Computing in the Clouds

Posted on May 12th, 2009. Written by Rico.

(If you’re new to cloud computing, here’s an example: Instead of emailing pics of your last vacation to all your friends, you simply upload them to your Friendster or Multiply and email them the URL of the online album. -Ed.)

With cloud computing right over our heads, the days of installing software into your desktop are slowly numbered.

Cloud computing is an emerging computing technology that uses applications found in the Internet and centralized servers. The term is used to describe both a platform and a type of application as a cloud is a pool of virtualized computer resources that can do a variety of tasks, depending on the clients’ requirements and needs.

“Cloud computing represents the newest innovation with regard to storing, memory, processing and bandwidth, all of which are located in a centralized server,” said Lope Doromal, Chief Technologist of IBM Philippines.

Clients can now opt to rent software instead of purchasing them from traditional vendors. “With the technology, users can now access computing resources such as applications, storage, processing power or data when they are needed and for long as they are needed,” Doromal said. Clients can also cut their costs, according to Doromal. “They can cut a variety of costs, such as maintenance, licensing and hardware, since the vendor will provide what the client needs,” he added.

If there are concerns about the security of their data, clients can also opt for their own private clouds. “This way, the organization can have greater control over who can access as they can restrict the network,” Doromal said.

Some of the big software giants like Microsoft, IBM Corp., Oracle Corp. and SAP AG have already jumped into the cloud computing trend, establishing their Internet services to compete in the estimated $36-billion industry.

Cloud computing will be one of the subtopics that will be discussed in the 13th ICT Professionals’ Congress (ICTPC) on May 20 and 21, 2009 at the Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City.

The event is being organized by the Philippine Computer Society (PCS), the premiere organization of 700 ICT practitioners in the country. PCS strives to continuously promote, protect and enhance the members of the ICT profession through its local and international activities.

To register and for more information on the ICTPC, please call 840-0985 or email secretariat@pcs-it.org. You may also visit PCS’s official website at www.pcs-it.org.