadsheet and make updates while Susan verifies that the numbers add up to an attractive profit margin, even if Dave and Susan are running the web app version of Excel too.

While this scenario is a no-brainer for many corporate environments running Office and a SharePoint server, it’s a tougher setup for your average IT-less small business. Office 365 runs all of the necessary software and applications in the cloud without the need to plant a complicated or expensive server in a corner of the office space.

Setting Up an Office 365 Team

If you are going to be sharing documents out on the cloud, you need to control who has access to them. With Office 365, security is handled by an administrator. Fortunately, administering an Office 365 environment for a small business is straightforward and uncomplicated. Any reasonably technologically savvy employee or owner should be able to figure it out.

The person who first signs up for the Office 365 beta becomes the administrator by default. Other team members need not sign up directly. Instead, the administrator of the team or small business group creates the additional users, which serves both to avoid the headache of getting everyone signed up and to link all the users together as a team.

Additional administrators can be added later if necessary. Administrators have an additional tab at the top of their Office 365 desktop titled Admin. As you might guess, all the necessary administrator functions are here.

Clicking Admin brings up the administrator control panel. The options are limited, and that is a good thing. Office 365 is built to offer powerful collaboration and messaging without the need for a highly-trained computer administrator.

You can add users one at a time by clicking the Add users link at the top of the page. However, unless you only have a handful of team members, that can get old fast.

To add several users quickly, select the Users link under the Management heading in the sidebar. Click New and you’ll find a Bulk add users option. Use the comma-separated file template to populate all of the information necessary and upload it to create a list of users all at once. (If you are logged into your Office 365 account, you can use this link to get the file directly.)

When you’ve finished creating a user, the Office 365 system generates a password and emails it to the new user. The new team member is now ready to log on without having to go through the process of getting setup with Office 365 on their own.

Note that the email passwords are sent in clear text. If that makes you nervous, send the emails to your own account or to a null account. The username and password is displayed on the next page. Copy the credentials and then pass them on to the user in whatever secure way you prefer.

Setting Permissions and Licenses in Office 365

There are not a lot of options and permissions to get lost in with Office 365. There are just two main options. The first is whether or not the user has administrator permissions. An administrator can create new users, delete users and block and unblock users. Most importantly, an administrator can reset the passwords for users who forget them.

If you don’t want to be the only person getting emails and phone calls about password resets, you’ll need at least one other administrator. The other reason to have a second administrator is that they can reset YOUR password if, for some reason, you end up need a little assistance. Of course, only trusted users should be granted administrator access.

The other permission option is simply whether or not the user can currently use the services. Allowing and blocking users can be handy for changing who is involved; however, it is a global setting, so its use is somewhat limited.

Administrators can also determine which Office 365 functions a user can use by assigning licenses. A user without a Lync Online license, for example, cannot use the instant messaging and video conferencing features of Lync. Again, for most users, the choice is likely full access or no access, not allowed to use SharePoint features but not Exchange features. Unless a real need arises, don’t over-think this setting.

Under the More menu are the options to configure Mail and Lync. The most useful feature here is the ability to add additional email addresses for users. For example, a user might have both a direct email address and a generic email address such as support@company.com or widgetusers@company.com. Additional email addresses are added under E-Mail Options.

Another feature to watch here is the size of each user’s email box. Microsoft Office 365 offers 25 GB of storage. While that should be plenty for most users, those who frequently send and receive large attachments might have an issue. The handy usage bar can be let the administrators know when users are approaching the threshold.

Keep in mind that these user settings are only the basic global settings. Further permissions are available for specific needs. For example, users can be assigned different permissions for the Team Site ranging from full control to View Only.

Creating users and getting a team up and running on Office 365 is easy and it shows Microsoft’s commitment to making the online collaboration platform usable by small businesses and groups without full-time IT staffers.

Office 365 is currently in beta and is available at office365.microsoft.com.

Tactically, the new Office 365 suite of online applications is an attempt to parry any momentum gained by Google’s online productivity suite known as Google Apps. Strategically, however, Office 365 is much more than that.

With Office 365, Microsoft has created a subscription-based software model that does not rely on intermediate resellers. Just as important, the ongoing fees charged by the Office 365 program gives the Redmond software company a way to smooth out its revenues.

