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Cloud-computing quality of service in perspective

July 2010 | 27 pages | ID: CAEB38397EDEN
Ovum

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Public cloud service providers will rise and fall on their ability to execute and deliver satisfactory quality of service (QoS) in areas such as reliability, availability, scalability, and security (RASS). Many enterprise users are wary of public clouds’ QoS and RASS limitations but curious about the possibility of adopting the technologies, designs, and best practices of public clouds for their own data centers (rebadged as “private clouds”). The situation is evolving rapidly with both public and private clouds, as vendors and users are struggling to keep up with new developments.

SUMMARY

Impact
Ovum view
Public clouds’ QoS is under close scrutiny
Public cloud SLAs need to improve
Security is the number-one QoS issue
Private clouds will find it hard to keep up with the public cloud Joneses
Private clouds will converge with public ones
Key messages

SLAS ARE KEY TO CLOUD ADOPTION

Enterprises are adapting to public clouds’ QoS
QoS is a priority for both vendors and users
Users’ attitudes are evolving rapidly, within limits
Users put public cloud use in context
This context will increasingly be that of supply chains, not just individual suppliers
Users will have to improve the way they manage SLAs
Public cloud providers need to manage the gap between QoS hype and SLA reality
The gap fuels skepticism
The gap will take time to narrow
The gap has already started to narrow
Public cloud SLAs will standardize and diversify
SLAs will standardize
SLAs will diversify
SLAs are central to the notion of private and hybrid clouds
QoS concerns fuel the rise of private clouds
Private cloud SLAs will have to keep up with the public cloud Joneses
Enterprises mitigate public/private cloud risks with hybrid mix

SECURITY IS THE NUMBER-ONE CLOUD QOS CONCERN

Trust in public clouds is growing, but security concerns fuel interest in private and hybrid clouds
Enterprises find it difficult to grapple with public cloud security issues
Despite the hysteria surrounding security issues, cautious trust is growing
Security concerns fuel the rise of private and hybrid clouds
Public cloud security needs more work
Public cloud providers have a holistic approach to security
Public clouds’ security credentials will take time to mature
Public cloud security begins at home
Public cloud security is an extension of internal security efforts
Users’ security efforts depend on the type of public cloud
Public cloud security requires a redesign of current security approaches
Public clouds increase the importance of data security
Public clouds require strong identity and access management
Compliance is more of a concern than security
Security, not compliance, should come first
A more balanced approach to risk management is required
Certification is key to cost-effective and balanced security and compliance
Certification schemes will take time to emerge
The public sector is a key participant in the security and compliance debate
Governments are still grappling with the cloud-computing phenomenon
Their role is particularly important when it comes to data governance
Finding the right balance between regulation and economic development

RELIABILITY AND AVAILABILITY ARE UNDER INCREASING SCRUTINY

Reliability and availability are growing public cloud concerns
Public clouds assume constant failure
Public clouds have a relatively good reliability record
Public clouds can fail
Users are increasingly concerned about reliability and availability
Public cloud providers need more transparency
Reliability and availability are both a problem and an opportunity
Reliability and availability are private and hybrid cloud objectives
Data center as it stands and should be
A hybrid cloud issue

SCALABILITY UNDERPINS CLOUD COMPUTING’S ELASTICITY

Scalability is public clouds’ number-one feature
Scalability positions public clouds well against private clouds and outsourcing
Public clouds have different scalability profiles
Public cloud providers are open about their scalability recipe, within limits
Scalability is a goal for private clouds, too
Size matters
Scalability via sharing
Different perspectives on scalability

THE ROAD TO PRIVATE CLOUDS REQUIRES NEW THINKING AND SKILLS

Public clouds open up new avenues
A renewed debate around how best to deliver QoS
Public clouds challenge conventional wisdom on a variety of fronts
Public and private clouds will converge, within limits
Public cloud technology and design choices will not be fully adopted by private clouds
Private clouds will take one step forward
Public clouds will take two steps back
Convergence will be fueled by hybrid clouds

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations to users
Put your use of public clouds in context
Leverage public cloud SLAs competition
Adopt a balanced approach to security
Always have a “plan B”
Adopt a holistic approach to public, private, and hybrid clouds
Recommendations to vendors
Focus on the business outcome rather than technical issues
Improve and diversify SLAs
Be transparent and proactive
Build your security credentials on openness
Help enterprises make the right technology and design choices

APPENDIX

Further reading


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