The Future of Information Systems | Perspective from a Vice President in Microsoft

While speaking to a Vice President of Microsoft in Brussels recently, it was evident that Cloud Computing is the direction for Microsoft in the future. Without going into the details of SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and HaaS, cloud technology simply is a technology that was long introduced during the formation of gmail, ymail etc. Cloud today and in the future is to have a data base center where enterprises and individuals are able scale up or scale up operations on the computers so as to have the flexibility and efficiency of not owing softwares on computers and hardwares such as large data centers.

Microsoft, who is currently market leader in cloud computing, see cloud technology as the solution to Europe's aging population, as cloud targeting at enterprises would effectively reduce capital expenditure and operating cost as well as decrease employment, and this effectively reduce the impact of the aging population.

Currently, Microsoft has 2 data centers supporting the Europe and 5 data centers for US for cloud technology. Furthermore, Microsoft demonstrated the flexilibility of cloud with open source application through the integration Linux and Microsoft OS for one of events organized by IonEARTH, a global race positioning company. Companies like Domingo Pizza and Starbucks, also purchased "on-demand" services from Microsoft during certain unique peak periods. In essence, Microsoft is selling the 'time' required to used their specific services as such data space, bandwidth, application linkages etc. and companies are able to customize what they require.

The main issues which are hindering the advancement of cloud is security and legal. This explains why Microsoft's clients at the moment comes from the manufacturing companies and Small-Medium Enterprise (SMEs)where information is less sensitive. Microsoft's aim to move into the Banking and Financial Institutes and eventually to the government organizations where secrecy is of utmost importance. Currently Google, AOL, Amazon are Microsoft's main competitors in cloud technology and it will be interesting who would emerged as the market leader in time to come.