Traditionally, Microsoft earnings have come in waves. A new product like Office 2010 is released, and the company’s revenues rise as users move to upgrade to the latest version. However, Microsoft has realized that its products are no longer must-upgrades for many businesses small and large. From large enterprises to small offices, business have been reluctant to be forced off what they currently have installed, particularly with the large number of companies and users that resisted the hated Windows Vista operating system. These users had little reason to upgrade what already worked on their years old installations, so they bought no new software from Microsoft.

The company faces a similar prospect in the future, even as businesses and users move to Windows 7 and Office 2010. Once they learn how to make the new software work for them, it’s likely they’ll refuse to upgrade for the next decade from what already works unless Microsoft develops the ever elusive “killer feature.”

With Office 365, the company has a solution. Now, users do not have to upgrade to new software in order to generate revenue for the company. Rather Microsoft can count on recurring revenue from every user of Office 365 on a regular basis.

Automatic, ongoing upgrades are handled by the company itself on the cloud. Users of Office 365 get access to the new features right away. Since they do not have to pay anything more than what they already are paying, users can take advantage of new features they want and ignore those they don’t. No longer does Microsoft have to justify Office suite upgrades with new and exciting killer features. Just staying one step ahead of the competition is enough.

Office 365 Applications

Microsoft Office 365 comes in two versions, Office 365 for professionals and Office 365 for small businesses. Personal users are theoretically supposed to just stick with Microsoft Office Web Apps, which are free. However, anyone willing to pay the subscription fee (it’s free during beta) can use Office 365 and its added features.

One of the big selling points for Office 365 is that both your data and your applications are stored online and accessible from almost any computer with an Internet connection.

Users have been keeping their documents online for years now, either by emailing themselves at an online email account or by more sophisticated online storage services like Dropbox or Microsoft’s own SkyDrive. What Office 365 brings to the table is anywhere access to not just data, but also current versions of your favorite applications. No more logging on to a temporary workstation only to find yourself in a time warp to Excel 2003 when you’ve gotten so productive using the features and interface improvements of Excel 2010.

The heart of Office 365 is the online version of Microsoft’s Office applications known as Office Web Apps. These online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote have been available via Windows Live for personal use since last year. Office 365 builds on their success.

The Office 365 versions of these web apps, are powered by SharePoint Online and bring many of the collaboration features, including simultaneous editing, to the online versions, as well as integrating with any corporate SharePoint installation already in place.

Email and Calendar on Office 365

The email and calendar features of Office 365 may be the biggest news for small businesses.

Powered by Microsoft Exchange Online, the Office 365 email and scheduling system offers much of the power and flexibility of a traditional Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange pairing.

The web interface is surprisingly similar to the familiar hard-drive installed version of Microsoft Outlook.  Important features like calendar sharing or seeing free and busy times on someone else’s calendar work just like they would on a corporate network with a full IT staff. The best part is that users with a locally installed copy of Microsoft Outlook can all use the Office 365 email and scheduling system as if it were an Exchange server relieving those businesses who only need an email system of having to install a server at all. (Those who do need an installed server should look at Microsoft Small Business Server 2011.)

Office 365 users each get up to 25-gigabytes of online storage per mailbox. There is a size limitation for sent mail of 25 MB, but most users will find that easy enough to work with.

Microsoft Lync Online

For true road warriors who are never in the office, or even a geographically dispersed team, Office 365 offers the powerful Lync Online tool. Lync provides secure instant messaging, video conferencing, and online meetings. Online meetings can be everything from just a bunch of people looking at webcams while having a meeting to full-scale presentations. Logged in users from remote locations can hear the discussion in the room, as well as see any audio or video presentations, all without installing yet another client software.

Users can even share their desktop with multiple users, perfect for training and technical support, as well as demos.

Office 365 Enterprise

Office 365 Enterprise is aimed at those environments where there is already an installed base of users, servers, and Microsoft products that need to be enhanced by Office 365.

Office 365 Enterprise offers Active Directory integration and email that connects with your existing Exchange Servers, among other things.

Office 365 Beta

The Office 365 Beta is limited to 25 users per account, and the only support offered is via the Microsoft Communities website. Once the beta period ends, users will automatically be migrated to the full-scale production environment. They’ll also have to start paying, but for now, Office 365 Beta is a great way to get a full suite of email and Office applications up and running in the cloud.

Technical Evangelist Joey Snow is a huge part of TechNet Edge and I was lucky enough to interview him a few weeks ago in Orlando.

