CLOUD COMPUTING — 1st Quarter 2016

Why the Financial Markets Have to Bank on Cloud

The future of the banking industry is in flux. Financial institutions face a downward trend in fees, greater competition from non-banks, and disruption across the industry. The rise of an interconnected global financial system that includes a complex web of institutions, markets, trading partners, and instruments has brought with it a need for better, faster, and more powerful computing at tremendous scale..... Read More >>>



Feature Articles

Choosing the Right FedRAMP Provider
Much as it has become a staple in commercial endeavors, cloud computing has found firm footing within the federal government, helping drive operational efficiencies and reducing costs. In fact, federal agencies are required to leverage cloud computing to improve flexibility, increase responsiveness, and reduce costs - and to justify the use of a non-cloud provider. In his 2011 memo to government CIOs, then United States CIO Steven VanRoekel stated: - 05/18/2016

Public vs. Private: A Primer on Cloud Management
By now, the benefits and simplicity of cloud computing are well understood, and the promise of benefits like cost-savings, greater efficiency and increased application agility have inspired companies of all sizes to kick start their journey to the cloud. In fact, it's expected that the cloud infrastructure and platform market will grow by 19 percent annually from 2015 to 2018, reaching 43 billion dollars by 2018. - 05/18/2016

Business Case for Service Providers to Offer CCaaS
Cloud-based contact center solutions are as much an opportunity for service providers as they are for businesses. To capitalize on this potential, though, they must first understand the inherent factors that make CCaaS as compelling for them as it is for their business customers. Detailed below are four of the most prominent attributes. - 05/18/2016

Nine Cloud Patterns to Expect in 2016
As consumers use more digital devices, at home and at work, CIOs are responding as mobile and the cloud converge. They will spend more on mobile cloud, recognizing that users can store and access much more mobile data on the cloud and their data is safe and accessible if their mobile device is lost or stolen. - 05/18/2016

Cloud Computing by 2020
Ever since we defined the core virtualization and traffic steering technologies to be the foundation of cloud computing in the early-mid 2000's, we have continued to add to and evolve the concept of the cloud. Today, we talk about private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud. There is cloud bursting to scale application demand and the U.S. federally mandated Cloud First initiative. Everyone wants to be a part of the cloud, even though the concept is hard to define and diagram. - 05/18/2016

COLUMNS

View from the Cloud

The Cloud and Security: Do You Know Where Your Keys Are?
The frequency and severity of attacks and the sophistication of attackers is impressive. Plus, "hacking" long ago stopped being a sport. Putting aside state-sponsored and cause-related incidents, hacking has become a big, growing and very profitable business. - 05/18/2016

Publisher’s Outlook

API of the Week: Perfecto Speeds Time to Market, Aids Cloud Testing
Beyond live events, our goal is to help foster live community 24x7online by exposing you to new and innovative companies that are releasing APIs that will enable you to enhance existing solutions as well as come up with new business ideas. - 05/18/2016

Network Virtualization

Virtualization is Only the First Step to Successful NFV
To be successful, NFV can only occur when there is architecture in place for both hardware and software. Considering software in isolation doesn't work. Individual networks will vary according to local demands and operator preferences and an appreciation of the roles of both hardware and software is essential for the NFV architecture. This is especially true when considering applications that require a simplified hardware assist solution. - 05/18/2016

Cloud Migration

Best Practices for Integrating Hybrid Cloud
Most enterprises today employ some form of hybrid cloud - and it's easy to see why. After years of private and public cloud development, organizations have found that the price and scalability advantages of public offerings, when combined with the security and high sense of control a private cloud brings, optimize many of the key performance requirements for modern IT. - 05/18/2016

Cloud Communications

The 20 Year Anniversary of TA96
It was a squandered opportunity for both. CLECs didn't take the opportunity to build their own network or get dense geographically, so regulatory changes caused huge hassles. Agents are still out peddling the Integrated T1, only now it may be a cable triple play or a 10MB pipe with SIP Trunks. - 05/18/2016

Cloud Musings

Cloud's Next Big Moves
As we roll through the first part of 2016, many businesses are still developing their paths forward. Employees may still be reflecting on the past year and brainstorming what to expect in the months and year ahead. They start asking themselves, how will my industry change by the end of 2016? Who will emerge as the major players? How will my company fit into the evolving landscape? While technology innovation is constantly in flux, it's safe to say the cloud sector will continue its steady momentum until mass adoption is realized in 2017-2018. So, what's in store for 2016? - 05/18/2016

Business Continuity

Myths and Truths about Disaster Recovery
As is true in life, organizations simply don't know what they don't know. Many aspects of DR remain a mystery, impeding the way to a secure, bullet-proof insurance policy should something go wrong. This article will examine the myths and truths surrounding disaster recovery and how they play into the bigger picture. - 05/18/2016

Silver Lining

APIs, Cloud and Managed Services Create Buzz at ITEXPO
While there were likely several factors that drove the excitement level, one of the most openly evident variables is always the engagement and enthusiasm of exhibitors. We've all been at shows where booth staff are constantly on their phones, or standing around talking to one another. - 05/10/2016

IN EVERY ISSUE

View From the Cloud
By Peter Bernstein

Publisher's Outlook
By Rich Tehrani

Silver Linings
By Erik Linask