Microsoft executives: Cloud computing benefits abound It's not for it controllers

CNET Science and Information Network April 13 International report the benefits of putting server software on the cloud allow businesses to worry about patching holes, upgrading deployments, and so on.　　But one of the biggest drawbacks that many CIOs have to endure is the lack of control. Chris Capossela, Microsoft's senior vice president, said at a luncheon last week that moving to cloud computing services would indeed lose control.　　You can't control when the software gets updated or refuses to accept something new.　　Capossela says many IT executives see the pros and cons of cloud computing as both exciting and rewarding and daunting. For end users, there is little difference. Microsoft's software, whether it is executed at the customer's own data center or provided by Microsoft, basically looks the same.　　Customers with Microsoft services may be more happy because they can get a new version faster. But for the IT department of the Enterprise, these two things are very different. The software executes on its own server, and the enterprise must make a budget to upgrade, manage, and monitor the server.　　If you use Microsoft's services, you can avoid doing these things, but must pay a different price: the implementation of which version of the software lack of decision.　　When it comes to small businesses using Microsoft's online SharePoint, Exchange, and other software, it is entirely up to Microsoft to decide when to upgrade to the latest version, usually updated soon after the new release.　　Capossela said: Some people can accept, some people are totally unbearable.　　Large companies with a dedicated server in Microsoft's data center can enjoy a little more say, but only 12 months to postpone deployment of new software.　　Capossela said: "They can not choose to say no, can only choose to say when, that is, choose the next 12 months at some time on the road."　　Capossela points out that corporate IT staff find it hard to give up control, understandably, because some technology companies will force upgrades to services, such as Google's inclusion of buzz in Gmail or many of the changes Facebook has pushed. Microsoft has not disclosed how many corporate users its online service owns, but Capossela says about 40 million end-users perform some sort of Microsoft-provided paid-for hosting service, whether it's SharePoint online, Exchange Online, LiveMeeting or Exchange Hosted servcies.