Looking Ahead Looking Behind

Every year we ring in the new and ring out the old at New Year, with pomp and celebration.
But let us pause to think ! We have lots to learn from what we have left behind.
Some are tangible but many are intangible, taking stock of this will help us to focus on our future.
We see people passing on, we make new friends, families expand and some contract, jobs are changed, we see ourselves different in the mirror based on our cycle of life.
For a teenager it is coming out into the world and learning to be an adult, for twenty plus time to start life in a job and as a bread-winner,  for someone in their thirties it is time to  work harder to achieve their goals, for someone in their forties it is time to discover the first grey hair and wrinkles and for those above fifty time to plan their retirement or reminiscence on how the world has gone by despite them and those over sixty it is time to start the downhill ride out of this world living and savoring every day they live and those who are luck to have crossed eighty every hour is a boon.

[caption id="attachment_319" align="aligncenter" width="300"]  [/caption]

Whatever your age maybe is it is a time to look behind in the year gone by and take stock.
The lessons of success and failure  is our experience and is our most valuable Teacher.
Write down the best moments, best relationships, best success and also the worst moments, worst relationships and the failures in the year 2012 and make sure you learn from them so that you have a Wonderful and  Fruitful  year ahead in 2013.

Looking Ahead Looking Behind maybe the one of the best investments you can make for  your future.

Cloud Computing Transformation in 2013

As we ring out 2012 which had its share of success and tribulation in cloud computing.
We can ring in 2013 as the year Cloud Computing will  transform into an everyday utility like electricity.
The Cloud will cease to be a novelty or a laboratory, it is for real and it has proved it can deliver reliably in 2012 despite the pessimists who  kept picking on every cloud disruption rather then seeing the totality of the benefits.
2013 will be the year when the cloud will be the utility that transform and drives the economy in a tough and recessionary year.
There will be large cloud utilities formed by merger and acquisition of fragmented cloud server providers and we we will have companies like Microsoft, HP, Dell, IBM, Cisco, EMC  embracing the cloud for their survival and relevance in the technology landscape.
More then 250 companies in the Fortune 500 can move to the cloud today based on their nature of their business and focus on growing their business in a recessionary 2013  rather then burn capital on their in-house computing infrastructure.
There will be companies that will emerge similar to EDS  who will sign contracts to take care of the computing needs of the business by acquiring their technology assets and people and migrate computing to the cloud. Both will benefit and grow with this synergistic relationship the allow them to  focus on their core competence in a recessionary economy.
The CEO & CFO aided by the CTO will lead the journey to cloud with the help of  the legal pundits who will be needed to legally mitigate the  cloud computing risks before the transition into the  cloud.
We will see a Ma Bell  emerge in cloud computing services, one possibility could be the merger of the year (if it every happens) when AWS merges with Microsoft, the technology and marketing synergies will be a Winner for all stake holders including end users.

Just like Thomas Edison's innovations saw the light of the day through GE and delivery of electricity and appliances to the common man.
WE will see a similar dynamo emerging in 2013 in the world of cloud computing which will transform the way we consume computing and disrupt the very way we compute.
FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google were the teasers, the main course in cloud computing will be in 2013.
Let us prepare ourselves and to enjoy the new order of computing in 2013 and beyond lead by the cloud.
Happy New Year.

Footnote : 
Thomas Edison  http://www.ge.com/company/history/thomas-edison
 http://www.ge.com/company/history/1878-1904
Ma Bell 
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_System 

Big Data - Tread Carefully

Big Data is the hottest technology for 2013, but there is a need for better understanding of Big Data and its outcome.
Big Data is not about Cloud Computing though it uses the cloud as the computing engine.
Big Data it is not a killer technology nor a killer app, rather it is a distilled version of the best apps and solutions to handle huge volumes of data bundled with awesome analytic and graphical tools, which churn out output faster then ever before from Big Data (measured in Terabytes and Petabytes).
You need large quantum of clean and usable data to get a ROI and also effective and useful results working on Big Data,.
The fist step is clean data, the second step is what we want to achieve by analyzing this clean data and for this we need a road map, at least we will have some idea of where to reach, though our destination may change in our journey as we sieve through the Big Data..
The right team will succeed with tenacity , knowledge and ability to handle analyse and interpret the results provided by the Big Data tools, assembling a highly competent and skilled set of people to work as a team would be the challenge.

How many Hues can you get in this picture, sieving through big data needs better skills.

How many corporate own Big Data, does it stop at the fortune 500 companies or does it extend beyond that into companies who own Big Data especially Government, Health care, Banking and Financial Services, Consumer Retail and Telcos and also Politicians  Will companies give their data to smaller niche players who specialize in Big Data analytic and interpretation, higher the compliance  lower will be the probability of Big Data moving out an organization.
Do Big Companies have the Big Data as a Strategic Tool in their Plans? Small companies do not have Big Data so who qualify as Big Data Users?
Well for one big data will be used to protect cyber crime and also be used by cyber criminals.
Big Data tools can be used to segment the world's demographics on color, beliefs, attitudes and other attributes. Wars  will be won by master minds who can use Big Data to crack genetic codes and use Big Data to fine tune their strategy to Win at any Cost.
It is important to recognize Big Data tools are potent weapons in the wrong hands and the time to curb it is now before it explodes.
Herein Lies the GAP, we need to harness Big Data for the betterment of mankind and not for destroying the world, it needs to be tamed unlike Nuclear Science which today in the wrong hands has the potential to blow up our fragile world.
Big Data is more potent then a Nuclear Bomb and therein lies the GAP and the Paradox of Big Data!
We need to Tread Carefully into Big Data !

