CTO Viewpoint: Infrastructure as a Service

As the popularity of IaaS grows, organisations typically select from 3 main options:

1. self-managed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS),
2. self-managed Iaas with hand over of routine operational tasks or
3. more complex hosted solutions, where all infrastructure, underlying web content and applications are outsourced.

But how do you differentiate between the types of customers that demand each?

For many businesses, the reality is a transition over time as they become more confident with the level of service their provider can offer. Self-managed is least disruptive, offering scalable costs to match business requirements, boosting agility. Routine operation task hand-over will come more easily to those customers who can realise the benefits of outsourcing.Outsourcing the more strategic application layer may require the take-on of specialist service providers - and this might be more niche around certain application sets.

What are some of the biggest management problems for companies managing and monitoring cloud services?

Security can still be a factor - depending on sector and what aspect of their business they are looking to move to this model.

Organisations may also want to own or have visibility of certain management views / tasks that cannot be granted due to the complexity and restrictions around shared architecture.

Do you view web hosting as being any different to cloud Infrastructure as a Service?

Chalk and cheese! Web hosting is simply that - the hosting of web services, generally as an annuity contract. The equipment would be owned by the client with no variation in the service. Cloud IaaS provides infrastructure, but as a variable service paying for what you use, when you use it; which may or may not be web hosting.

What are the current management risks for cloud service providers in this market at present?

Contract terms and lengths, cost of migrating services as technology evolves and being able to move clients to more cost effective / efficient solutions whilst still "in contract".

Will cloud service management standards be important for cloud services moving forward?

As with all things, the only standards that carry any weight are those that arise as a result of real experience. The need - and the corresponding standards - will become obvious over time. Anything done in an academic vacuum will be irrelevant and only delay progress.