There are two things about cloud computing need to be clarified. Services regarding personal computing, web mail, video, music, social, gaming, storage, and services regarding enpterprises. The former is fine in the cloud. as a matter of fact webmail started ages ago, no one call it cloud computing. The real deal about cloud computing is the later.
lets look at it.
the argument about cloud computing is reduced cost for enterprises. Other than that there is no advantages over installed software. You may say a web interface allow people access from anywhere, but how many chances are there for workers to run anything on the run? Any body done a math: is it really cheaper? Lets see how much it cost to run your own software,
1. Any PC on the market today can be a good server. You spend $500 buy a server, don't have to worry about it for 5, 6 years.
2. Windows Server license: I don't have a number, but it is not something that would make you feel uneasy.
3. SQL Server: you can have SQL Express for free for 50 seats or even more, this is by exprience.
4. Hire IT person: you need to have someone take care of you network in any case.
The biggest hurdle is other than a one person startup, why would any company in the world put their data on somebody else's data center? You may say, OK, you can put your data in your home, and still run it on the cloud, but if I put data at home, what's the point of cloud? Also the idea of private cloud, again, if private, then what's point of the cloud? Just to get a web interface?
There are two things people are ignoring: web application can never match smoothness of local run software, centralized computing is technically wrong. The basics: We have billion PCs arround the world, they are very powerful, nobody's data center can match the computing power of that, now you are tell people to abandon these, and use computers that is sitting in some company's data centers.
What sounds weired to me is: people talking about cloud computing like it is reality.
Cloud computing hasn't happen yet, it will never.
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