The Fabasoft Folio Cloud blog on Cloud Computing - English

Clouds as see from our roof

2010-08-28T09:18:00.005+02:00

The new Fabasoft Folio Cloud website is online!

2010-08-08T23:54:00.000+02:00

Just i time for Fabasoft's 22nd birthday on August 8th the new Folio Cloud Website goes online. Celebrate with us and win an Apple iPad. Learn how to on http://www.foliocloud.com/ipad

Cloudy St. Louis

2010-08-04T14:20:00.000+02:00

Cloud Collaboration

2010-07-30T10:41:00.000+02:00

I was looking for photos about collaboration and clouds,
this is what I got as a result:

For anyone interested in where to get it:
go to istockphoto.com and either search for "collaboration" and "clouds" or type in this code: 3012175 ... or simply click here

Presseartikel: Cloud Computing - Datenausverkauf in die USA droht

2010-07-12T16:11:00.001+02:00

Europäische Lösungen gesucht - Fabasoft strebt eine Mio. User an

Text in German only

gespiegelt von Pressetext Austria:
http://pte.at/news/100710002/cloud-computing-datenausverkauf-in-die-usa-droht/

Dem Cloud-Services-Markt steht 2010 ein Boomjahr bevor. Gartner schätzt, dass die weltweiten Umsätze 68,3 Mrd. Dollar erreichen werden, was einem Wachstum von 16,6 Prozent im Vergleich zum Vorjahr entspricht. Während die USA auf Kunden- wie Anbieterseite bisher die Nase vorn hatten, zieht nun auch der europäische Cloud-Markt spürbar an. Europäische Anbieter warnen indes heimische Unternehmen, ihre Daten auf US-Server auszulagern. Die lokale Wertschöpfung bleibt auf der Strecke.

[zum Artikel]

Cory Arcangel - "Super Mario Clouds", 2002

2010-06-30T09:12:00.002+02:00

L.S.Z - Conference "Cloud Computing - Hype or Here to Stay?"

2010-06-29T11:10:00.001+02:00

Fabasoft is Premium Sponsor at the L.S.Z. Conference "Cloud Computing - Hype or Here to Stay?" in Vienna. In talks and round table discussions, the participants will cover the following topics:

IT-services as a building block model
Impacts on IT departments
Cost reduction through Cloud services?
Storage in the Cloud - yes or no?
Challenges for security
Mobile solutions in the Cloud
SaaS - Software from the Cloud
Solutions for small and medium sized businesses
De-duplication
Cloudsolutions for different branches
Trend: Mini Clouds and Private Clouds
Is Cloud Computing pushing innovation?

Cloud Computing is the new IT-Megatrend and has potential to fundamentally change the IT-world. Consistent leadership requires to permanently deal with new IT trends, to realize opportunities for more competitiveness as well as to identify and master the risks.
DI Karl Mayrhofer covers this topic in his presentation: "Welcome to the Team Room! - Safe and trusted cross-company collaboration in the Cloud". He will show case studies of projects realized with Fabasoft Folio Cloud and contrast benefits and risks of Cloud Computing.

"Cloud Computing - Hype or Here to Stay?"

(Third Party Event)
07.07.10 - 07.07.10

Vienna Marriott Hotel
Parkring 12a

1010 Wien

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Cloud-Computing: "Es geht um Vertrauen" (auf futurezone.orf.at)

2010-06-26T07:47:00.000+02:00

(in German only)

"Cloud-Computing, gemeinsames Arbeiten übers Netz mit Tools wie Google Wave, Soziale Netzwerke und Informationskanäle a la Twitter: Immer größere Teile unseres Lebens verlagern wir ins Netz, dessen Dynamik uns im Gegenzug manchmal zu überrollen scheint. Es werde noch eine Weile dauern, bis sich der Mensch an ein Leben "in der Wolke" gewöhnt, meint Steve Rogers von Google."

