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Knowledge Center Links
Cloud Commentaries, a Quarterly Newsletter
We publish these quarterly newsletters to provide information to our customers, partners and anyone interested in Cloud Computing. If you wish to receive an email when we publish each issue, simply email news@PurposefulClouds.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
We invite you to provide feedback and suggestions on how we can make these newsletters more informative and educational. Please use our Contact Us form or email us at news@PurposefulClouds.com.
Vol 1 No 1: Second Quarter 2013
Welcome to the first edition of our quarterly newsletter!
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
Since 2008 we have concentrated on tracking, evaluating and proposing the “best in class” Cloud Computing solutions to help businesses become more productive, efficient and competitive. During this time, the Cloud Computing paradigm evolved appreciably. [Read more]
The State of the Cloud. Is the Cloud living up to the hype?
Purposeful View by Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
It often appears that Cloud Computing has not taken hold as much as we were told it would. Probably true, but there is a lot more Cloud usage than you might ever believe. Even in your own company there are probably several Cloud endeavors driven from the bottom, not IT. [Read more]
How can you maximize your business benefits with our Cloud Services?
By David Tonkin, VP Purposeful Clouds Academy
We, at Purposeful Clouds take a sound architectural and holistic approach in transitioning your business to the Cloud by working with your team to clarify and understand your business requirements, and then we look at the value of various services and processes that IT delivers to the business. [Read more]
This cube is the starting point for your journey to the Cloud!
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
Evaluating and positioning your datacenter applications or workloads in the Cloud can be tricky. The Cloud is not a product; it is a concept. [Read more]
Cloud marketplace comments
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
The Cloud Computing marketplace encompasses Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) delivering their services to two distinct large user groups: consumers and businesses. [Read more]
What’s new on the Purposeful Clouds website?
By Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
Our website will always offer you a lot of information! [Read more]
The interview column
David Tonkin interviews Alma Redhead the host of the bi-weekly Purposeful Clouds Blog Talk Radio show. Alma is also our Cloud Transition Manager. [Read more]
Cloud security corner
By Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
Every day we hear about new attacks by cyber-criminals and eco-terrorists attacking companies of all sizes for financial or intellectual gains, or just to cause disruption. [Read more]
Cloud training quadrangle
By David Tonkin, VP Purposeful Clouds Academy
Tell me your Cloud Computing woes … then I will tell you what training you should have taken! [Read more]
New thought leadership offerings
What are the topics we have been talking about recently? [Read more]
Meet the Purposeful Clouds team
Chander has over 25 years of experience in the global deployment of enterprise solutions, software systems and technology services. [Read more]
Vol 1 No 1: Second Quarter 2013 Full Articles
Welcome to the first edition of our quarterly newsletter!
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
Since 2008 we have concentrated on tracking, evaluating and proposing the “best in class” Cloud Computing solutions to help businesses become more productive, efficient and competitive. During this time, the Cloud Computing paradigm evolved appreciably. For example, on the Cloud Services Model front, it has expanded from IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS to include Storage, Security, Network, Unified Communication, Management, etc. as on-demand Cloud services. Similarly, Cloud Computing Business Models now include public, private, hybrid and community Clouds. Remaining current with Cloud services related innovations in software, hardware, and automation is both a challenge and an exciting endeavor.
The primary objective of our quarterly newsletter is to provide you the most relevant Cloud Computing news, information and analysis that will benefit both you and your business. We hope it becomes a continually informative source and a trusted business tool.
The State of the Cloud. Is the Cloud living up to the hype?
Purposeful View by Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
It often appears that Cloud Computing has not taken hold as much as we were told it would. Probably true, but there is a lot more Cloud usage than you might ever believe. Even in your own company there are probably several Cloud endeavors driven from the bottom, not IT. [Read more]
How can you maximize your business benefits with our Cloud Services?
By David Tonkin, VP Purposeful Clouds Academy
We, at Purposeful Clouds take a sound architectural and holistic approach in transitioning your business to the Cloud by working with your team to clarify and understand your business requirements, and then we look at the value of various services and processes that IT delivers to the business. Later we map where they might transition across all three Cloud Models: Infrastructure, Platform, and Software as a Service. Right from the start, we consider your unique security and compliance requirements.>/p> We next create an optimal Cloud architecture and road map using the right combination of Pubic, Private, Community or Hybrid Cloud solutions. Our goal is to determine, for each of your workloads, if it should go into the Cloud now. One of the most important and difficult choices in moving to the Cloud is the choice of a Cloud Service Provider. We measure candidate CSPs on seven different quality criteria. We deliver our services in four phases:
Strategy Phase.