Memories of the Cox Town Market

As the year comes to a close, I remember the Cox Town Market at Bangalore and the memories of an era gone by and only the great New Year fair at Cox Town which still endures.

My family moved into Hutchins Road, Cooke Town in 1965 and the local market was the Cox Town Market, if you did not get stuff here then you would go the big brother Russell Market and if you wanted more aggressive deals to the City Market.

The shopkeepers spoke excellent English at Cox Town Market and though it was a small market it had almost everything you needed to run your home. The tall rain trees always kept the market cool and shady and I still remember there was a cycle stand outside the gates of the market.

The opening and closing time was 9 a.m.  to 1 p.m., afternoon break and then 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.  on the dot and on Sunday’s  it would be closed; actually the huge metal gates would open and close at the given time like clockwork.

The  best memories of the Cox town market is the New Year Fair, the market and the road and the tree would be lit for the evening fair, though the crowds would start assembling from 4 p.m. right through the night.

People of all walks of life would overflow from the footpath onto the road which was closed to traffic for the New year Eve fair. The old and young would haggle with the hawkers all set for this one big day  who would line both sides of the road from Cox Town market all the way to Cox Town Circle. The whole area had a festive air and we would make it a point to visit the fair year on year to buy some trinkets and other stuff from the vendors. There used to balloons, masks, bows and arrows, guns, all sorts of clay figures,  eats and cakes and whole lots of other stuff on sale and the final  price depended on your ability to haggle with the road side sellers. It used to be a cacophony of noise with trumpets, stringed instruments, drums and all sort of musical instruments including whistles and blow horns all going together with the church bells ringing at midnight to usher in the New Year.

The  shops were not many, as you entered the gate were the provision stores and on the left corner I remember the fruit and vegetable shop and at the end of the market was the butcher and at the entrance on the right the fish shop.  The fruit display was awesome and so was the display at the vegetable shop. There were stone barriers put up at the gate to keep out cycles and the cattle from coming into the market. One outstanding feature of the Cox Town Market was it was always kept clean.

The shops had beautiful tiled roofs and lovely granite support for the roofs and plastered walls made of brick, the whole market had an imposing feel and looked like it would last forever.

The best times in the Cox town market was when there were the unpredictable cloud bursts of Bangalore and you had to take shelter in the shops till the rain stopped. These are wonderful memories the rain hitting the tiled roofs and cascading down into a torrent neatly into the gutter provided for taking the rain water away. The huge trees around the market would continue to drip water even after the rains stopped and the pungent smell of the fresh earth, the meats, poultry, fishes, spices and others in the market would really bring one’s sense alive and if it was in the late afternoon as you cycled home you would wade through the aroma of fresh baking Thomson’s Bakery.

Opposite the market was the Cox Town Ladies Gymkhana, with its tennis court and next to it the Frazer Town Police Station (I wondered why this was not called Cox Town Police station, though it was situated in no man’s land between Cox Town and Frazer Town boundaries). The police station was an imposing building made of granite and very grand and forbidding. Towards the Cox Town circle were a few imposing bungalows (all demolished now) and across the road there was the Church. There was also the Municipal Hospital at Cox Town and the Cox Town Girls School run by the municipality.

At about 3.30 p.m. everyday other than Sundays the air would be filled with the aroma of fresh baking from the Thomson’s Bakery. The Thomson’s Bakery too was English and Bread Paper was used to wrap the bread and milk buns which were outstanding, The best season for the Thomson’s Bakery was Christmas, New Year and Easter, when you would get the best from the bakers.

The old Cox Town market has been demolished and replaced with a new concrete structure,  with this simple act the historical landmark  of an era gone by has been buried forever.

 

From the Palace to the Shack

When people transcend from the Palace to the Shack how do they adapt; the story of Buddha is one of  these life transformations where a Prince leaves the palace to become a nomad with not even a shack on his head.
Buddha's teachings and thought leadership still guide the destiny and inspire millions of people all over the world.
In an ever changing world how do real people handle this transformation which is handed to them without their consent, business downsize and you are suddenly without a job and no income.
We  find most people find it difficult to accept the changed situation and continue to live in their grand past, thus they become more confused and non-focused in their new situation.  Most people are never prepared for this eventuality and it is important that we are prepared for unexpected downturns in our circle of life.