Ein Interview mit Steve Rogers, Director for User Experience Google EMEA

[zum Artikel]

Weekly Review - 06.25.2010

2010-06-25T11:00:00.026+02:00

Cloud Expo Europe stormed on Monday and Tuesday, thanks to the Cloud World Forum the skies will be full of Clouds in the upcoming week as well. And new facts, figures, and predictions on Cloud Computing will keep us busy for a while. We collected this small selection of the most interesting contributions for you in the 3rd edition of our weekly review.

Small projects initiate big plans for cloud computing
Companies that have started their relationship with cloud computing through a series of small projects have found it easier to make larger implementations down the road, according to Network World.
[more]

Virtualization Market Statistics and Predictions by Gartner
This week, I attended an interesting presentation on the state of virtualization at the Gartner IT.

[more]

A simple piece of engineering
Enterprises that only make use of basic IT-functions are better off with a Cloud Computing system, Daniel Baker from Kitchons has found out. (in guardian.co.uk, Mon. June 21st, 2010 )
[more]

5 Reasons why cloud will rule the world
Why these days many geeks love Cloud Computing? Because the underlying idea is simple and simply convincing: In Cloud Cmputing, the infrastructure is shared by many and software can be highly customized. This way, companies can be run in a smart and cost efficient way. 5 strong arguments why the IT-future is densly clouded are discussed in this article.
[more]

Taiwan: Cloud computing storms Asia
"Cloud computing will drive a massive wave of innovation in personal computing, and Taiwan is going to be at the center of that," said Google vice president for product management Sundar Pichai.
[more]

Fabasoft at the "FUTURE of WORK" symposium

2010-06-24T15:20:00.005+02:00

Fabasoft is Premium Sponsor at the CIO & CEO Symposium "The Future of Work" in Vienna. Attendees debate during workshops and presentations about the following thematic priorities:

* CIO’s and CEO’s "The Workplace of the Future“
* The new dimension of teamwork and project work
* What does a changing working environment mean for the company?
* Flexible working time – working hours of trust for new flexi-time initiative?
* New definition of efficiency
* How does the flexi-time affect the workplace?
* Cloud-based workplace

"FUTURE of WORK" symposium

July 1st, 2010
Le Meridien Vienna
Opernring 13, 1010 Vienna

Relating to the last topic DI Helmut Fallman presents: "Cloud Based Workplace – your workplace is wherever you need it“. Cloud Computing will fundamentally influence the workplace of the future. Secure and trusted collaboration between companies via the Internet is already a reality with Fabasoft Folio Cloud. Through all company levels there is now a common added value – and a powerful potential for more Corporate Social Responsibility.

[read more]

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Fabasoft Folio Cloud on Wikipedia

2010-06-24T13:57:00.008+02:00

Fabasoft Folio Cloud has an entry on wikipedia!

To get detailed information about the product itself as well as a comprehensove list of references, visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabasoft_Folio_Cloud

Event-Preview: 2nd Cloud Computing World Forum, London

2010-06-24T10:37:00.003+02:00

From June 29th to July 1st, Europe's largest Cloud and SaaS based event to date will take place at the Olympia Conference Center, London.

http://www.cloudbook.net/cloud-computing-world-forum-2010

YABONGA - empowerment for HIV-positive people

2010-06-23T17:26:00.001+02:00

"Yabonga seeks to support education for children. We also want to empower women, men and their families affected by HIV/Aids to become agents of change in the communities where they live and work, in order to enable them to live positive, long and healthy lives, raising their children and caring for their families", it says on Yabonga's website.

Yabonga is a South African non-for-profit project to support HIV-positive children and adults by establishing projects for active empowerment.

Participants of the project teach their peers about HIV-related issues. Yabonga wants to avoid the victimization of HIV-infected people, but to support them in leading a self-determined life. Thus, it strongly supports education and professional trainings to provide participants, predominantly women, with additional skills.

http://www.yabonga.com/site/about/empowerment.html

Cloud Expo Europe - Event Review on Cloud Computing Journal

2010-06-23T00:59:00.001+02:00

"If your business is based in cave or it's 1957, you probably don't need the cloud. Customers dictate how and when they want to do business. If you want to keep your customers, you need a cloud strategy to provide a compelling experience for your customers."

read on:
http://cloudcomputing.sys-con.com/node/1441675

Cloud Computing. Does it work when it is sunny?

