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Cloud Computing Microsoft

7 Cloud Computing Stocks You Should Own

You have seen those commercials on television, in which families are graphically improving family photos and using cloud computing to extract saved photos and photo software to do the task. You have been wondering what cloud computing is. It is as simple as electricity flowing through the lines to your home, and in fact can be viewed as a utility in a sense. Large internet companies are increasing their cyber capacities to allow individuals and businesses to tap into their resources for computer tasks that would ordinarily take up the limited space on computer hard drives and memory banks. Essentially, when you "go to the cloud" you are invisibly accessing these cyberspace storage, software and files to use for your daily computing tasks. These cloud resources are not housed in your own computer, but are out there, "in the clouds". You are charged only for the use you make of this cloud, just as you are charged for the electricity you use. It is a cost effective way to have access to software and programs that if purchased and installed on your computer would be a very high cost.

The seven major companies that are now expanding their cloud computing include F5 Network, SalesForce.com, VMware, Google, Amazon, Oracle and Microsoft. These seven companies are targeting growth in the cloud computing arena now. They are making deals with one another, and with smaller companies, that will boost cloud capacity and availability to all levels of society. Such a drive for growth means that the share prices of these companies will grow tremendously. In short, these companies are assuming the nature of utility companies, selling cloud computing resources.

F5 Networks has released its ARX Cloud Extender, along with the ARX Virtual Edition and Open Storage Management which is called API iControl. These features will make it possible for cloud users to have extended and accelerated automatic file storage with anytime access to program resources. F5 Networks is but one of many cloud computing stocks to invest in for rapidly rising gains.

A second company in the cloud computing stocks world is Salesforce. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff had a light bulb moment some time ago when he realized that buying pricey software to install on family and business computers was not the best way to provide for computing needs. Instead, he envisioned giving access to the software resources of large internet companies so that the costs of software would no longer be necessary. Instead, the programs would be available in the "cloud", or cyberspace of the large companies such as Salesforce, and could be tapped into with no interruptions and invisible connectivity that would be on a pay for use basis. Salesforce got the jump on Microsoft and Google in this cloud concept and is now realizing share price gains that are greater than that seen even by Google. In the world of cloud computing stocks, Salesforce is indeed a powerful force.

Yet another contender for gains in the realm of cloud computing stocks is VMware. VMware presented its Virtual Data Center Operating System, "VDC-OS" in early 2009, via increased computer banks linked in a network that lets computer users hook into their software and storage resources instead of paying for hard drive installed programs. Tod Nielsen, VMware's CEO, has created what he calls an ecosystem of storage and software functionality for users to access. The company's 2009 performance outshone the broader market.

Google, Amazon, Oracle, and Microsoft are not about to let F5 Network, Salesforce, and VMware keep an edge in the cloud computing world. As share prices of these upstarts have soared, Google and Microsoft just finalized cloud computing deals with the General Services Administration and the Department of Agriculture, respectively. These two agreements will allow all the employees of these two governmental agencies to use the clouds created by Google and Microsoft. With such new contracts, investors can expect to see the shares of these companies climb in the coming years. Amazon and Oracle are cloud players not to be left behind: Amazon has launched its Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Oracle has teamed with Amazon to infuse its software resources into Amazon's cloud. With continued associations like this, these seven companies filling the sky with clouds will rain down profits for investors in cloud computing stocks.

About the Author

Andre Bradley is a contributing writer to the website http://Cloud-Stocks.com. Looking to invest in cloud computing stocks? Look no further, visit are site and discover for free the top cloud computing stocks.

Cloud Computing the end of IT career?

I recently just got a certified as a Microsoft Systems Engineer and Cisco certified as well and I am working to upgrade to Server 2008 soon this year. I'm going to graduate college in another year so I'm not really working a full time career other than part time.

However I'm reading all this stuff about Cloud Computing and this and that and I've got to wonder if I am wasting all my effort and time if my certs and what I'm learning now will not be in demand 5 to 10 years from now.