[caption id="attachment_311" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Circle of Life ![/caption]

Fortitude and Character are two key attributes which will help us through the circle of life and this we need to focus on strengthening these attributes  as we develop. How do we build equanimity in our view of life ! Can Religion help? Is our Attitudes and Beliefs shaped by our Religious interface and understanding?
If you are a non believer of Religion or an atheist then how to do you prepare yourselves for these unexpected events in your life.
One approach is to ride on regardless, just like a surfer rides the waves, you need to maneuver  yourself with agility and courage through the thralls of the currents of life and believe in yourself that you will overcome whatever obstacles that are placed in your path.
We have inspiration from many Asian leaders which include Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mahavira, Sankara, Gandhi, Osho the list is endless, we have an equal number of leaders from the rest of the world where you will find the answers to guide your through your trials and tribulations.
Remember you are not the first to transcend from the Palace to the Shack, there have been others before you who have come out as better people and persons after their trials and tribulations.
Chin up and ride the wave of life! and Enjoy every moment of it as you transform into a better person and human being!

 

 

 

 

Cloud Conferences and Cloud Conversion

It is the season of Cloud conferences spewing sermons on cloud technology in India and rest of the world.
Cloud Computing will complete a decade soon and we still market cloud services like traditional technology.
Cloud is an utility and we need to learn to deal with selling and marketing cloud computing as an utility.
Do electricity and water companies have conferences to market their services, cloud computing business need a fresh sales and marketing team to retain and acquire new customers.

Learn from Religion for Cloud Conversion 

Cloud adoption is there to stay and the next step is bringing in more followers into the cloud computing fold. We need to change from evangelistic mode to Missionary mode and take a leaf in marketing from the church or similar religious organizations and borrow their strategies for conversion.
Does cloud computing needs a conversion strategy borrowed from Religion, I believe it does because the traditional IT leaders are critics of the cloud and still cling to their old ways.
So where do we begin, just like  converting the "king or ruler " was important for a missionary ; we too need to target the Chairman/CEO and Board of a company for cloud conversion. Talking to the CIO/CTO will get us nowhere in cloud adoption. Once the King is converted the subjects will follow.
So as you make your marketing plans for the next year spend more time taking the cloud into leadership and CXO conferences rather then Cloud preaching  cloud technology to the non believers (CIO/CTO/IT Professionals)..
Conversion will begin in the corner office, and the target for your team for 2013 will be to increase the corporate user base of cloud computing by at least 100 times from your current customers.
Please add this to your annual planning exercise and may cloud computing continue to usher in prosperity  economic benefit, agility and innovation to the cloud service provider and the organizations that benefit from the cloud.
Wishing you'll a cloudy 2013 in your planning for the next year!

Connecting with schoolmates thanks to Social Media

I am today connected to many of my schoolmates thanks to social media, I am connected  with my friends in all continents of our little earth but for Antarctica. But sustaining and rekindling the old relationship after many decades opens a new chapter in  our lives.

Digital connection is social media takes a few minutes, then you join a group made for your schoolmates or classmates and you now connect with more friends from your early and formative years. The Adrenalin rushes as you suddenly realize your school friends have also become old like you and have a family and the pictures belie their age.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="608"] We have taken different routes but are connected again ![/caption]

Meeting some of them in fresh and blood throws up new challenges,we suddenly realize we have nothing much in common other then our years in school. We have taken different paths to reach our life goals and  when we meet again it just seems yesterday that we shared a school bench.

The connect become stronger both in person and in our digital avatars in the social media.

Deep down in our hearts we wish we had more time and opportunities to set the clock back and be school boys once again.

How we wish we could set the clock to relive the wonderful days of comradie  and innocence and the joys  shared in school. Amen.

Big Data - A new CBDO may lead rather then the CMO & CIO

As Big Data throws up more patterns and helps companies carve out new markets the battle lines are drawn on who will lead the organization in creation value from use of Big Data.
Will it be the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) or The CIO (Chief Information Officer) and if they work as a team who will lead the team ?
Big Data may not be useful for all Businesses but those who have large data sets and are looking for patterns in complex market place are those who may benefit the most.

The CMO understands his markets best the CIO understands the technology tools used on Big Data, but there is a vast difference in their approach to problem solving, skill sets and operational styles.
A CIO understand the business operations, the CMO understands the markets best, the CIO delivers the strategic intent with technology as a driver, the CMO delivers real numbers and brings in the cheque to make strategy work.
A difficult decision but any organization will go through a learning curve before the leader is anointed, in some organization the CIO and CMO may lose out on leading the BIG DATA Revolution and a rank outsider who understand Big Data analytics' may be the ideal choice.
Will there be a new position for the CBDO - Chief Big Data Officer  in the corporate landscape?
We will know soon as Big Data Adoption accelerates and becomes the strategy enabler in organizations.

Bharat Badal at Interop 2012 @ Mumbai on 11 October, 2012. 11 October, 2012 l 11:30 am - 12:00 pm Topic: Bharat Badal - How the Cloud can transform Rural India L S Subramaniam Cloud Evangelist & Senior Advisor Power Exchange of India

Abstract: The ability of the cloud to provide agility, innovation, speed of execution and in reducing the barrier to access the best ICT infrastructure for computing is well known and documented. However, the much bigger impact of cloud computing will be felt in rural India. Cloud computing has the potential to substantially reduce the CAPEX spending on ICT by the Government and allow it to provide the digital highway to bridge rural and urban communities, besides acting as a catalyst to shape a knowledge-driven economy. The cloud allows for an equal field irrespective of location and net worth. If one has an idea and the skills, every citizen will have the same opportunity to leverage on the cloud for adding to the economic might of our great nation. This session will explore the benefits of Cloud Computing to the Indian citizen through a Pan Indian National Cloud - Bharat Badal.

