Comments on: Are Private Clouds an Oxymoron?

By: Inside Network Redux » Blog Archive » Links for 1.19.09

Inside Network Redux » Blog Archive » Links for 1.19.09 — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:58:16 +0000

[...] Are Private Clouds an Oxymoron? « Data Center Knowledge [...]

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:38:28 +0000

I think the problem is the lack of a clear definition for the word “Cloud”. What I understand the use of the word “Cloud” is as a method of organizing IT infrastructure such that the underlying hardware is abstracted for the purpose of removing complexity for the end-user and eliminating the need to purchase infrastructure to meet each end-user’s maximum compute needs.

So, from that perspective, any system which layers on some sort of Grid Computing system is a cloud — that covers Google/Amazon’s offerings down to a “private cloud” system.

However, if one takes the term as how Conray-Murry uses it (an external provider of utility compute services, most likely backed by the abstraction I described two paragraphs above), then, no, there is no possible way for a “private cloud” to exist.

I don’t think Conray-Murry’s understanding is meaningful, however, as the distinction between Google/Amazon and a “private cloud” is one solely of ownership. The underlying software/hardware techniques are comparable, the end-user’s experience is similar, and, with the exception of the utility compute service contract, the services that can be bundled or that can leverage the “cloud” are nearly identical.

By: Chuck Hollis

Chuck Hollis — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:10:28 +0000

Timely post

I (and others) would argue that “private” has to do with notions of control, and less physical locations.

A rather lengthy post here:
http://chucksblog.emc.com/chucks_blog/2009/01/the-emergence-of-private-clouds.html

– Chuck

By: Mitch

Mitch — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:54:23 +0000

Don’t think this will involve any paradigm ahift, I think this is what we have to work with every day.