2010-06-22T07:46:00.000+02:00

STARTING TODAY. Cloud Expo Europe

2010-06-21T10:29:00.003+02:00

Today, Cloud Expo Europe starts in Prague. During the next two days, topics ranging from security issues in the Cloud to storage aspects and data centers will be discussed. Visitors and participants will hear about the latest developments in Cloud Computing, meet industry leaders and learn how to apply Cloud Computing to their own working environment.

"A fifth of enterprises will hold no IT assets by 2012 as cloud computing and mobile working practices become commonplace”, experts from Gartner predicted in January 2010. Just about time to arm your company for new IT-times to come and to take advantage of the new opportunities in the Cloud. In times of economic uncertainty, running your business more cost effectively while at the same time increasing your performance sounds like a dream come true to every CEO. In other words, as Cloud Expo Europe put it, “According to many experts, Cloud Computing is changing the way companies will look at how they address cost and scalability, also the models that underpin successful software and hardware companies. In this time of economic uncertainty, can you afford not to attend?”

Cloud Expo Europe

June 21st – 22nd, 2010
Prague, Czech Republic
All information about Cloud Expo Europe is available on http://cloudexpo-europe।com/

COLLABORATION IN THE CLOUD - press article on Fabasoft Folio Cloud

2010-06-18T15:21:00.003+02:00

Article published on monitor.co.at (available only in German)

http://www.monitor.co.at/index.cfm/storyid/12872_Fabasoft_Folio_Cloud-Collaboration_in_der_Wolke

EAQSB2CVFC6H

Weekly Review - June 18th, 2010

2010-06-18T10:52:00.001+02:00

What a cloudy week! Heavy rainfalls, hail and thunderstorms in Austria, while the cloud was heavily discussing security issues and cloud-benefits for businesses. Clouds everywhere!

'Cloud Computing 2.0' Will Change Your Business
One does not need to be a fortune teller or a weatherman to predict that Cloud Computing will have a huge impact on successful businesses management. How corporate leaders will make their decisions and how organizations are run – this article catches a glimpse of what lies ahead of us.
[more]

Log for Better Clouds - Part 8: Cloud Portability
The current model for private partnerships is that of the “Lebensabschnittspartner”, as it is called in German. The relationship many people have with their data might be more stable. So what about their relation with theis Cloud Service partners? As a customer, can you trust that your provider will not let you down and mess with your logs?
[more]

Gartner Says Organizations Need to Re-Evaluate the Rationale for SaaS
Analysts from Gartner examine Best Practices for Software as a Service (SaaS) at the Gartner SOA & Application Development and Integration Summit 2010, June 14-15, in London. An event review.
[more]

Cloud Computing saves L.A. millions in IT costs
A case study of a community that is happily floating in the Cloud: Los Angeles convincingly demonstrates the efficiency of the Cloud Computing model on a large scale.
[more]

The Accelerated Time-to-Benefits of Cloud Computing
"Cloud computing represents a transformative - and permanent - change to the way IT resources are managed and delivered”, says Vishal Sharma, Senior Director of Business Development at NaviSite. You think this is exaggerated? Read on!
[more]

YABONGA!

2010-06-16T15:51:00.004+02:00

All the world is looking at South Africa. And mainly gets to see colorful images of merrily celebrating football fans and freshly renovated neighbourhoods. At the same time it is easily forgotten that a large part of the population lives in poverty and around 7% of South Africans are HIV-infected.

Fabasoft supports the non-for-profit, but for-humanitarian-benefit project Yabonga. Its goal is to empower HIV-positive children and adults by providing better education and effect positive change in their lives. We want to present you this highly engaged project in a series of articles on this blog.

http://www.yabonga.com/site

ISO 27001 - Certified Security in the Cloud

2010-06-16T15:03:00.003+02:00

Since June 2008, Fabasoft is ISO 27001 certified. This ISO norm is an internationally acknowledged standard for the evaluation of the safety of IT environments. At Fabasoft, this certification is especially important for operating Fabasoft Folio Cloud in the Fabasoft data centers. This certificate objectively proves that Fabasoft Folio Cloud usage is particularly safe.

