Overview | Event Format | Key Themes | Benefits of Attending | Workshop Agenda | Textbook | Reviews

Overview

Cloud computing, SaaS, PaaS, Utility Computing, Hosted Services, IaaS, Grid Computing, ASPs, MSPs, outsourcing, On Demand, Online Services, are these all the same thing, or something different.  Is everything the cloud, is nothing the cloud?

The last great shift in computing happened twenty years ago. Called client-server, it was driven by an order magnitude shift in the cost of computing. This era gave birth to companies like Oracle, Microsoft, NetApp, HP, and Sun that today are considered the giants of technology.  Cloud computing is the next major wave and we’re at the very beginning of another twenty-year cycle. And, again it will be driven by order of magnitude shifts in the economics of computing.

This workshop is a primer for anyone trying to make sense of this next wave. While it contains some aspects of technology the workshop is first and foremost driven from a business perspective. Hence, we open with seven clear business models backed by numerous case studies. The course is designed for technology professionals with an interest in understanding economics as well as for the business professional that needs to develop a basic vocabulary. In that light we introduce a five-layer cloud services stack to educate you on many of the emerging cloud services.

The objective of this Workshop is to introduce cloud computing and  the different terms it is now used to cover, examine the drivers behind the  phenomena, understand the technologies that contribute to Cloud computing, recognize the  benefits and challenges that currently exist, and examine the market and the leading  vendor’s strategies.

Event Format

Formal Presentations
We present the latest research and analysis on Cloud Computing in a useful business and technology framework. This enables you to gain a perspective on how the topic under discussion will impact your organization.

Questions & Answers
You have opportunity to comment on and ask questions about the material covered at the end of each presentation, often leading to lively debate.

Case Studies
We will both highlight numerous case studies as well as invite carefully selected executives or independent domain experts, to share with you their practical experiences in developing the strategy or technology under discussion.

Networking
An important part of the Workshop is the opportunity for you to network with your peers, and to exchange thoughts and experiences on the topic under discussion. This takes place both during group discussions.

Workshop Agenda

9:00 – 9:30	Registration/Intro
9:30 – 10:00	Seven Business Models & Five Layer Cloud Services Stack
10:00 – 10:50	Application Cloud Services
10:50 – 11:20	Coffee and networking
11:20 – 12:00	Networking and Datacenter Cloud Services
12:00 – 12:40	Compute & Storage Cloud Services
12:40 – 1:40	Lunch and networking
1:40 –   2:20	Platform Cloud Services
2:20 –   3:15	Taking the first steps to moving into the Cloud
3:15 – 3:30	Coffee Break
3:30 –  4:30	Open Questions and Answers
4:30 –  4:45	Close

Workshop Agenda: Detail
Seven Business Models and Five-layer Cloud Service Stack.
In this lecture, we outline the seven business models that encompass the entire software industry, from traditional software to open source, to outsourcing, to SaaS, to the consumer Internet. The intent is not to argue that one model is better than another, but rather to make sure, as a software business, you know which model you’re trying to succeed in.

Application Cloud Services
Anyone contemplating building new applications or transforming their existing applications to cloud services can today take advantage of 1000s of cloud service provided by companies large and small. This lecture begins at the application layer with application cloud services. This layer of the stack is of interest to the business users. We’ll discuss all of the application areas that have benefited from being delivered as a cloud service – both horizontal and vertical. Case studies include Concur, Webex, Opentable, Blackbaud, RightNow, Taleo, Successfactors, Vocus, Constant Contact, eBay, Google Apps and Omniture.

Compute & Storage Cloud Services
Beginning with a short introduction to the original cloud service (the network) we will discuss some of the economic challenges and opportunities for data center cloud services. This will lead us to discuss the emerging series of compute & storage cloud services pioneered by Amazon Web Services. We'll discuss numerous case studies where companies have begun to use these new compute and cloud services for biotechnology, healthcare, financial services and consumer facing applications.

Platform Cloud Services
In this lecture we discuss horizontal and vertical platform cloud services. Horizontal services are designed to provide many of the development environments we’ve seen in the traditional world. Perhaps the best example of this is Microsoft's Azure. We'll discuss other horizontal platform services including Google's AppEngine. These new services, instead of focusing only on the developer, include much of the operational environments that were traditionally separate. Vertical platform services, while more restrictive allow the developer to leverage the data models supported by applications like salesforce.com, Netsuite and Facebook. Developing software in the newer models is not exactly the same as the traditional methods; we’ll talk about how it’s different and why it addresses some of the fundamental challenges we’ve encountered in traditional software development.

Textbook
Cloud: Seven Clear Business Models (Paperback) Timothy Chou (Author)

Book Description: Cloud computing is the third major wave of computing following client-server and mainframe computing. This introductory text is designed for a class focused on the technology student who is interested in business and for the business student interested in the next major step in computing. The book starts by identifying seven business models that range from traditional all the way to the Internet.  Within this context a five level cloud service stack is outlined and described. Finally the issues central to any new cloud business are discussed: sales, marketing, finance and human resources.

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Reviews
"I’ve read a few business books that offer little new insight.  This book is different.  Not only is it well written but it contains new content about the future of the IS Business"
—Walter Brenner, Professor, St. Gallen University, Switzerland

“This book talks about all important aspects of managing a software business. The seven business models and illustrative examples provide you the wisdom to make the right choices and to avoid traps. It is a practical guide for all those who want to start up a company in this Golden Age of Software.”
—Qianchuan Zhao, Professor, Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, China

“Timothy distills years of personal experience and an encyclopedic knowledge of the information technology industry to provide an invaluable business-oriented overview for entrepreneurs, strategists, investors, and students. Spend a few hours reading this or be prepared to spend many, many years in the field learning the same core concepts and lessons.”
—Sean Bandakar, Director of Programs, Executive Education, Stanford Graduate School of Business