Cloud computing is either a revolutionary IT management tool or
a nebulous puff of marketing hype, depending on whom you ask.
For now, we’re thinking it’s puffery—but intriguing developments
are under way. A Cloudy Concept Rather than house your own IT
servers or rent the maximum processing and storage capacity
you’ll ever need, why not pay only for what you use, when you
use it? That’s the basic idea behind cloud computing—and it’s an
alluring possibility for many reasons, not least the desire to
contain costs and reduce energy consumption. But it turns out
that much of the appeal is based on a murky understanding of the
concept. According to research by Gartner group vice president
Mark McDonald, the percentage of CIOs interested in cloud
computing has grown considerably, from 5% in 2009 to 37% earlier
this year. And the bigger the company, the more likely
management is to say that cloud computing is a top-five IT
priority. Interest in Cloud Computing But three out of four
respondents who profess interest i