We start by understanding your business and your current processing environment. We provide insight to existing Cloud solutions and recommend specific applications or processes that would benefit from a move to the Cloud with a focus on demonstrating expected ROI.
Planning Phase.
We work with your team to plan the move to the Cloud and to insure no interruption to your existing business.
Implementation Phase.
We can provide the expertise to fully manage your implementation or supplement your staff during the migration.
Support & Review Phase.
We stay with you every step of the journey.
This cube is the starting point for your journey to the Cloud!
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
Evaluating and positioning your datacenter applications or workloads in the Cloud can be tricky. The Cloud is not a product; it is a concept. The Cloud, with its acronyms and terms, coupled with constantly expanding new services and business models can be a complex and multi-dimensional challenge. To try and get the Cloud’s basic elements “back in the box” we created this PCI Cube.
The front face shows the three major service models: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. As you move upwards from the bottom, the amount of help and operational control that your Cloud Service Provider (CSP) will deliver increases. The right face displays the four major Cloud business models. At one end it could be a Private Cloud where you have control similar to the jurisdiction you have over your on-premises datacenter. At the other end is a Public Cloud where you have minimal control and are sharing Cloud resources with a potentially very large number of other CSP customers. The top face embodies the different types of industry specific Cloud solutions.
Each of your workloads will have different requirements in the areas of security, performance, and availability. This determines where in the Cloud Cube a workload belongs. The Cloud works when there is a deep understanding of the myriad of options; so you can select the correct space, or more likely, spaces, in the Cloud Cube for your business. This will ensure that you can transition into, around it, and out of the Cloud without disrupting your business.
Cloud marketplace comments
By Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
The Cloud Computing marketplace encompasses Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) delivering their services to two distinct large user groups: consumers and businesses. Consumers are fuelling numerous new public Cloud offerings by creating and using enormous amounts of (big) data in formats such as videos, music, photos, blogs, tweets, emails, clicks, and social media. Businesses, with compliance, higher security and regulation needs, are helping expand private and hybrid Cloud solutions.
There continues to be significant consolidation among relatively new CSPs as they merge with larger entities or disappear. On the other hand, traditional computing software and hardware platform providers are aggressively evaluating new Open Source Cloud software stacks to provide new private, public and hybrid Cloud solutions.
We believe that Cloud Computing’s rapid adoption in the main stream is only in its early stages of the Cloud’s growth as it becomes more pervasive across the entire global IT industry.
What’s new on the Purposeful Clouds website?
By Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
Our website will always offer you a lot of information! Naturally, we provide information about our services and training offerings, but there is also a rich variety of general information about Cloud Computing. Check out our “Knowledge Center” tab with
Links to and descriptions of our fortnightly Blot Talk Radio shows
Links to and summaries of our Cloud-related blogs
A glossary of the majority of terms your vendors will use when talking about the Cloud
About 30 most frequently asked questions, with our answers
General information about security in the Cloud
Our White Papers
Our recent events
Our home page always lists “What's New” – it is always a great place to start!
The interview column
David Tonkin interviews Alma Redhead the host of the bi-weekly Purposeful Clouds Blog Talk Radio show. Alma is also our Cloud Transition Manager.
Q: Are you still nervous as you launch the shows … or have you moved beyond that?
A: No! The nerves are much steadier!
I have moved to the anticipation and excitement stage … we are really getting good speakers and a wide range and scope of Cloud topic and opinions.
Q: Do you get together with your speakers and plan and rehearse the show?
A: No, never! I want the content to be the speaker’s own thoughts, input and opinions. That is what makes the shows credible and fun … and sometimes tough!
Q: You run a pretty tough Q&A format for your show. Do you like that better than just speaker statements?
A: Yes! This way I get them to address a broader view of the topic; and when it is valuable, I can also get them to comment on specific items of interest to our listeners!
Q: When recruiting speakers do you sometimes unconsciously pick people who “agree” with your strategic approach?
A: No. We have no need to use that type of selection criteria. Purposeful Clouds is vendor neutral … our guests are encouraged to speak their minds without product, solution or approach restraints!
