IBM Mao: Cloud computing takes us into a new era of service economy

In Mao's eyes, "cloud computing" is not a new technology, but "a new IT Resource usage pattern, a new business form, and a new service economy model." ”

What is cloud computing? Since the word was born, we have heard more about it, but so far there is no definitive definition of the textbook. In the eyes of IBM's outstanding engineers, IBM Development Center chief Technology Officer, IBM New Technology Development Center General manager Mao, "cloud computing" is not a new technology, but "a new IT Resource usage pattern, a new business form, and a new service economy model." ”

One of the reasons that cloud computing is confusing is that cloud computing currently has many definitions and often new changes, and it is easy to see its "shape" without its "God". Among the many definitions, Mao that the United States Institute of National Standards and technology gave the description: "Cloud computing is a pattern of usage of IT resources that provides ubiquitous, standard, and on-demand network access to shared, configurable computing resources such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services. The use and release of resources can be carried out quickly without much administrative cost. ”

New IT Resource usage patterns: dynamic, on-demand, automated

Cloud computing is not a new technology, like the server, storage, network hardware resources, virtualization technologies, and large-scale centralized computing that are needed in the cloud infrastructure, before the "cloud computing" concept emerges. While cloud computing looks like a "new bottle of old wine," there are many new elements in cloud computing as a technology that can lead to a new round of it change. Mao that cloud computing is first and foremost a new IT resource usage model, "dynamically configurable, on-demand access, automated management," is the three new elements of cloud computing.

"Cloud computing is not the same as before, the first point is that it resources become a pool of resources that is dynamic, shareable, and configured to drive." "Mao that the cloud computing and the previous computing model is different from the first of the server, storage, network, application and other IT resources of the" pool ", compared to the traditional mode of rigid resource allocation, cloud computing makes IT resources more dynamic, flexible and distributed, easy to expand more flexible.

The second point is "on-demand access", Mao said, "on-demand" means that through the Internet, customers can apply for computing capacity according to demand: "such as the application of 1000 computers, each should be CPU how many megahertz, I/O bandwidth is what, the configuration of the hard disk ..." Customer applications, cloud computing can quickly deliver these computing resources, and it takes a long period of time for customers to set up these computers on their own. ”

The third point is "automated management". In the traditional IT infrastructure, the enterprise IT departments need to purchase, install, maintain and manage the huge computing equipment, such as server, storage, network, desktop computer, etc., and the allocation of computing resources often need manual execution, management complexity and human cost is high. Mao said: "The allocation of cloud computing resources, use, demonstration are automated, do not have to pay too much management costs, so as to help enterprises significantly reduce management and human costs." ”

New business form and new service economy model

Cloud computing brings new IT resource usage patterns, and for companies, the value proposition of cloud computing is the transformation of efficient transportation and peacekeeping operations. Business model innovation, the establishment of a borderless IT environment, the existing service innovation, combined with existing advantages, through new services, into the new business areas. Mao that new IT resource usage patterns can be called "Technical attributes" of cloud computing, while another feature of cloud computing, "measurable service/Pay-per-use", is more critical, allowing cloud computing's technical attributes to jump to commercial attributes, making cloud computing a new business form, Thus, a new technology is transformed into a new service economy model.

"Cloud computing according to customer demand dynamic allocation of resources, when the demand reduction, you can dynamically take back the relevant resources." In this process, cloud computing closely monitors the resources used by customers, understands how much customers use, and then charges them according to their usage. "Mao says that by using billing attributes, the business attributes of cloud computing are given, which is the biggest difference from the traditional computing model. "The use of cloud computing allows IT resources to be from the always buy themselves, to the operational dimension into the possibility of leasing and outsourcing, thereby creating a new business form." ”

Cloud computing not only revolutionized the business model, but also brought a new service economy model, Mao. "For cloud providers, cloud computing brings a new service delivery model that delivers services over the Internet, and for cloud users, cloud computing brings a new service consumption pattern, that is, spending through the Internet." "Cloud computing separates ownership and use of IT infrastructure, delivers services in a" consumer goods "way, and enables users to live through the Internet, which is the greater value of cloud computing.

"Cloud computing is a new kind of productivity that makes life, production, and the past very different, leading us into a new era of service economy." ”

IBM Cloud: Practitioner, provider, leader, and Catalyst

Speaking of IBM Cloud computing, Mao says IBM is the practitioner of cloud computing, cloud computing components, service providers, cloud computing leaders and advocates. IBM is able to provide a strategic level of cloud computing consulting, as well as a wealth of cloud computing products, including hardware, software, solutions, and services. Among them, Mao that cloud computing strategy is important: "Cloud computing should start from a strategic perspective, from business strategy to see the innovation opportunities brought about by cloud computing, from the enterprise architecture perspective of cloud computing can trigger changes, comprehensive consideration of cloud computing applications." ”

For IBM's advantage in cloud computing, Mao summed up three key points: "IBM emphasizes the value of technology, while emphasizing the economic attributes of the cloud and the potential of business innovation, not limited to one enterprise, but can extend to an industry, a region, this is very different, need to have control." Second, for the restructuring of the industrial ecosystem, the promotion of regional economic development, only IBM such a comprehensive, broad vision of the company can do. Third, for cloud computing strategic level to guide the customer to think, make perfect implementation path, IBM do better. ”

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)