In this video you’ll hear Joey talk about his sessions which focus on Windows Azure. This week, Joey presented a demo during the keynote at TechEd on Microsoft System Center and already managed to do a number of video interviews for TechNet Edge, including one with Robert Wahbe himself: Robert Wahbe on IT in the Cloud

Azure is a platform that will allow businesses to “shift their focus from managing and maintaining physical servers to solving business problems and addressing customer needs online.”

Are Windows Azure Certifications Right for You?

So what does this mean for IT professionals?

As more organizations start to move their servers to “the cloud,” or more specifically, the Windows Azure platform, the skillset of IT professionals will need to change accordingly. Developers and administrators who once deployed and implemented services and applications on physical servers, will now need to refocus their abilities to designing, building, and/or deploying cloud-based applications to be hosted on the Windows Azure platform.

If you’re looking for a way to advance your career and become more marketable, Azure certification might be the right choice for you. Since the Azure certifications are fairly new they will help you distinguish yourself and show that you’re able to offer a unique skillset.

Windows Azure Certifications

There are currently three Windows Azure certification exams being offered by Microsoft that are focused on development:

• Exam 70-513: Windows Communication Foundation Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• Exam 70-516: Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• Exam 70-583: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications

Let’s take a look at each of these more closely.

The Windows Communication Foundation Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (exam 70-513), is aimed at testing your knowledge and ability to develop applications using said software. According to Microsoft Learning, candidates for this exam are expected to have at least one year of experience developing WCF-based applications, and at least six months experience with .NET Framework 4.

When you pass the 70-513 exam, you’ll earn not only the MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications certification, but you’ll also gain credit towards the following certifications:

1. Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Windows Developer 4
2. Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Web Developer 4

The Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (exam 70-516) will test your knowledge and skills on accessing data sources using ADO.NET and the .NET Framework. According to Microsoft Learning, candidates for the exam should have a minimum of two to three years of experience developing application components that interact with a variety of data sources. You should also have one to two years of experience using a relational database management system.

Passing the 70-516 exam will earn you the MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access certification. You’ll also gain credit towards the following certifications:

1. Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Windows Developer 4
2. Microsoft Certified Professional Developer: Web Developer 4

The Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications (exam 70-583) is a professional-level exam and is the final exam needed to earn your MCPD: Windows Azure Developer 4 certification, after successful completion of exams 70-513 and 70-516.

According to Microsoft, candidates for the 70-583 exam are individuals seeking to prove their skills and knowledge in designing and developing applications that will be hosted on the Windows Azure platform. Though I would add the recommendation of completing the other two exams first. The big difference between this and other exams is that you will be required to show your continued ability to perform in Windows Azure by taking a recertification exam every two years.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that once you’ve finished these exams and earned one or more Azure certifications, you may want to look into taking one or more of the MCPD exams you earned credit for.

Windows Azure Certification Training Options

Where can you get started on training for Windows Azure certifications?

There are a number of resources already available to help with training and preparing for the Windows Azure based exams. I’ll list a few of the options from the Microsoft Learning site below, though I’m sure you can find plenty of alternative resources should you choose to go another route.

1. Azure Learning Snacks — These are short, interactive training videos that Microsoft Learning experts created to help you in your certification education. At the time of writing, there are currently only a few learning snacks available for Azure, but more should be coming soon.
2. Azure Classroom Training — If you are interested in taking a Windows Azure instructor-led class near you, Microsoft is offering a class entitled Windows Azure Solutions with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 – Course 50466A.
3. Azure Learning Plans — Microsoft has released a great learning plan for exam 70-583: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications. The learning plan consists of a combination of learning snacks, articles, and videos that will help you prepare for the 70-583 exam.

Special Offers for Windows Azure Certification Candidates

There are a few offers on the Microsoft Learning website worth noting.

If you would like to get your hands dirty and get some first-hand experience using Windows Azure, you can sign up for a free 30 day trial pass.

There are two trial options for you to choose from:

1. Credit Card Required: this option requires your credit card for signup and you will be charged a standard rate for usage in excess of the “free” amounts. This special offer ends September 30, 2011. More info here: Azure free trial.
2. No Credit Card Required: this option allows you to sign up for the free 30 day trial without a credit card with the promo code MSL001 (available in US only, other countries might require a different promo code; contact Microsoft for more information).

