Comments on: Is Cloud Computing Stupid? http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/is-cloud-computing-stupid/ Speculation from a NYC venture capitalist Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:41:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Amish http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/is-cloud-computing-stupid/#comment-19 Amish Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:31:21 +0000 http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/?p=65#comment-19 @ Sean - Agree, perhaps didnt make clear enough but was primarily referring to SaaS/PaaS applications. Clearly if you've architected a system that only leverage the "compute portions of the cloud", you've minimized lock-in. That said, I know many cloud vendors offer tools and capabilities that people could not do without.... does that create lock in?? Hope so!! :) @ Sean – Agree, perhaps didnt make clear enough but was primarily referring to SaaS/PaaS applications. Clearly if you’ve architected a system that only leverage the “compute portions of the cloud”, you’ve minimized lock-in. That said, I know many cloud vendors offer tools and capabilities that people could not do without…. does that create lock in?? Hope so!! :)

]]> By: Sean Tierney http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/is-cloud-computing-stupid/#comment-18 Sean Tierney Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:47:53 +0000 http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/?p=65#comment-18 Amish, with all due respect you're making the same error Richard Stallman made by saying that cloud computing has the same lock-in implications as SaaS or PaaS. Using cloud (or utility) computing as infrastructure is like buying AC electricity (only it's CPU cycles) in that it's interchangeable provided you do things right. Whether you choose to run your VM's on Amazon's service, or 3Terra's or GoGrid's, or move them to a VMware ESX cluster on your hardware or on a vendor's cluster, the portability of your app is determined by its architecture (ie. how well it's abstracted/decoupled) and not by virtue of the fact that it's running on cloud-based infrastructure. What you're saying _does_ hold true for apps based on PaaS like Facebook or Google App engine or even the iPhone where the app is yoked to a proprietary platform. But that lock-in is a conscious tradeoff accepted by the developer in exchange for the benefits of distribution, access to resources & API's, offloaded hosting costs, etc. I would argue that an inalienable, defining quality of being a true cloud is that it be agnostic of the OS's it can host. Intertwining the concepts of cloud computing with PaaS and SaaS is simply inaccurate. While often seen in tandem the two are entirely independent. Read this post: http://www.scrollinondubs.com/2008/09/30/richard-stallman-is-officially-confused/ Sean Amish,
with all due respect you’re making the same error Richard Stallman made by saying that cloud computing has the same lock-in implications as SaaS or PaaS. Using cloud (or utility) computing as infrastructure is like buying AC electricity (only it’s CPU cycles) in that it’s interchangeable provided you do things right. Whether you choose to run your VM’s on Amazon’s service, or 3Terra’s or GoGrid’s, or move them to a VMware ESX cluster on your hardware or on a vendor’s cluster, the portability of your app is determined by its architecture (ie. how well it’s abstracted/decoupled) and not by virtue of the fact that it’s running on cloud-based infrastructure.

What you’re saying _does_ hold true for apps based on PaaS like Facebook or Google App engine or even the iPhone where the app is yoked to a proprietary platform. But that lock-in is a conscious tradeoff accepted by the developer in exchange for the benefits of distribution, access to resources & API’s, offloaded hosting costs, etc. I would argue that an inalienable, defining quality of being a true cloud is that it be agnostic of the OS’s it can host. Intertwining the concepts of cloud computing with PaaS and SaaS is simply inaccurate. While often seen in tandem the two are entirely independent. Read this post:
http://www.scrollinondubs.com/2008/09/30/richard-stallman-is-officially-confused/

Sean

]]> By: Sachin Agarwal http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/is-cloud-computing-stupid/#comment-10 Sachin Agarwal Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:59:52 +0000 http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/?p=65#comment-10 The reason we've stuck with our hosting provider (MediaTemple) is the portability issue - we know that we can fully migrate to any standard box in a matter of hours. Using EC2 or GAE or whatever else requires us to put in proprietary "hooks" to work properly. As a CEO, I absolutely hate losing my option value. And today's clouds take that away. The reason we’ve stuck with our hosting provider (MediaTemple) is the portability issue – we know that we can fully migrate to any standard box in a matter of hours. Using EC2 or GAE or whatever else requires us to put in proprietary “hooks” to work properly.

As a CEO, I absolutely hate losing my option value. And today’s clouds take that away.

]]> By: dc http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/is-cloud-computing-stupid/#comment-7 dc Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:05:50 +0000 http://ajnyc.wordpress.com/?p=65#comment-7 Good posting. I fully agree that the value and success of PaaS vendors ultimately will be how ISVs can fully adapt the platform to meet their own constituents. I think we've learned from AppXchange that locking into a specific group of users, let alone a specific vendor, is going to run its course. Good posting. I fully agree that the value and success of PaaS vendors ultimately will be how ISVs can fully adapt the platform to meet their own constituents. I think we’ve learned from AppXchange that locking into a specific group of users, let alone a specific vendor, is going to run its course.

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