Arch. Journal: Mapping Applications to the Cloud

I cam across a great, very detailed article in the Microsoft Architecture Journal. The direct link to this article, can be found here: Mapping Applications to the Cloud

Here is the articles summary:
"As economic pressure builds globally, many organizations are starting to look at Cloud Computing as a potential choice to reduce the total cost of ownership for IT. In searching for ways to use Cloud Computing technologies, enterprises have to ask what applications make good candidates for moving to the Cloud and which do not, such as "Does the nature of the business itself allow for Cloud Computing to even be considered?"
This article provides a broad overview into what Cloud Computing is and discusses an approach to mapping enterprise applications to Cloud Computing platforms to assist in determining whether your applications or your business model are a good fit for the Cloud."

What a timely article this is. The question that derives from this: "Does the nature of the business itself allow for Cloud Computing to even be considered?"

Let me say this article does a really good job, of trying to give someone some real context in helping answer that question. Several examples are given, with good detail to them, from an architects point of view.

I recommend reading this, as this really helps shape the cloud computing question. Once more, this should be considered, and thought of when looking at custom applications that interact with Dynamics. And services that could live in the cloud that Dynamics make use of.

Take for example the given Photo/Video Processing.


You could see such an application being designed with the cloud in mind, and the retail stores connecting to the cloud and interacting with it. Also at the same time, this same example processing application could itself be connecting back to, say a Dynamics AX ERP platform. Storing customer information, processing credit cards, creating sales orders, etc. etc.

I would like to thank Darryl Chantry, Senior architect in the Platform Architecture Team at Microsoft, for taking the time to write such a great article.

Well check back soon, as I have more great post to come. See you then!




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Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Platform

Microsoft yesterday at PDC talked about it's cloud computing platform, Azure. This was what I was talking about when I posted this post, earlier this month: Microsoft's Cloud Computing Platform (Wed. Oct. 1st 2008)
and here RCPMAG: Microsoft's Cloudy Future (Friday Oct. 3rd 2008)

Well now we have Azure, ready for CTP. This is the coming together of projects, technologies, terms, and the alike. In short Azure is a Cloud Platform, the only true one out there, where you will be able to develop on the cloud, for an Application that will be deployed to the cloud, to run and be ran in the cloud.

What is different about this platform, is it allows for Hybrid application to be developed as well, were half the solution or bits and parts could live and be developed in the cloud while others live hosted elsewhere, and still others live on site at a customer. This Hybride Software+Services+Cloud Approach. And that is how I see this impacting Dynamics AX in the future, until ERPLive.com goes live.

There is a great attempt to really explain this, by Mary Jo over at ZDnet: Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform: A guide for the perplexed

In this Mary Jo takes and: "Here’s my attempt to explain it.

Microsoft layed out its “Azure” foundational infrastructure for the cloud during the keynote kick-off on day one of the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) here in Los Angeles. The goal of Azure is to provide developers who want to write applications that run partially and/or entirely in a remote datacenter with a platform and set of tools."

I recommend you read it, and also read the comments. There is quite a bit of confusion, as well as great questions that is surronding this one blog entry by Mary Jo. There is good reason for that too. This is the next thing. This is the next platform.

Microsoft is a Platform company, and this is the next step for that Platform. Now is the time to understand it, as Dynamics ERP (ERPLive.com) will be heavy in this platform, on this platform, developed with and for this platform.

Look at this:


As you can see Microsoft Dynamics CRM Services is there. What do you think is next? Dynamics ERP Services and ERP Live.

So this is what we have been talking about, and waiting for. We all knew this was coming, and now we need to learn how to embrace it, improve it, develop for it, and do this all for the sake of our clients and customers. To give them the edge, that's why they hire us as Solution Providers. We take the platform from Microsoft and deploy the end solution for our clients. This is no different from that aspect, but very different from almost every way in the technial of the "how".

I for one am very excited about what this means. I know that I said I would be writing about Dynamics AX in economic down turns, and I plan to later this week, but this must have attention from us. This is our future, and it's just on the edge of being here... check back soon!

I leave you with this, the offical Microsoft home page: www.azure.com

Azure means clear blue sky, or implies that from it's word meaning. Funny huh? Microsoft's Clear Blue Sky Cloud Computing Platform. Pun here?

Update: Here is the MSDN Azure link, thought this was handy. It for sure is filled with a lot of information to go through: MSDN: Azure Services Platform




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RCPMAG: Microsoft's Cloudy Future

Over at RCPMag.com Lee Pender asks the question at the end of her Post: 'Does Microsoft get cloud computing?' (from here blog entry found here: Microsoft's Cloudy Future - By Lee Pender)

I left a comment on this blog entry, but I wanted to also answer this question here. See my last post on Wed. (Microsoft's Cloud Computing Platform) I brought up the fact that Microsoft was going to be launching it's cloud computing platform at the PDC event at the end of this month.

I talked about how this is the first true platform. In much respect I got a comment from someone that has a lot of experience in other technologies and platforms, and I respect their thoughts. However I still stick to my statement, this will be the first 'true' platform for cloud computing. The first 'PaaC' or 'Platform as a Cloud' (yes I just TM'ed that!).

So to answer Lee and to the comments, does Microsoft get it? Short answer: Yes. Microsoft gets it, because Microsoft is it.

This will be the first Platform as a Cloud, that will offer to VAR's, Enterprise, Student Developers, Freeware developers, Consumer facing software companies, all a single platform to launch many different solution with, connected to, a part of and from. That will allow distinct and different business models for those different types of developers / architects.

Sure there are integration, data services, private clouds, custom clouds, some based on java, ruby, php and more. Still none of these are a true platform... only bits and peices of one. And yes you can tie several together, when done right... but that might friend is not scalable, and for sure leaves you wondering how secure. (bite back I know on the secure part... It's Microsoft.)

With Microsoft's PaaC or Cloud Computing Platform, now a true single platform will be there. Ready for your development needs, via the technologies you know, trust, and that your users already use. Microsoft one's.

So again, to answer... does Microsoft get cloud computing? Yes.

Check back soon!





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