Cloud Computing basically removes all the IT from the business to one massive securely controlled data center which essentially throws any need or demand of IT support or admin/system's support out the window because everything will be done online ect.

I'm also not sure how Microsoft will encounter this in their server products post 2012 either.

So am I wasting my time or will my skills be in demand in the future?

I've been working in IT for over 20 years now. Think there's been rumblings about cloud computing for at least the last 10 or so.

There's always rumblings about technology that promises to make our lives easier and reduce the number of jobs for any given position.

There's no end in sight of needing good people in IT. (think you might want to get some Unix/Linux certs though).

Best of luck!!

Cloud Computing Microsoft
Demo - Microsoft Cloud Computing - A Deeper Dive into Windows Azure

What Cloud Computing Means for You

Microsoft recently announced that a ‘lightweight’ web version of Office, which will include programmes such as Word and Excel, is currently in the works. It’s a significant move by the software giant. In 2007, Office generated around $19 billion for the company, almost a third of its total revenue. But it’s just the latest example of a paradigm shift towards cloud computing.

Software and files are traditionally stored on a user’s own desktop or a local server. Cloud computing, also known as software as a service (SaaS), instead stores resources remotely and delivers them over the internet. Data and services can then be accessed from any computer, irrespective of location or even operating system. All you need is a web connection.

As Microsoft’s announcement demonstrates, the cloud will play an ever-increasing role in how we use computers. Dell even tried to trademark the term ‘cloud computing’ recently but its application was rejected in August. The company did manage to secure the URL cloudcomputing.com though.

Many people engage in cloud computing without even realising it. At its simplest, it includes such ubiquitous online applications as Hotmail (which has been around since 1996), Flickr and YouTube.

At the other end of the scale, cloud computing allows companies to outsource their entire IT infrastructure. Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides scalable capacity run on Amazon’s servers: you just pay for whatever storage you use. It powers Amazon’s own websites along with tools as diverse as the New York Times’ online archive and Twitter. Similar services include the UK-based Flexiscale, which is aimed at web 2.0 start-ups.

Microsoft (yes, them again) will launch cloud operating system Azure at the end of the year, while IBM introduced a swathe of cloud-based services in October. These include a collaboration and social networking application for businesses called Bluehouse. And only last month, Google revealed a new project called Native Client, which aims to enable more powerful web applications.

It’s easy to see why cloud computing - in all its forms - continues to gain momentum. Users can work anywhere and, if your computer breaks or your laptop is stolen, you won’t lose any data. Its scalability means you only pay for the resources you need. The cost and hassle of maintaining lots of computers and software is someone else’s responsibility. And the economies of scale offered by the cloud mean that services can be made available at lower prices.

But cloud computing faces fierce opposition from some people, who question the level of data security and privacy it provides. Free software advocate Richard Stallman compares using web applications to do your computing to using proprietary programs. “If you use a proprietary program or somebody else’s web server, you’re defenceless,” he told The Guardian. “You’re putty in the hands of whoever developed that software.”

Equally, server outages can be hugely problematic. In February, Amazon’s Simple Storage Service went down, locking users out of their own data. A server error affecting Apple’s MobileMe in July meant that an estimated 20,000 users were unable to access email for two weeks. There’s also the simple fact that cloud computing doesn’t work if you can’t get online (although Google Gears, which acts like a very rich browser cache, is one project that is trying to address this).

But cloud computing is a natural extension of web 2.0’s shift towards how much of our professional and personal lives take place online. We’ve already passed the point at which the cloud has become an everyday aspect of IT: in the US, over two-thirds of web users make use of cloud-based applications. Perhaps the answer to critics such as Stallman is that it’s important to have a choice of clouds, not just ones that are operated by multinational corporations.

Read the original cloud computing article.

About the Author

Zeta is a leading digital agency specialising in online marketing, design and development. Its flexible, cost-effective and responsive approach results in successful campaigns for a diverse range of clients. Visit zeta.net to find out more.

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Cloud Computing Microsoft