If you’re getting certified, you may also want to take advantage of the Prometric/Microsoft Second Shot program. For 15% more than the exam’s original cost, you can secure a second shot at the exam in case you don’t manage to pass the exam on your first attempt. This offer is valid for Microsoft IT Professional, Developer, and Dynamics exams.

Perhaps some of the confusion comes from the fact that there are two types of clouds: public and private. Let’s take a closer look at what the main differences are between private and public clouds and later, what you should take into consideration when looking for a cloud computing provider.

Private vs Public Clouds

A public cloud is one in which a service provider serves customers, with functionality like applications, infrastructure, and storage. These services are available to businesses and individuals over the Internet. Public cloud services may be free or offered on a pay-per-usage model; sometimes it’s referred to with the -aaS acronym, meaning “as a Service” as in IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service). More on this here: What Cloud Computing Really Is.

This is a scalable service provided by a vendor, designed to be easier to setup and administer with less cost, in addition to reducing waste from lesser used data center resources.

The idea is to eliminate physical location from the data and system access equation. Data from several corporate or individual clients are segmented but do share server space — called, co-location.

The private cloud describes an internal computing model and architecture which provides hosted services similar to those of the public cloud, but reserved for corporate users and those that are approved; essentially, a private cloud is not open to the public and us usually setup behind a firewall. In a sense, this turns the IT department into the service provider or vendor for cloud resources. For those interested in reaping the benefits of virtualized cloud architecture, yet needing more control and security, this is a popular option.

Virtualization and data center automation allows for the scalability, maximizing hardware usage, and flexibility to support internal corporate clients. And, if your organization is so inclined, metering also allows you to charge departments based on their usage.

Top 5 Things to Look for In A Cloud Computing Provider

For many organizations, the benefits of the public cloud outweigh the risks. But before making a decision on shifting an application or service to the cloud, there are a few things to consider. The first question is whether or not the intended application is suitable for use in a cloud-based setting.

Assuming your application has been deemed a good candidate for the cloud, the second consideration is who to trust with your data.

So here are the top 5 things you should consider when selecting a public cloud vendor.

#1 Is the company viable?

Before handing over your critical applications and data, an important first step is to assess the financial viability of the company. Find out how long the company has been in business. Given the relative immaturity of this market, it may be unlikely to find vendors with several decades of presence, but you almost certainly don’t want a company that has just set up shop either. In addition, look for any indicators of past or future economic issues, along with frequent leadership changes.

#2 Are service level agreements offered?

For organizations entrusting mission critical data to a vendor, you’ll want to ensure that your systems will not suffer from frequent or extended outage periods. Downtime can have disastrous consequences both in terms of financial loss and damage to company reputation. For this reason, a service level agreement with negotiable terms, should be available. This agreement should outline provisions for everything from server or software issues, to more detailed disaster recovery plans.

#3 Is customer service a priority?

One guarantee with corporate networks is that something often can and will go wrong. In these instances, it is imperative that the vendor respond quickly, efficiently, and professionally. You should determine things like: response times, dedicated vs. general support, and phone/email/chat availability. Depending on the nature of the application that the vendor hosts, you may find that a dedicated support engineer, with 24×7 availability better suits your needs than calling a general help line and waiting in a call queue.

#4 Will my customers have the same level of performance?

Another issue cited with cloud services is the perceived negative performance impact. Customers and employees have an expectation that no matter where data is housed, they will enjoy the same level of performance. The cloud provider should be able to define how they measure performance and be able to provide real-time and ongoing measurements and statistics to back this up.

#5 How is security handled?

Perhaps the most frequent reason cited for not pursuing cloud computing is security. Many organizations have invested considerable financial and human resources in order to secure their network environments and the thought of abandoning that level of control and comfort to an unknown entity can seem like an unnecessary gamble. Any reputable vendor should be able to outline their security practices and modify them based on your requirements, particularly as it relates to any industry-specific regulatory requirements you have.

Summary

The decision to pursue cloud computing is one that many organization have or will make as this technology grows and matures. But this decision need not be one fraught with uncertainty. With a little due diligence, and answering a few key questions, you can ensure that your cloud vendor selection is a sound one.

If you’re unsure whether or not the cloud is right for you, take a look at this article from vExpert David Davis on What “The Cloud” Really Is and Is It Right For You