... what it is doing. Mass migration to public cloud computing would severely undermine its business, as this would lead to a drastic reduction of customers, and competition among customers - leading further to decreased demand for servers / server chips.
I think it the best future for the computer industry is private clouds first, and public cloud services second. I think if MS doesn't move in this direction, other companies should pounce on the opportunity - particularly in the Home PC and small business markets. E.g. if makers of virus software started offering software that turned home users' PCs easily into private clouds, they would make more money than those pushing public cloud services only. E.g. if Norton was to offer software that turned PCs into private clouds, as well as offer integrated encryption and back up services, it could probably increase its revenue significantly . Norton should probably also offer an API, for third party services, to gain access to individuals' private clouds.
I think there is a lot more money to be made in private clouds, and companies who believe in the technology, should scramble to compete against opposing public cloud services. Marketing to prospective customers would be so easy. Just say to them, "Do you want to maintain control over your data? Would you like this vital asset of your company to rest in your hands, or in someone else's? Do you want a gigantic bull?s eye to be painted on your data, when it gets lumped in with everyone else?s in public clouds?"
What made MS great before, was its belief in the principle that empowering users by letting them own their own computers, enables them to do great things. MS' server division apparently no longer thinks this way. So I believe this leaves an opening for enterprising companies, to restore this principle to the server market, by competing against public clouds, with private cloud alternatives.
Intel Cloud In A Box
Billing it as “the world’s smallest datacenter” Intel’s cloud technology demonstrator is basically two 1U servers in a package that fits into a common rolling suitcase. Designed to show that Intel is already powering the cloud with its Xeon processors, the technology demonstration is also meant to highlight Intel’s other efforts to bring their Cloud 2015 vision to reality.
The servers are used to demonstrate a variety of Intel technologies, starting with the latest advances in the Xeon processor family, including support for hardware-based encryption and Intel’s Trusted Execution Technology, which focuses on security at the hypervisor level and below. Since we are talking about demonstrating cloud technologies, Intel’s hardware Virtualization Technology is also heavily featured.
Multiple boxes in the demonstrator mean that they can demonstrate the Intelligent Power Node Manager which allows administrators to set power budgets for managed devices. Beyond the hardware level, Intel’s single-sign on software technologies, Expressway Access 360 and the Expressway Gateway Service are part of the basic demonstration capabilities.
This is clearly designed as a portable technology demonstration tool and it doesn’t seem that Intel is looking to actively sell this device to customers at this time. But there is definitely a market for this cloud-in-a-box, or at least a commercial version with additional bells and whistles for organizations that need to be able to deploy secure services in remote locations, vendors looking to do on-site demonstrations of their products for the private cloud, and even for IT departments looking to develop operational practices in a test network, rather than a live production environment.
The hardware package also fits well into the concept of a distributed computing environment with micro-datacenters scattered throughout a geographically dispersed area, that are all components of a larger, virtual, computing effort. It’s an interesting little device, and may have more potential than just as a technology demonstration.