NEW: Fabasoft successfully completed the annual audit for the ISO 27001 certificate on May 12th, 2010.

Customer Relationship Management with the Fabasoft Folio Cloud app "CRM"

2010-06-15T12:38:00.005+02:00

With the Fabasoft Folio Cloud App "CRM" ("Customer Relationship Management") you can organize your sales team over different locations quickly and efficiently.

Sales Teams in Different Locations
Organize your sales team across different locations in the Cloud. Advance collaboration in sales. Anytime and anywhere.

Maintain Accounts and Sales Contacts in the Sales Team
In the Cloud, the sales team can collaboratively maintain accounts and sales contacts and enter all relevant sales data.

Develop Sales Opportunities in the Team
Today, sales opportunities are often turned into deals through the collaborative efforts of the sales team. Cross-company teamwork leads to success in sales.

Dashboard for Key Data
Graphical Dashboard evaluations for all important key data give information about the current status of sales activities at all times and from anywhere.

Active Customer Relationship Management
The direct and safe integration of customers into the course of cross-company collaboration opens up new possibilities for customer relationship management.

Information about all currently available Fabasoft Folio Cloud apps: http://www.foliocloud.com/apps/overview

SET YOUR ALARM! - 1st FABASOFT BUSINESS BREAKFAST

2010-06-10T12:57:00.004+02:00

Set your alarm! Because this upcoming 25th of June will start early. Fabasoft invites you for the first Fabasoft Frühstück - the Fabasoft Business Breakfast - to Vienna's Sky Bar.

The Breakfast for Managers is aimed to be a dialogue forum for experts and audience to exchange experiences about opportunities and risks in project management.

For the premiere, we have invited DI Dr. Dr. Stallinger, CEO of calpana business consulting. He will talk about riskmanagement for projects in order to safely complete projects. We cordially invite you for an exciting morning full of lectures and discussions!

Register now!

1st Fabasoft Business Breakfast
25.06.10 - 25.06.10
09:00 - 12:00

Schedule
09.00 - 10.00 Breakfast
10.00 - 10.05 Welcome
10.05 - 11.00 "Maßnahmen im Rahmen des Risikomanagements effizient identifizieren, planen und verfolgen", DI Dr. Dr. Stallinger, Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der calpana business consulting Gmbh
11.00 - 11.30 "Kundenbeispiele für gewinnbringende Transparenz in Projekten", Ing. Michael Hadrian, Geschäftsführer Fabasoft Distribution GmbH
11.30 - 12.00 "Unternehmensübergreifende Zusammenarbeit leicht gemacht!", DI Karl Mayrhofer, Geschäftsführer Fabasoft Distribution GmbH und Mitglied im europäischen MoReq Governance Board

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WEEKLY REVIEW - June 10th, 2010

2010-06-10T12:32:00.005+02:00

The most interesting news around cloud computing in a nutshell.

Open Cloud Manifesto
Composed by representatives of corporations and free organisations, the Open Cloud Manifesto postulates basic principles that all cloud-developers should recognize.
[more]

Cloud Computing: What You Should NOT Do
The Future belongs to Cloud Computing. Nevertheless, you can make a lot of mistakes when shifting to this system. What you need to consider to find the ideal solution for your company and what mix of traditional approaches and Cloud solutions raise your business value is the topic of this article.
[more]

Hey, There's a Cloud in My Car!
In principal, Cloud Computing is possible anywhere and anytime. Thus, also in your car. How you should imagine that? Read and learn!
[more]

Video: Peter Coffee on Cloud Computing, "The World is Clouded"
[more]

AUSTRIA-CLOUD ABOVE LINZ

2010-06-10T12:07:00.003+02:00

THE NEW APPS FOR MAY 2010

2010-06-07T12:42:00.004+02:00

With new, attractive apps, Fabasoft Folio Cloud offers not only additional useful features, but presents a modular and flexible software concept.

Fabasoft Folio Cloud apps are simple and efficient applications that extend Fabasoft Folio Cloud and thus give additional value for digital business processes.