A Tribute to Dr. M. L. Shrikant Hon. Dean SP Jain Institute of Management and Research

Dr. M.L. Shrikant has been associated with the SP Jain Institute of Management Research for 25 Years and it has been his relentless efforts that have brought this Institute to be counted among the best in the World.

I was fortunate to be among the first students whom Doctor taught at S.P.Jain and I value my learning from  this great  Guru.
Let us turn the clock back to 1987 when Doctor Shrikanth decided to come back to India and contribute to management education at a time when Indians were waiting for their visas to leave the country.
Doctor  joined as Director of S.P.Jain a Management Institute which was then affiliated to Bombay University for the Master in Management Studies Program.
In 1987 SP Jain had two outstanding qualities, it  belonged to the Bhavan’s family and was inaugurated by Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, the then Prime Minister of U.K.
Dr. Shrikant has  a brilliant academic record; he is a B.S. ( Production) from the Michigan Technology University and an M.S. (Mechanical) at the University of Illionis.
Until 1974 he was one of the youngest CEO’s in India heading Mukand Ltd. He then went back to the United States to pursue his MBA (Finance) at Cornell and finally completed his DBA from Harvard the Mecca for Management education.
We were fortunate to have Dr. Shrikant as  the Director of our Institute and also as our Professor, he taught us to use the Porter's  Framework for Competitive Strategy at a time when Indian corporates were waking up to global competition.
Our Strategic Management project had to use the Porter’s framework. He hand picked several companies for us so that we could have practical experience in using the Porter’s framework.
We still remember he would refer to Mike (Dr. Michael Porter) and we were intrigued, until someone in the class figured that Doc had known Mike at Harvard. Our awe and reverence for Dr Shrikant was amplified after this discovery.  Doc  I still use the Porter framework for strategic mapping and it has never failed me.
It has been a long journey for Doctor and today SP Jain is ranked among the best in the world for management education.
Doctor this has been due to your vision and tireless striving.Doc has worked hard to raise funds to built a world class campus and a team of  outstanding teachers. Thanks to Doc we are proud to be part of the SP Jain family today.
On the completion of your 25 years in bringing quality management education to India and the rest of the world we salute you Doctor.
Doc your legacy will live beyond your time in your students who will use their education to make India and the world a better place for future generations.

Thank you DOC !

Bio : Dr. Shrikant M.L. : Hon Dean, D.B.A. Harvard, M.B.A. (Finance) Cornell, M.S. (Mech.) University of Illinois, B.S. (Production) Michigan Technology University. Chief Executive, Mukand Ltd. till 1974. Director on boards of several firms, in India & U.S., on strategic issues of Management. Areas of interest : Business Policy, Finance, Business Environment & Research. (Photo courtesy SPJIMR).

Cloud Computing A Business enabler

The dilemma faced by today’s business leader is “Do we need Cloud Computing?” 

Business needs reliability, accessibility, confidentiality, integrity, availability, security & Benefit.

The cloud scores well on all these requirements, though the complexity of cloud deployment and governance increases from a Public cloud to a Private Cloud and to a Hybrid cloud and the skills required increase from SAAS to PAAS and to IAAS.

Cloud is costly, cloud is not secure, cloud is marketing, virtualization is cloud  is echoed by many technology professionals , though none of these may be totally valid.

Cloud Computing decisions will move to the corner office and the Board Room and will be a Strategic Business Enabler rather then a CIO/IT Leadership's prerogative. 

The Road Less Travelled is Fraught with Danger!

Photo Credit – Amitav Thamba

Cloud - A Business Perspective

The business today needs Reliability, the cloud is as reliable as an  in-house data center if architected correctly, yes there may be occasional disruptions in cloud services which are amplified by the cloud slayers. Seasoned technology professionals know there are bad days in in-house data center’s which are not shared with the outside world.

The business needs Accessibility, the cloud offers awesome accessibility from any network which can connect on the internet, it also offers accessibility from multiple devices including the desktop, notebook, laptop, mobile, tablet and net book and a multitude of other devices.

Accessibility on the cloud is anytime, anywhere in a public cloud, though in private/hybrid cloud accessibility can be defined by the Business.

The business needs Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability & security, the cloud offers incremental services based on the needs of your business. It is important to budget all cost at the time architecting a suitable cloud solution for the business.

The business needs Cost Benefit to deliver customer delight and shareholder value, the Public  Clouds Opex model is unbeatable for certain businesses whose need for computing is based on business needs; for private hybrid cloud too the cost savings are sustainable in terms of energy, space and management cost savings.

My business cannot use the cloud, is heard often. Any business can use cloud computing whatever its nature of business even if it is government, education, SME, ITES, startups, social organizations and Rural Empowerment. You will need to map your computing needs and then map it to the cloud deployment you want to adopt for your business.

Government can use a National Cloud like Bharat Badal (a proposed nationwide cloud deployment for India), other state governments and specific departments can build their own private/hybrid clouds based on their computing needs or use Bharat Badal. National cloud adoption by government will significantly bring down the computing costs and improve the e-governance service costs to citizens.

