Google App Engine: When will Microsoft field a competitor?
Summary: On April 7, Google took the wraps off of more than many had expected: Not just a hosted database platform, but an entire hosted Web app platform, known as Google App Engine. I've heard rumors that Microsoft is readying a competitive hosted application platform.
On April 7, Google took the wraps off of more than many had expected: Not just a hosted database platform, but an entire hosted Web app platform, known as Google App Engine.
Google App Engine, which Google announced at its CampFire One developer event on April 7, as explained by TechCrunch, looks like this:
Google's App Engine is "an ambitious new project that offers a full-stack, hosted, automatically scalable web application platform consisting of Python application servers, BigTable database access ... and GFS data store services."
I've heard rumors that Microsoft is readying a competitive hosted application platform. But more on that in a bit....
The database component of Google's App Engine, known as "BigTable," is aimed at Amazon's SimpleDB -- and Microsoft's SQL Server Data Services (SSDS).
Or maybe not...
As Roger Jennings notes over on his Oakleaf Systems blog, Google's BigTable (and Amazon's SimpleDB) are really not a whole lot like Microsoft's SSDS. As Jennings blogged this past weekend:
"My conclusion based on the Bigtable paper and SimpleDB documentation: Bigtable's architecture and implementation have more in common with Amazon's Simple DB than either database has with SSDS ... Bigtable and SimpleDB aren't relational database management systems (RDBMSs); both resemble multidimensional indexed maps of attribute/value pairs. SSDS attempts to hide the fact that it's an RDBMS (relational database management system)."
When I spoke with Microsoft officials about SSDS at Mix '08, it was hard to get them to explain exactly what SSDS was. As I noted in early March:
"Microsoft officials were reticent to compare SQL Server Data Services to offerings from any competitors. But Gartner Vice President David Smith said the new Microsoft service was comparable to a service like Amazon’s SimpleDB."
SimpleDB, which Amazon released into public beta in December 2007, is a complement and adjunct to the company’s Elastic Computing Cloud (EC2) and Simple Data Storage Service (S3). It allows customers to store, modify and query data hosted in the cloud.
SSDS is just one of a number of developer-focused hosted services Microsoft is readying. Microsoft already has announced it is working on BizTalk Services, which are workflow services that extend the company's BizTalk Server product. Microsoft also has unveiled beta versions of its Synchronization Framework, elements of which which sound an awful lot like the nearly abandoned WinFS (Windows File System).
According to one developer who said he believed Microsoft was close to fielding a hosted app platform: "A hosted workflow engine, with Microsoft's killer tools behind it, could be their big 'cloud' killer service."
Of course, the big question is when the app-platform team at Microsoft will be able to deliver a test build of a cohesive service like Google's App Engine. That team seems to have its hands full, at the moment, finishing off SQL Server 2008, as well as building out Microsoft's "Oslo" SOA infrastructure.
Anyone have more specifics -- or even educated guesses -- to share on what Microsoft is doing to compete with Google's App Engine? I'm also curious how much of this kind of solution Yahoo has in place... or up its sleeves....
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.
Talkback
When will Microsoft field a competitor?
Joking right?
Like Google has?
Oh wait, it is "proprietary open source" so no one has seen their code, so who knows if they have stolen someone else's IP?
Well, MS could like to use IP to block competitors, but, this is all about
Google talks a lot less and over delivers
Too much lip service...
Nothing.
Only companies without their own IT...
The ONLY thing Google has that MS is chasing is ad revenue.
You have it wrong. MS will not be able to match Google on price or
The big boys will go with Google, but, the small guys will be able to simply create their own applications as well.
You would understand once you give up the lie
No one ever said that, and there is no "general consenous" that even beleives that. (It has been mentioned early on that Google's datacenters are more likely a bit more costly then average as they rely on some custom built hardware)
Anyhow, he is correct that this is not something the "big Boys" will go with, maybe a small one or two man business.
The "big boys" can not afford to have their data (read: business) at the mercy of an uncontrollable outside vendor.
Not sure what planet you live on, but, Google is building out a pace that
Microsoft is in trouble here.
Where is your supporting facts? We hear the lip
I see this as just another silly attempt on your part to appease yourself, as it looks as though Google may be in for some troubled times ahead.
And, just wher are YOUR facts? Where have you proved that MS can match
Open your eyes and look around. Google is in overdrive, and MS is stuck in first gear with a toad operating system.
DonnieBoy, GL can't open his eyes
I've been reading this type of comments from ABMers for too long...
Well, if being stuck in first gear gets my company billions in revenue, then you're welcome to weld that gear in place man.
You should see the size of the data center MS
And, Google is already building in Iowa too.
MS is being left in the dust.
Nope, they put the project on hold.
And, why did you not give any links? Both for the MS facility in Iowa, OR
Come on, the links.
Of course its huge