Building on the Fabasoft Folio Cloud basis, every user can create their individual package of apps according to personal likes and needs. Currently nine apps are available for various functions, and you can activate and deactivate your apps in your account settings. We are constantly expanding our offer, and within a short time you’ll be able to buy new apps in our web shop.

Overview of all Apps

Teamroom:
The Teamroom is the central element for teams collaborating in the cloud, for management of all digital content, for distributing access rights, for inviting new members to cooperate, and for coordinating events.

CRM:
Manage accounts, sales contacts, opportunities and sales actions with the CRM app, create reports and sales forecasts.

Scrum-Projects:
Manage your Scrum projects, create user stories and defects, do sprints, create tasks and keep an overview of project progress

Conference Management:
Plan and organize conferences, create documents, invite speakers and participants, and supply everyone with the most up-to-date information.

Multimedia:
Manage and organize multimedia content such as videos, audio files and photos.

Microsoft Office:
Create, edit and save Microsoft Office documents such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

OpenOffice.org:
Create, edit, and save OpenOffice.org text documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

iWork:
Create, edit, and save iWork documents such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

Team Calendar (CalDAV):
Create a shared calendar for improved coordination of team activities. Via smartphones you can arrange meetings at any time and anywhere.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM ROOM!

2010-06-07T12:07:00.012+02:00

Convert team folders that were created for organizing teamwork into team rooms and enjoy more overview and control over the teamwork.

From now on you can organize team collaboration via Fabasoft Folio Cloud’s new team room: from structuring collaboration with team folders to inviting team members to establish access rights. By establishing team rooms, you gain more overview and control over your teamwork and can collaborate more efficiently within your company as well as with your business partners.

More Overview

The team room is the basic app in Fabasoft Folio Cloud and the central point for collaboration in the cloud. In a team room collaboration within a team is organized, for example, through Scrum projects, CRM storage, and team folders that create a storage structure for collaboration in the teamroom.

More Control

You can specify which team members have full control for your team room. Only these users will be allowed to invite new team members to the team room. For all other members, you determine whether they have change access or only read access.

Convert Existing team Folders into Team Rooms

You can easily convert existing team folders into team rooms in order to tap the full potential of all new possibilities. We recommend that you apply this to all team folders used for establishing and organizing central aspects of your collaboration. Note that inviting new team members for collaboration can only be done via the team room and no longer via team folders. Team folders will be retained and are used for storing and structuring content.

http://www.foliocloud.com/apps/teamroom

FABASOFT FOLIO CLOUD - WEBINAR #1

2010-05-23T20:52:00.030+02:00

Learn how to use Fabasoft Folio Cloud to collaborate with your business partners.

Cross-company, around the world, 24/7, and in 15 languages. With mobile devices like your iPhone, BlackBerry or Android. With Fabasoft Folio Cloud, you can manage your projects more efficiently.

In this webinar series, we will show you how to set up your account, invite your contacts for collaboration, how to attribute different types of access rights and how to organize your documents in the Team Room. Webinar #1 is a step-by-step guide for setting up your personal Folio Cloud account.

Video Guide "Registration"
For an alternative version, please visit http://www.foliocloud.com/support/videos

Create your free Fabasoft Folio Cloud primo (BETA) account in 5 easy steps:
(click on the preview images to enlarge)

1. Open the URL www.foliocloud.com in your web browser and click on the "Free Account" button on the right side.

Click on the image to enlarge the screen shot

2. Enter your first name, last name, and a valid e-mail address. Click"Next".

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3. To verify that you are human, enter the code displayed in the box below the text field. Then click on "Register".

Click on the image to enlarge the screen shot

4. Open your e-mail program. In your inbox, you will find an e-mail from Fabasoft. Click on the included link. This will refer you to the login page for Fabasoft Folio Cloud.

Click on the image to enlarge the screen shot

5. Simply choose a password, confirm this password. "Register" will finalize your registration. You can immediately start to use Fabasoft Folio Cloud for your teamwork.

Click on the image to enlarge the screen shot

FABASOFT FOLIO CLOUD FOR COMPANIES

2010-05-23T12:10:00.001+02:00

Collaborate globally and flexible with your business partners.

