SkyDrive Gets AJAX Injection

Although I haven't yet used it, the idea behind Microsoft's SkyDrive is pretty hard to complain about. Who could possibly take issue with a free tool that lets you share files and store data? Heck, my Carbonite account is over $50 a year.

SkyDrive is getting a major revamp, with the new version being largely driven by AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). While the old Ajax detergent, the White Tornado, was stronger than dirt, the new AJAX is designed to offer Web browsers more features and interactivity, and speeds performance by pulling data down from a server without slowing down the client (that's the whole "asynch" part of AJAX).

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/19/20112 comments

Cloud Payoff

Microsoft recently won a rather large cloud deal with the University of Nebraska, with Office 365 nudging out Google Apps. In sealing the deal Microsoft gave the University $250,000. Sound sleazy? Some would have us think so, but all this dough is supposed to go to consultants who will make sure Office 365 does the job.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/14/20118 comments

Ensim Floats Unify Cloud Manager

Cloud management concern Ensim has a new tool that lets service providers set up, manage and activate cloud services (be they public, private or hybrid).

Even if you aren't a service provider, these high-end tools often migrate directly down to the enterprise. Or the features themselves are exposed through the service providers.

Here's what Cloud Manager, which works with Microsoft, VMware and Citrix, does:

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/14/20114 comments

Amazon Thins Cloud Pricing

Amazon Web Services is either feeling extra generous or is under intense competitive pressure, as it recently cut prices for both in-bound and out-bound traffic for its line of cloud services.

In fact, in-bound traffic is now free, while out-bound is far cheaper, sometimes as much as 68 percent.

My guess is the move is due to the competitive pressures of Microsoft eliminating Windows Azure in-bound pricing. Coincidence? Since the announcements were a week apart, and the price cuts took place the very same day, I think not.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/14/20111 comments

Cloud Disconnect

Symantec has some interesting findings about the cloud and virtualization. While pretty much bullish, the survey finds that cloud and virt projects tend to not meet expectations, especially when it comes to storage virtualization, which I daresay is more complicated than virtualizing servers, apps or desktops. I can't for the life of me understand why storage is so difficult, but it is.

Symantec also found that IT execs are more bullish on the cloud and virt technologies than mainline business execs, such as CEOs and CFOs. This may be a good thing. How many times has a CEO read an article in an airline magazine and comes back with a brand new IT directive? I'm sure you've been there.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/07/20117 comments

IBM Backs Cloud Backup

IBM this month will try to convince you to trust its new cloud backup and recovery service. More and more of these services are coming out all the time. The backup part is easy. Recovery... not so much. Just like on-premise recovery, which doesn't always work, cloud backup can take days to execute.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/07/20116 comments

Microsoft Exchanges Uptime for Downtime

I feel like I've written this item before. The news is that Microsoft's online Exchange went down again late last month, leaving customers e-mail-free for hours. That's a blessing for some, a disaster for others.

Hmm. Didn't this also happen in May? It sure did.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/05/20115 comments

Microsoft Loves It Some Cloud

Satya Nadella may not be a household name, but he is one smart son of a gun. A while back, Satya ran Microsoft's Dynamics business and while it is no SAP or Oracle, this ERP lineup is doing pretty darn well. Now Nadella is trying to get Microsoft's cloud initiative off the ground. He's not a bad choice for a cloud exec.

Nadella sees the cloud as a transition. He believes the transition is inevitable, but vendors and customers must deal with security first and foremost, as well as compliance (for larger shops) and reliability. He suggests making sure any data going over the wire up to the cloud and back is properly encrypted.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/05/20111 comments

Google vs. Office 365

The day before Microsoft's lavish Office 365 party in New York, Google released a somewhat wacky blog detailing 365 reasons to use Google Apps instead. The only problem: There were only four reasons! I guess we'll have to wait for the other 361.

Posted by Doug Barney on 07/05/20112 comments

High Plains Drifting to Google

Wyoming, a state that most high schoolers can't find on a map even when the word is printed in a 25-point font, is ditching a grab-bag of software and going all in with Google Apps.

Roughly 10,000 employees will be using the Google software over the Web, saving the state a cool million bucks a year. Google actually has a special version of its apps for the government market.

Posted by Doug Barney on 06/28/20115 comments

Office 365 Data Up for Grabs

Microsoft hid a major bit of news right in the middle of an obscure whitepaper. The paper describes how Office 365 security works...or perhaps I should say, how it doesn't work.

Here's the deal. Microsoft believes it has the right and duty to hand over your data when it suits Microsoft, the government's or another party's interests. It doesn't even have to ask.

Posted by Doug Barney on 06/28/20118 comments

Office 365 Very Much Alive

Today is a big day in the Big Apple, as Steve Ballmer is personally announcing the release of Office 365.

This ain't news to Redmond magazine, which recently interviewed about a dozen Office 365 beta testers who in large part said the experience was great. Folks in the SMB space were particularly impressed, whereas bigger enterprises were looking for a bit more oomph.

Posted by Doug Barney on 06/28/20114 comments