Cloud API battle is hard to win

With last week's Google Computing engine's announcement, the cloud market is one more in the IaaS world, but other providers also offer another set of APIs.

APIs or application interfaces, nothing new; they provide developers with an outline of access services. These services include cloud services, such as http://www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/17326.html "> Storage data, upgrading databases, migrating data, data flow, server opening, etc."

The API is important in the cloud computing world because of how it is used. Depending on the cloud provider-specific API type, there is a dividing line between them. Companies are also beginning to notice that this creates an interesting conversation, with customers still focused on vendor lock-in and portability issues.

At the heart of this problem is Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is now bully, making its APIs a conventional standard. Many companies use AWS to make it an "emerging standard", mainly because of third-party support, and some skilled cloud developers, although IP around the API belongs to and is only AWS.

There are also AWS, such as Jie and eucalyptus, that are cloned using the AWS API. Eucalyptus is a private cloud version of AWS, exactly the same as the AWS API. Therefore, you should be able to transfer code from Eucalyptus technology to AWS, and no need to override the code for the AWS IaaS Public Cloud. Because Eucalyptus is a private IaaS cloud.

At the other end of the API war stood other cloud providers who wanted to circle the rapidly growing IaaS market. Including Hewlett-Packard, Rackspace, NASA, Cisco and other companies that join the OpenStack.

OpenStack offers an alternative to AWS, a completely different API that leverages similar services. Like accessing storage and computing resources. However, a large number of OpenStack environmental deployments are still relatively rare, despite the fact that it will last for several years.

The stakes are very high. If you choose one of these paths, you are making a commitment to a single API This means binding applications to this API, and if you want to move to another cloud provider in the future, or perhaps a private cloud environment, you will find that the lack of portability and the need for a massive rewrite effort also means more risk and cost.

So what do you consider when comparing the cloud provider API? Here are some pertinent suggestions.

Create a long-term cloud computing strategy that defines your core requirements, including the cloud services you plan to use now and in the future. Ensure focus on performance, security, and governance.

Do your homework. Focus on large IaaS vendors, like Rackspace, which support openstack;aws to support their own APIs; Other cloud providers are still in disarray. Select a compromise approach and pay attention to future trends.

For Proof-of-concept. This means testing private clouds and public clouds and using APIs. Note the performance and functionality of the API, the ability to supply and expand your cloud, and the ability to leverage cloud-based storage and computing resources.

The downside of the Cloud API battle is that many companies do not stand up. These companies will wait and see who will win the war and decide where to invest. The problem with this approach is that companies are missing out on the effectiveness and value of existing cloud computing, and I personally don't think there will be any obvious winners in the war anytime soon.

TechTarget Chinese original content, original link: http://www.searchcloudcomputing.com.cn/showcontent_63531.htm

(Responsible editor: Lu Guang)