Make your company even more successful! Use Fabasoft Folio Cloud for reliable internal collaboration as well as for collaboration with your business partners.

Today, receiving a torrent of unstructured and redundant information, mostly by e-mail, is everyday routine in a company. It is easy to lose track in the collaboration with business partners – despite clearly defined responsibilities. Use Fabasoft Folio Cloud to mend your ways in collaborating, inside the company as well as externally with business partners. Profit from transparent and efficient collaboration with business partners supported by Fabasoft Folio Cloud.
Simply register, create team folders, invite business partners and you’re off to better collaboration! www.foliocloud.com

How Fabasoft Folio Cloud simplifies the collaboration with business partners

Working together on business records across various locations, or securing an up to date information flow with business partners, poses a challenge to many companies. Maintaining an overview and being in control when several persons are involved in a collaboration often leads to significant problems.
That is exactly where Fabasoft Folio Cloud moves in. It structures collaboration across the corporation and puts you back in control. Fabasoft Folio Cloud provides for higher traceability by the versioning of digital business records. You are always in control of changes to important records – independent of whether the collaboration takes place across your desk with a colleague, or with a business partner abroad. And the best thing is: you don’t even have to be in the office.

Everywhere where borders would otherwise restrict your work, Fabasoft Folio Cloud opens up new possibilities. You can collaborate with your colleagues and business partners reliably and securely - at any time, anywhere and via all web browser end devices. Also via iPhone® and BlackBerry®.

Top Features for Companies

Trusted

Encrypted communication
Optimal creation of documents
The highest standards for record storage

Cloud

24/7 availability
Mobile access (Internet, iPhone®, BlackBerry®)
Simple to use, in 15 languages

Collaboration

Capture or import contacts
Invite friends, form teams
Edit photos, documents etc. together

CLOUDED NETHERLANDS

2010-05-23T12:09:00.000+02:00

from gill4kleuren on flickr.com

CLOUD COMPUTING - PRAISE & CRITICISM

2010-05-23T12:08:00.008+02:00

from Wikipedia.org

Criticism of the Term

During a video interview, Forrester Research VP Frank Gillett expresses criticism about the nature of and motivations behind the push for cloud computing. He describes what he calls "cloud washing" in the industry whereby companies relabel their products as cloud computing resulting in a lot of marketing innovation on top of real innovation. The result is a lot of overblown hype surrounding cloud computing. Gillett sees cloud computing as revolutionary in the long term but over-hyped and misunderstood in the short term, representing more of a gradual shift in our thinking about computer systems and not a sudden transformational change.^[88]^[89]

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation has stated that cloud computing has been defined as "everything that we already do" and that it will have no effect except to "change the wording on some of our ads"^[90]^[91]. Oracle Corporation has since launched a cloud computing center and worldwide tour. Forrester Research^[92]^[93]^[94] Principal Analyst John Rymer dismisses Ellison's remarks by stating that his "comments are complete nonsense and he knows it".

Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation and lead architect and organizer of the GNU Project, said that cloud computing was simply a trap aimed at forcing more people to buy into locked, proprietary systems that would cost them more and more over time. "It's stupidity. It's worse than stupidity: it's a marketing hype campaign", he told The Guardian. "Somebody is saying this is inevitable – and whenever you hear somebody saying that, it's very likely to be a set of businesses campaigning to make it true." ^[95]

Praise of the Term

Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft said of cloud computing "It's the next step, it's the next phase, it's the next transition" and that in addition of Microsoft "pretty much everybody in the technology industry is betting their companies on [...] this incredible transformation around the cloud".^[96]

Werner Vogels, CTO of Amazon, says that "with the cloud comes unconstrained thinking and willingness to tinker and experiment without worrying too much about cost". He claims that "the cloud allows lot of businesses to scale aggressively, like Facebook apps" and that "[Amazon] are enabling a lot things in a way that will be long-term beneficial as it would help build more sustainable businesses using a lot less capital [...] The fact is that because of the cloud, today a young upstart can take market share without an incumbent having time to react."^[97]

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, said "It's a new model. You basically put all your information on servers and you have fast networks and lots of different kinds of personal computers and mobile phones that can use the applications... it's a powerful model and it's where the industry is going."^[98]

FABASOFT FOLIO CLOUD. TRUSTED. CLOUD. COLLABORATION.