Q: Is there a win-win for your speakers and Purposeful Clouds … a worthwhile take-away from your radio shows?
A: There is a solid win-win for everyone! Purposeful Clouds wants to encourage; and be known as a venue for open and cutting-edge dialog on Cloud-related topics. The speaker gets the recognition they deserve; and have earned, on their company’s website, our website and on our Linkedin corporate pages.
Q: Do you have difficulty in finding guest speakers?
A: When we first started it was difficult for the first few shows. Now we have requests for a second opportunity!
Cloud security corner
By Walt Lapinsky, VP Cloud Security
Every day we hear about new attacks by cyber-criminals and eco-terrorists attacking companies of all sizes for financial or intellectual gains, or just to cause disruption. It is still true that the main threat is from the outside. In the last 12 months there have been many serious data breaches, including the stealing and then posting on the Internet over six million passwords for LinkedIn users, and over 450,000 passwords for Yahoo users. Why should you care about the liberation of social media passwords? Because people tend to be lazy! Odds are, your employee uses the same password or a very similar password to access their social media and your corporate information (e.g., ends with “2” instead of “3”). It is only a matter of minutes before someone breaks into your system and costs you a significant loss of money, reputation, or intellectual property.
There are enough criminals out there attacking your system and your information; don’t add to the danger by having poorly trained employees, badly written software that fails to check inquiries for reasonableness, or insufficient and ineffective edge protection tools. Edge protection tools monitor what is actually leaving your site over the Internet and are able to prevent or flag messages with suspicious information in them.
In addition to annual ethics training you should definitively provide annual security training to your employees. You need to emphasize their responsibility in protecting your sensitive data and the costs to your company and your customers when they violate your security policy. Your security policy should be mandated reading and always available to every contractor and a part of every contract where any transmission of sensitive data is involved.
Cloud training quadrangle
By David Tonkin, VP Purposeful Clouds Academy
Tell me your Cloud Computing woes … then I will tell you what training you should have taken!
I could fill this newsletter with the “top 20” woes that we hear continually from prospects. However it would be more beneficial if I conferred a way to eradicate or alleviate most of these woes.
The Cloud is not a product or a fixed solution; it is a business concept. The initial training you need is how to make effective “bet your business” Cloud decisions!
A business-effective transition to a Cloud Computing state must be driven by unerringly informed decisions that C-level leaders and stakeholders instinctually ratify with assurance and alacrity.
The next fundamental is ensuring that you have 360ᵒ coverage of the hypercritical decision knowledge on all business aspects of Cloud security.
Then there is the need for unbiased learning of the benefits and pitfalls of the various Cloud services and business models available.
We have all the courses you need. Eradicate impending woes; start here!
New thought leadership offerings
What are the topics we have been talking about recently?
Blogs:
Electronic Medical Records, Again
Why are hospitals and medical practices having so much trouble converting to EMR? (Walt)
White Papers:
How do you actually get to the Cloud? This paper provides a recipe on how to move a workload into the Cloud. (Walt)
Selecting the Right Training for Business Success in the Cloud
Thoughts on the right ingredients for training that will help your business make effective Cloud Computing decisions. (David)
Recent guest speakers on our Blog Talk Radio:
Pat O’Day, Bluelock’s CTO: Modernizing your IT Infrastructure and Applications
John Austin & Kirk Bohn, Arrow Cloud Services: Cloud Services through Channel Distribution
Jon Oigo, Tiogo Partners, International: Another Perspective on Clouds – Realism versus Marketecture
Meet the Purposeful Clouds team
Chander Khanna, Founder & CEO
Chander has over 25 years of experience in the global deployment of enterprise solutions, software systems and technology services. Prior to Purposeful Clouds, he was the co-founder of multiple SaaS businesses. He has held many executive and senior management positions in start-ups, mid-size and large companies including HP, Lucent, Unisys, Platinum Equity Holdings and Stratus Technologies. Chander has deep and broad experience with SaaS, Paas, IaaS, FT/HA, Virtualization, Pay-as-you-go, security, CMSs, Storage and Networking Solutions.
He has extensive experience working with partners worldwide as well as M&A experience for strategic, financial, and operational deals.
Chander has two Masters in Computer Science, one from Queen's University, Canada and another from the Indian Institute of Technoloy (IIT) Delhi. He also has BS in Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering.
