iCloud hack, Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Cloud, VMware acquires Log Insight. And more…

• Mat Honan of Wired had his Google account deleted, his Twitter account compromised, and the data on his iPhone, iPad, and MacBook remotely erased after hackers exploited a security hole in Amazon and Apple’s customer service systems, according to this Wired blog he wrote. The hackers found that the four digits of a credit card number which Amazon doesn’t protect on accounts is the same number that Apple uses to verify the account owner. Amazon has now closed the security hole, according to this Wired article.
• The Gartner Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing 2012 report revealed that enterprises that experience the best results from cloud-based technologies are adopting cloud computing to increase their performance and focus on a specific strategy, and not to save on costs, according to this Forbes article. The article also reveals the cloud-based trends that will continue to grow in the coming years including Big Data and virtualization.
• VMware will acquire Log Insight, an analytics platform, according to this ZDNet article. Log Insight enables users to monitor their cloud services by analyzing data in real-time and it helps administrators identify patterns that can lead them to the root cause of problems as they arise.
• A recent survey of U.S. Government IT employees revealed that government agencies are making a slow move to the cloud, according to this FierceGovernmentIT article.

Featured Content

Cloud Course: Cloud Essential Overview

A 2011 Cloud Adoption study by BitNami, Cloud.com, and Zenoss of 500 IT professionals, found that one of the biggest inhibitors to cloud computing is a lack of training. ITpreneurs and CA Technologies are now offering Cloud Essentials courses where students will gain a core understanding of how to adopt, operate and govern the cloud. Sign up for a Cloud Essentials Overview course or download the web-based version of the course.

Feature article

There’s No Free Lunch at the Cloud Buffet!

By George Watt, CA Technologies

 

What do cloud service consumption patterns have in common with the way people approach all-you-can-eat restaurant buffets? During a recent discussion of some of the challenges I faced as a cloud provider, it occurred to me there are more similarities than you might expect.

 When dining at buffet-style restaurants, I have observed a few common, though very different consumption styles. For example, some diners return from their initial visit to the buffet with a minimal amount of food on their plate; usually less than they know they will consume. This provides these "samplers" with the opportunity to determine what they like ("the most appropriates services" - OK "servings"), and gauge their hunger level ("capacity requirements") prior to "committing" to a complete meal. Read the full article.

Cloud Views

• In the August episode of CloudViews Unplugged, Andi Mann and George Watt of CA Technologies discuss emerging cloud markets, big data, 7 common cloud challenges, cloud-based farming, Netflix Chaos Monkey, and Amazon cloud outages.
• Is a cloud disaster imminent? Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, foresees a cloud computing disaster in the next five years and is worried about data ownership, according to this The Register article.  
• When it comes to cloud computing, ROI can be a tricky to calculate. In this Cloud Tweaks blog, Abdul Salam shares five ways to determine cloud ROI including cost savings and rate of adoption, total cost of ownership, rapid and dynamic provisioning of resources, increased cost and margin control, and process improvement. 
• Are you struggling with which step to take first when it comes to cloud computing? In this Cloud Commons blog, Jeanne Morain discusses where to get started.

• Need help building your cloud bucket list? In this MSPMentor blog, Jason Bystrak describes how MSPs can increase profits with cloud computing.
• Are enterprises moving to the cloud without the help of MSPs? In this Talkin’ Cloud blog, Justin Crotty examines the current trends in the enterprise market and discusses where MSPs and CSPs fit in the picture.