Education is the biggest beneficiary of cloud computing, we can reach to the remotest hamlet and give access to world class education wherever there is broadband. Many schools and colleges drive learning collaboration on tools from Facebook or Google.  there are customized solutions too available for the education sector. The Khan Academy’s innovation in using YouTube has revolutionized learning by the use of cloud computing.

SME can leapfrog into world class computing for their manufacturing, distribution, marketing and even B-B connects, this is one sector who is going to be the biggest gainer using the cloud.

ITES has a great new opportunity to provide services on the cloud and also use it for delivery of its services and solutions globally. The cloud is the next big opportunity for the Indian ITES industries and the adopters will benefit significantly  by providing cloud  computing services.

Startups can use the cloud to launch their business at a fraction of the cost, entrepreneurs using the cloud are many and they have all benefited by leveraging on the opex payment and low cost solutions offered on the cloud. An animation services startup can deliver services using cloud computing and save on significant capex costs in a business which has a short life cycle because of the large investments needed in technology.

Social Organizations use the cloud for collaboration, communication and anything else they may need to maximize the benefits of computing to achieve their desired social agenda. 

Rural empowerment will divide the great divide between urban and rural populations in developing countries like India and others. The cloud can be used to educate, inform, collaborate and merge the rural population into the national urban mainstream and provide the same services that urban dwellers can benefit from. One of the significant developments in the rural India has been telemedicine solutions which provide remote diagnosis and remote advise for the best treatment.

IT Governance Risk and Compliance is a challenge in the cloud hence we cannot adopt is for business is no longer true. There is significant work done in cloud security by NIST, Cloud Security Alliance supported by the cloud industry, ISACA and ENISA which will allow business to have same level or better IT GRC for their organization in the cloud coupled with business agility and significant cost benefits and savings.

Business need to assess their security posture, business needs, and the challenges of cloud adoption and put in place cloud architecture for their business before plunging into the cloud. Business has to include their cloud strategy in the annual corporate plans as a strategic business enabler and not as a line item in the IT plan, this alone will bring the benefits to business.

If your business cannot use the cloud today, wait for a few quarters and review again because the cloud is maturing daily and the commoditization of computing with the cloud is a reality and growing exponentially.

Business can benefit from the Cloud if it identified Cloud Computing as a Strategic Business enabler and accelerates cloud deployment and adoption for the Business.

If you are the Business Leader then start working toward cloud adoption, if you are the IT leader is time you get your skills updated for cloud computing. 

Cotton to Cloud

Cotton to Cloud - Sunset to Sunrise

We stopped over at the Davanagere Town recently,  a district headquarters in the state of Karnatakaand the 7th largest city in the state of Karanataka ( Bangalore/Bengalooru is the largest). It is about 260kms/160 miles from Bangalore.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davangere) on the Bangalore Mumbai (Bombay) National Highway and also boasts of a large Railway station and the government plans to set up an aiport soon in Davanagere (.http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/13/stories/2008071352540300.htm).

Davanagere was the textile capital of  South India in the last century and it even today people remember the quality of Davangere cotton dhotis ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhoti).

Davangere's cotton mills are closed today and stand testimony to a hoary past when it was called the "Manchester of South India", today the looms stand still in these factories.

Davanagere today has a number of wonderful educational institutions and a cultured and vibrant people who are hardworking and industrious like their grand parents who came to work in the cotton mills. 

Davanagere has the opportunity to nurture innovation and new solutions and also provide support for cloud computing at a fraction of the cost offered by Bangalore or other big city companies in India.

Davanagere is a lovely city with its own football and cricket clubs and a wonderful quality of life when compared to Bangalore.Its most famous cuisine is Benne Dosa (Butter and rice pancake) washed down with a cup of hot coffee.

Towns like Davanagere will be the future destinations for Cloud Computing , these will be the new temples for  Information and Communication Technology solution delivery for the world from India. 

Are your ready to help Davanagere to move from Cotton to the Cloud ?

Videcon and the set top box installation.

Lat week we decided it was time to get rid of my cable operator and get a set-top box instead thanks to the new government regulations. After talking to a few friends and contacting a few dealers we zeroed in on the Videocon d2h service -  http://www.videocond2h.com.

Decided to buy the Satellite HD DVR which offered to record programs http://www.videocond2h.com/WSC/products.aspx and which was also their best model offered in terms of features and functionality.

Sunday the dealer came home and promptly delivered the set-top box and told me that the installation will happen on Monday. I asked the dealer whether he needed  a site survey before selling me the box, he told me that there would be no problem to get ti working, it would happen in no time at all.

Monday nothing happened and had to call the dealer to enquire the status and he told me he would help with sending the technician for installation. Late in the evening on Monday a technician landed up at my  home and told me he would install the antenna in my window after I had fixed the issue of laying the concealed cable. He gave me the cable for the electrician to install.

I managed to get an electrician on Tuesday morning who fixed the concealed cabling which resulted in my existing cable connection to my TV being terminated. There would be no TV in the house until videocon d2h set-top box  started.