2010-05-23T11:57:00.002+02:00

In early 2010, Fabasoft has released its cloud computing software Fabasoft Folio Cloud primo (BETA). You can create your free account on www.foliocloud.com.

EVENT REVIEW: FABASOFT FOLIO CLOUD AT GARTNER PCC SUMMIT

2010-05-23T11:42:00.014+02:00

Faster, higher, further. The company of the future is aiming high.

Sky-high, to be precise. With Cloud Computing these goals are realized daily. Never before has it been so easy to collaborate, detached from time and space.

At this year’s Gartner Summit in Baltimore, current trends on the topic of cloud computing were discussed in think-tank roundtables of experts and users. For years Fabasoft has been closely collaborating with analysts at Gartner, the world leader when it comes to future trends in the IT-sector. The company predicts a rapid growth of cloud computing applications in the coming years. The latest addition to the Fabasoft product family, Fabasoft Folio Cloud, is already – in its BETA version, launched in the beginning of the year - considered by Garter to be one of the biggest hopes in this field.

What distinguishes Folio Cloud from its competitors is the highest degree of security. The usual high safety standard of all Fabasoft products is also integrated into Folio Cloud, a special aspect being the encryption with https, a method familiar through its function of allowing credit card number entry in online payment transactions. In Fabasoft Folio Cloud each and every process is protected at this high level. Thus Folio Cloud is also specifically appropriate for sensitive business areas, a fact strongly emphasized by Gartner. How companies can successfully integrate Fabasoft Folio Cloud into their everyday business was the topic of Karl Mayrhofer’s presentation on “Trusted Cloud Collaboration”.

In roundtables, comprised of experts, analysts and users of cloud computing software, future trends were discussed, case studies presented and recommendations made for the years to come. Through improved design and increased integration of web 2.0 technologies, portals and user interfaces are continually becoming more user-friendly. The new generation of cloud computing software is especially characterized by the integration of user experiences and thus always adapts to actual user needs.

Particular significance is given to the understanding and use of collective intelligence. For a long time it has been known that using social software within a company can enhance business value. Companies that make use of social networking and take advantage of the swiftness and efficiency of online communities already rank among the winners, because information management and the skillful handling of the growing diversity and complexity of data belong to the core areas of cloud computing. Fabasoft and the participants of the Gartner PCC Summit have already realized that social software will revolutionize the IT- and business world in the forthcoming years. And with Fabasoft Folio Cloud, Fabasoft already belongs to the pioneers and innovators of this future branch.

RICHARD STALLMAN ON CLOUD COMPUTING

2010-05-23T11:39:00.000+02:00

WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING? - video

2010-05-23T11:37:00.003+02:00

EACH TO THEIR OWN - MODELS FOR CLOUD COMPUTING

2010-05-23T11:34:00.004+02:00

from Wikipedia.org:

Public cloud

Public cloud or external cloud describes cloud computing in the traditional mainstream sense, whereby resources are dynamically provisioned on a fine-grained, self-service basis over the Internet, via web applications/web services, from an off-site third-party provider who shares resources and bills on a fine-grained utility computing basis.^[28]

Community cloud

A community cloud may be established where several organizations have similar requirements and seek to share infrastructure so as to realize some of the benefits of cloud computing. With the costs spread over fewer users than a public cloud (but more than a single tenant) this option is more expensive but may offer a higher level of privacy, security and/or policy compliance. Examples of community cloud include Google's "Gov Cloud".^[50]

Hybrid cloud

A hybrid cloud environment consisting of multiple internal and/or external providers^[51] "will be typical for most enterprises".^[52] By integrating multiple cloud services users may be able to ease the transition to public cloud services while avoiding issues such as PCI compliance.^[53]

Another perspective on deploying a web application in the cloud is using Hybrid Web Hosting, where the hosting infrastructure is a mix between Cloud Hosting for the web server, and Managed dedicated server for the database server.