The technician came by noon to continue with the installation, he worked on the position of the antenna and figured he had to change the method of the housing since he was not getting the desired signal strength.

The technician vanished for a while and by evening the new position of the antenna was done , but there was no signal in my television. He had a spare  set-top box which worked with my television. He too my set top box and brought a new one after about three hours but that too did not work, after a few phone calls he finally realized he needed a software patch to make it work with my Sony Television.

He promised to be back on Wednesday morning, I am still waiting for him to show up on Thursday morning. When I called him this morning he told me he is trying to get the software from his company and he should be able to fix the problem soon.

We have had no television at home since Monday but fortunately I have twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to keep connected on the news in the world and not to forget the newspaper. And since there is no television I have had to time to write this blog post

My friend tells me I expect too much customer service in India and I should get down to reality. He says I should be patient and not get too bothered by Videocon's  attitude as it is the same by all companies in India.

He may right  "Videocon is now 80% oil company: Venugopal Dhoot, CMD, Videocon" , d2h is no longer a focus area for Videocon.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-27/news/31245137_1_venugopal-dhoot-ravva-videocon

I still wonder why Abhishek Bachchan endorses a brand which is no longer a focus area by the Videocon business leadership.
( Photo courtesy Videocon d2h website).

Meanwhile I have  a new perspective about life with no TV, I have been spared of the nonsensical news beamed to me, I have learnt to laugh at other's jokes without being  prompted and finally the family is all set to go outdoors since there is no television program binding them to the couch. Also my fingers are at rest since they are not twitching on the TV remote.

Maybe I should just try to sell the videocon d2h on ebay, and use my television as my computer monitor and get on to the digital highway.  Shall wait until weekend before putting up these items for sale :-). Until then I wait for Videocon to fix my set-top box.

#Algorithmic trading? #Use Cloud Computing !

Algorithmic Trading or the shorter term Algo is today's F1 engine for trading in financial markets.Wiki:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_trading 

Alog Trading is like a high speed expressway.
Photo Courtesy : Amitav Thamba

Cloud Computing will make Algos faster  reliable and cost effective for trading in stocks and commodities globally. Algos which were the privilege of large fund management houses will now be available to any investor as a SAAS solution in the cloud. Here is a link to one such solution from EtnaSoft http://www.etnasoft.com/solutions/etna-robot.

Algos will make the day trader redundant and we will see more doctoral candidates stringing the Algo logic and the trade cycles being executed in shorter cycle time.
The regulator will be forced to acknowledge and accept Algo trading and exchanges will need to move their trading applications to the Cloud to support the Algo engines.
NYSE has already done significant work in leveraging the cloud for trading, other exchanges will need to finalize their cloud strategy for their trading engine.
Be prepared for greater upheavals in the global financial markets in the day ahead and tools for Risk Management will also move to the cloud to keep pace at this unprecedented speed and computing power driven by algos in the cloud.

Today a 24x7 global trading platform is viable and the cloud computing infrastructure which is agile, economical and available 24x7 the world is ready for non-stop trading with Algo engines. But Is the Regulator Ready ?
. 

Appoint a Cloud Computing Strategist for Cloud Adoption!

Many business are still on the fence because they do not have a Cloud Computing Strategy for cloud adoption.
Many business are still moving into the cloud without clear direction and in most cases it is being driven by the business leaders rather then the IT department which increases the Business Risk.
If your business does not have a Cloud Computing Strategy then it is best to hire an outside cloud computing strategist who can help you put together one. A good cloud computing strategy will make sure you have a cost effective and safe boat for your cloud journey. 

A good cloud computing strategy will ensure a safe boat for your cloud journey.
Photo Courtesy : Dr. Ajay Gopal

The first step is in choosing the right Cloud Computing strategist for your cloud journey. You need a strategist who is an expert at cloud computing technology,is vendor independent and one who can identify the strategic enablers for the success of your business. In today's world the cloud computing strategist could be located anywhere in the world, the cloud provides all the collaboration tools needed to put together an effective Cloud Computing strategy for your business. 

Once you choose the Cloud Computing strategist it will be good for you to share you business strategy and also your expectations from cloud computing. You must make sure the cloud strategist works with your business leaders in choosing the right solutions which will work for your business; you need to make sure the strategist also includes the methodology and project plan for your business to leverage the cloud including the migration and deployment of new applications. Finally the strategist must also help your team choose the right vendor for your business and must be capable of working with your legal team in sewing the agreements with the cloud vendor to mitigate Risk. 

Be assured if you adopt a Cloud Computing Strategy with an vendor independent strategist your boat into the cloud will be reliable and economical. All the best for your journey into the world of cloud computing. 

P.S. : This post is inspired by Mr.Loknath Patro.

Blackberry in the Washing Machine

BlackBerry in the Washing Machine

About a month ago I bought my first Blackberry (BB); BlackBerry offered more in security and also awesome features.
Though it was priced more than an Android or Windows phone I decided to go ahead and buy a BB.
Soon the BB and I became inseparable, it was my constant companion for my Email and Twitter streams.
BB had an awesome  camera and I put it to work to capture some wonderful pictures; the music player was ideal for my morning walk.
The Blackberry controls grew as an extension of my personality.

I was shattered when I discovered that my Blackberry had gone through a full wash cycle in the washing machine.
It looked normal and there was not a speck of water in the phone and there was no damage since it was in the case.
It was a nice long walk in the morning and somehow the Blackberry made it to the washing machine with my laundry.
I tried to revive the Blackberry but is was a non starter, it was not going to wake up it was dead as a doornail.

I  rushed my BB to the Blackberry support center, they told me they would tell me in a week whether my BB could be saved or I need to buy a new BB.
Meanwhile my fingers twitch for my Blackberry Phone, the spare phone does not measure up to my BB.
My children tell me I should buy a waterproof phone, but I am confident that my BB will be repaired and will be back in action soon.
Meanwhile I used my twitching fingers to pen this blog post, hope you enjoyed reading it.

CISO will be the future CEO in a Cloud Enabled World

Last week I had an opportunity to address some of the finest CISO's in India about the Cloud Security Alliance and Securing Cloud Computing .
Interacting with these CISO's convinced me that they have the potential to be future CEO's as Business is adopts Cloud Computing for agility and economics.
As business moves to the cloud for  computing  IT GRC will be a key driver for acceptance of Cloud Computing.
The CISO will be like a large tree protecting the organization from vulnerabilities and ensuring  business continuity in the Cloud.

CISO is like a large tree providing protection .

The Wikipedia defines the Influence of the CISO.

Typically, the CISO's influence reaches the whole organization. Responsibilities include:

• Information security and information assurance
• Information regulatory compliance (e.g., US PCI DSS, FISMA, GLBA, HIPAA; UK Data Protection Act 1998; Canada PIPEDA)
• Information risk management
• Information technology controls for financial and other systems
• Information privacy
• Computer Emergency Response Team / Computer Security Incident Response Team
• Identity and access management
• Information security architecture
• IT investigations, digital forensics, eDiscovery
• Disaster recovery and business continuity management
• Information Security Operations Center ISOC
  Source :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_information_security_officer

The CISO knows the business risks best,  the compliance and regulatory issues, the people and their roles  plus the threats and vulnerabilities that could harm the business. 

The CISO is the most important leader at a time of disaster and entrusted with Business continuity management. The CISO is the key leader  in ensuring the continuity of the business in times of calamity. 

 In today's changing world of cloud computing it is the CISO who can give the confidence and assurance of the security offered in deploying cloud computing either public, private or hybrid. 

It is the CISO who assures and overcomes the compliance issues raised by regulators; the CISO also understands the compliance needs of the business best. 

In future the Board will groom the CISO as the future business leaders and the CISO will take center stage for cloud adoption by the Business.

The CISO will be center stage in taking the business to the Cloud and will provide the assurance for the safety of adopting Cloud Computing. 

Welcome today's  CISO, the future CEO of the Corporation !

Facebook and Mephisto

Facebook and Mephisto Facebook has become every persons delight,  I opened my Facebook page and presto I had this lovely picture of the Miami beach posted by my friend with the time and date. Mobile computing makes everything a breeze. One button click and presto you have it on Facebook. Wow

Photo Courtesy Dhruv 

Mephisto is a movie of the last century, where the actor trades with the Devil for glory and fame.

The movie closes with the dialogue given below: 

Well, how do you enjoy this limelight?

This is the real light, isn't it?

What do they want of me? After all...
  ... l'm only an actor

Source courtesy : http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/m/mephisto-script-transcript-klaus-mann.html

Are we trading our soul, our privacy for the moment of glory to tell our family, friends and fools connected with us on FB our innermost secrets and not to forget everyone else who buys our data from Facebook. Facebook already has  our timeline ready thanks to power of its data analytics.

Are we the  Emperors and Empresses in the world of Facebook, just like the King in the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes.

Well we seem to be blind to fact that we are naked in a digital world and even this blog I am cranking away is faithfully logged in by my browser.

Is Facebook the Devil or is  Facebook  the Messenger?

I believe the Devil is in the details we post on Facebook.  Amen.

Mephisto (1981) : http://www.flixster.com/movie/mephisto/

#Mephisto and #Facebook

 Mephisto is a movie of the last century, but  the message of the movie is etched in my mind, especially the ending.

Well, how do you

enjoy this limelight?

This is the real light, isn't it?

What do they want of me? After all...
  ... l'm only an actor.
Source courtesy : http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/m/mephisto-script-transcript-klaus-mann.html

( More about Mephisto at the bottom of this blog).

Facebook has become every persons delight,  I opened my Facebook page and presto I had this lovely picture of the Miami beach posted by my friend with the time and date. Mobile computing makes everything a breeze. One button click and presto you have it on Facebook. Wow

Are we trading our soul, our privacy for the moment of glory to tell our family, friends and fools connected with us on FB our innermost secrets and not to forget everyone else who buys our data from Facebook. Facebook already has  our timeline ready thanks to power of its data analytics.

Are we the  Emperors and Empresses in the world of Facebook, just like the King in the story of the Emperor's New Clothes.

Well we seem to be blind to fact that we are naked in a digital world and even this blog I am cranking away is faithfully logged in by my browser.