Private cloud

Private cloud and internal cloud are neologisms that some vendors have recently used to describe offerings that emulate cloud computing on private networks. These (typically virtualisation automation) products claim to "deliver some benefits of cloud computing without the pitfalls", capitalising on data security, corporate governance, and reliability concerns. They have been criticized on the basis that users "still have to buy, build, and manage them" and as such do not benefit from lower up-front capital costs and less hands-on management^[52], essentially "[lacking] the economic model that makes cloud computing such an intriguing concept".^[54]^[55]

COMMUTING OR CLOUD COMPUTING?

2010-05-23T10:44:00.007+02:00

from Wikipedia.org:

Agility
improves with users' ability to rapidly and inexpensively re-provision technological infrastructure resources.^[26]

Cost
is claimed to be greatly reduced and capital expenditure is converted to operational expenditure^[27]. This ostensibly lowers barriers to entry, as infrastructure is typically provided by a third-party and does not need to be purchased for one-time or infrequent intensive computing tasks. Pricing on a utility computing basis is fine-grained with usage-based options and fewer IT skills are required for implementation (in-house).^[28]

Device and location independence^[29]
enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they are using (e.g., PC, mobile). As infrastructure is off-site (typically provided by a third-party) and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from anywhere.^[28]

Multi-tenancy enables sharing of resources and costs across a large pool of users thus allowing for:

Centralization of infrastructure in locations with lower costs (such as real estate, electricity, etc.)
Peak-load capacity increases (users need not engineer for highest possible load-levels)
Utilization and efficiency improvements for systems that are often only 10–20% utilized.^[22]

Reliability
improves through the use of multiple redundant sites, which makes cloud computing suitable for business continuity and disaster recovery.^[30] Nonetheless, many major cloud computing services have suffered outages, and IT and business managers can at times do little when they are affected.^[31]^[32]

Scalability
via dynamic ("on-demand") provisioning of resources on a fine-grained, self-service basis near real-time, without users having to engineer for peak loads. Performance is monitored, and consistent and loosely coupled architectures are constructed using web services as the system interface.^[28] One of the most important new methods for overcoming performance bottlenecks for a large class of applications is data parallel programming on a distributed data grid.^[33]

Security
could improve due to centralization of data^[34], increased security-focused resources, etc., but concerns can persist about loss of control over certain sensitive data, and the lack of security for stored kernels^[35]. Security is often as good as or better than under traditional systems, in part because providers are able to devote resources to solving security issues that many customers cannot afford.^[36] Providers typically log accesses, but accessing the audit logs themselves can be difficult or impossible. Furthermore, the complexity of security is greatly increased when data is distributed over a wider area and / or number of devices.

Maintenance
cloud computing applications are easier to maintain, since they don't have to be installed on each user's computer. They are easier to support and to improve since the changes reach the clients instantly.

Metering
cloud computing resources usage should be measurable and should be metered per client and application on daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis. This will enable clients on choosing the vendor cloud on cost and reliability (QoS).

CLOUD COMPUTING

2010-05-23T10:37:00.002+02:00

definition from Wikipedia.org:

Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand, like the electricity grid.
It is a paradigm shift following the shift from mainframe to client–server that preceded it in the early 1980s. Details are abstracted from the users who no longer have need of expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them.[1] Cloud computing describes a new supplement, consumption and delivery model for IT services based on the Internet, and it typically involves the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources as a service over the Internet.[2][3] It is a byproduct and consequence of the ease-of-access to remote computing sites provided by the Internet.[4]
The term "cloud" is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawing used in the past to represent the telephone network,[5] and later to depict the Internet in computer network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents.[6] Typical cloud computing providers deliver common business applications online which are accessed from another web service or software like a web browser, while the software and data are stored on servers.
Most cloud computing infrastructure consists of reliable services delivered through data centers and built on servers. Clouds often appear as single points of access for all consumers' computing needs. Commercial offerings are generally expected to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements of customers and typically offer SLAs.[7] The major cloud vendors include the largest IT vendors: Google, IBM, Microsoft, and HP along with Amazon and VMWare.[8]