Is Facebook the Devil, actually Facebook is the only the messenger, the Devil is in the details we post on Facebook.  Amen.

Source : http://www.flixster.com/movie/mephisto/

Mephisto (1981)

Based on Klaus Mann's novel, Mephisto details the rise of a Faustian character who figuratively sells his soul in exchange for greatness. Hendrik Hofgen (Klaus Maria Brandauer, offering an electric performance) is the star of a state-funded theater department who tires of his job. Like his friends, he pays lip service to socialist ideals fashionable for artists of his time -- that is, until the Nazis rise to power. He then sees an opportunity to achieve his objective of fame: he will perform propaganda plays and thereby use the Nazis as a vehicle to spread his name across the country -- only too late does he realize his mistake. This well-adapted version of the book featured the first teaming of Brandauer with director Istvan Szabo; they would later reunite to make Colonel Redl and Hanussen. Brandauer first gained attention in the U.S. after the film's release and would be cast as the villain in Never Say Never Again as a result. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

Cloud computing are you prepared?

IT leaders give tell me the cloud is complex, security is suspect and it is another great marketing gimmick; I am happy with virtualized servers.

But there is a growing tribe of innovators around the world who are building and leveraging on the cloud, the Facebook issues spurs them on since they see a wonderful opportunity for creating value from deploying on the cloud.

AWS day at Mumbai 

There are some outstanding business leaders who are using the cloud for agility, innovation and operational cost saving, there are companies who recognize cloud computing as a strategic business tool. There are a number of these corporate successes I have shared via Tweeter (http://www.twitter.com/subramanianls), but of merit is the cloud based NYSE trading platform and the Citibank private cloud. NYSE has democratized trading with its cloud offering and Citibank has saved costs and  become agile with its private cloud migration.

I believe 2012 will be the year when the cloud computing becomes a global commodity, the question to IT leaders will be  "Do you use cloud computing ?  Those who get into the cloud bus will benefit others will get left behind?

Are you ready to board the Cloud Bus ?

Do you have the skills, ability and understanding of cloud computing ?

Maybe it is time to go back to school and acquire these skills. All the best. 

Be Prepared for the cloud deluge which will be driven by the Board Room and not the IT  leaders. 

The lecture hall at the DAICT, Gandhinagar, India 

No Travel and No Visa Required for Cloud Delivery

No Travel Advisory and No Visa Quotas required for  Cloud Delivery.

You can deliver on the cloud from anywhere, anytime and anyway as long as you possess skill in cloud computing solutions,  a good internet connection and a customer who needs your delivery skills.

Open the Valves for Cloud Computing Delivery.
View from Powai Lake,Mumbai.

In the old days we needed a visa to work elsewhere in the world, we needed to adapt to different cultural and climatic conditions and finally many  just stayed back never to return to their homeland.

Cloud Computing allows one to work from wherever they please with a netbook or tablet and deliver the computing support and delivery needed by their customers anywhere in the world.
This transformation on cloud computing delivery will gain momentum in 2012 and we will see innovative SAAS products being imagined in Greenland , developed in Asia and delivered to customers in North America. None of these players need to travel or apply for a visa or for that matter take any vaccines to make this happen. 

This is the power of the Cloud and we will see this transformation accelerating in 2012. 

The gates for " Body Shopping " will be Shut !
Entrance to the Business School  (today a Chemistry Department) where I studied 1985-87

A fallout of the cloud computing revolution will be the death of "Body Shopping ".

Lightening has already struck a few medium sized IT firms in India, a few will close down and some will salvage  by selling out.
Some of the Indian IT companies in India who own a number of captive hotels may change their business from IT services to Hospitality services. 

The cloudburst will create a deluge which will  have many IT companies looking for alternate business to survive.

Those who steer their Business to Cloud Computing Services will survive and those that just cannot turn direction will see their Captains deserting the ship. 

This has already happened last year at one of the Indian IT biggies last year, more will follow in 2012. 

 

Microsoft is ready to be Leader in Cloud Services

After a few false starts, Microsoft is ready to be the Leader in Cloud Services in 2012. Today there was a news item that Microsoft will buy the Nokia Smartphone business with this Microsoft has all the arsenal needed to be the Leader in the Cloud.
 http://www.slashgear.com/microsofts-nokia-smartphone-division-acquisition-tipped-imminent-05206304/

Business is Waiting for Microsoft's Cloud Services 

The Marketing Skills of Microsoft are legendary and we will see Steve Ballmer leading the troops from the front to conquer the world and give them the Azure services bundled with Microsoft (earlier Nokia) smart phones.
Microsoft is equipped to play in all three spaces namely PAAS, SAAS and IAAS and will lead in each of these segments especially among Corporate users.
Microsoft will shun its non profit social networking and media business if its advertising revenues cannot support them and will become a pure play provider of Cloud and Technology services to the Business of the world, where it is the trusted and valuable partner.
Amazon will continue supporting the world of social media, with a few glitches during busy days, and apple can continue entertaining the world in its icloud eco system.
Business Users cannot tolerate failure or interruptions in services will flock to Microsoft like the tigers in the picture.
2012 will be the year of the Cloud and Microsoft will lead the charge and bring back their dominance as the Juggernaut of Marketing.