Love Share & Trust

Love, Share and Trust are needed in abundance in the New Year to make our lives meaningful.
Love is described in the thefreedictionary.com as " A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness".
The key message here is of underlying oneness, the belief that we are all same in the eyes of the Lord irrespective of our position in Life. Hence loving your family, friends, neighbours and even strangers will make the world a much better and rewarding place for all of us to live happily.
Share is described in the thefreedictionary.com as - A part or portion belonging to, distributed to, contributed by, or owed by a person or group.
The key message here is sharing your time, knowledge, wealth, joy with others by selflessly giving whatever you can in time, kind or money or even volunteering to make our world a happier place.
Trust is described in the thefreedictionary.com as - Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing ; also Something committed into the care of another; charge.
We need to have Firm reliance on the integrity of our fellow beings to forge strong relations and also build bridges. Trust is the glue which binds us together as human beings and which allow us to Love and Share, without Trust we will be living in a hollow and insular world.
Thus bring in the New Year with a reaffirmation on Love, Share and Trust in your life; The best day to begin is on the First Day of the Year 2014.

Wishing You and your family, friends and acquaintances a Year filled with Love, Share & Trust.

2014 - A year of Clear Skies for Cloud Computing

As Cloud Computing goes mainstream and drives the collaboration , commerce, cohesion and social mores in the World, the cloud skies are history and let us ring in 2014 as the Year for Clear Skies for Cloud Computing.
Here are 14 thoughts for 2014 -

1. 2014 will be the year where if you are not in the cloud your IT strategy maybe suspect. 
2. 2014 will be the year when cloud computing will be referred to as computing and be the technology for business and individuals.
3. 2014 will be the year when your health parameters and personal life will be logged in the cloud through the internet of things. 
4. 2014 will be the year when mobility will be pass, phablets will rule the end point device market.
5. 2014 will be when cloud security will not longer a concern, rather the cloud will be engine to secure the digital world.
6. 2014 will be the year when SMAC will be an utility for the CMO.
7. 2014 will be the year when Community Clouds will take center stage. 
8. 2014 will be the year when cloud evangelists be history. 
9. 2014 will be when the highest marketing decibels will be from hardware vendors like IBM, Dell, HP.
10. 2014 will be the year when there will be more successful startups outside the Silicon Valley.
11. 2014 will be the year when countries that do not have cloud connectivity be economically crippled.
12. 2014 will be the year when cloud security solutions will make more money then traditional security solutions.
13. 2014 will be the year of consolidation of cloud service providers, a great year for Merger & Acquisition specialists.
14. 2014 will be the year when the valuation of cloud companies will be more then the value of old economy companies in Wall Street.

Wishing you and your family and colleagues a Wonderful Year with clear skies for (Cloud) Computing. 

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Christmas in Ole Bangalore East

Christmas in Ole Bangalore East used to be a week of joy and merriment, the city used to be colder and we would have children singing Christmas Carols from Door to Door for chocolates and goodies.
The houses would be all decorated with lighted Stars at the key location of the bungalows and the whole air became festive. The Holy Ghost Church and the Catholic Center would be packed with the faithful for the midnight mass. Those were the days when Mass was still recited in Latin and many of us would join the midnight mass for the fun and bonhomie.
There were still independent houses or cottages with tenants living in the outhouses on rent in the larger properties. Alas the old buildings are all gone to be replaced by apartments and there are but a few still remaining waiting for the day to go under the hammer .... going going gone .The whole area would smell of baking and cooking and the aroma would waft through the air and tingle our taste buds. We would look forward to the sweets and savouries that our neighbors the would share with us. Well gone are those days as the area has slowly transformed into apartments, with carol singing confined to the apartments.
But there was time when the whole of Bangalore East would be dressed in their best clothes between the day before Christmas right through ringing in the New Year.
Though Bangalore East has transformed with the passage of time, the wonderful memories still stay on and spring back to life before Christmas. Merry Christmas to all my friends wishing you'll joy and fun with your family & friends

[caption id="attachment_706" align="aligncenter" width="250"] Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas and Joyous New Year.[/caption]

CIO Journey to the Corner Office - A reality or a Fantasy !

Recently I was in a panel discussion in a Seminar and the question of the CIO's journey to the corner office as the CEO of the Company.
Unfortunately the instances of the CIO transforming to a CEO are few in the world of business and there are number  of reasons logically this transformation is possible but in a Real world it is a fantasy.
Let us examine the qualities of a good CIO the first of course is being a good team player, second political acumen to survive and please the various stake holders in business and the last is the IT prowess.
CIO's who are successful do excel in people management and handling corporate warfare and wading through uncertain cycles in the business.
But are these qualities enough to make them the CEO, there are certain factors missing, the CIO never leads the business troops which is essential to be a CEO, neither does the CEO interact with the Board on a regular basis in most companies, the CIO is drowned in budgets,data and analysis whereas many successful CEO's are street smart and lead from the Gut.

Let there be a New Dawn for CIO's to realize their Potential as Business CEO's 

Thus the qualities needed by a CIO and the CEO are world's apart, though the CIO has a ringside view of business the CIO is not the doer, the CIO is just the observer watching from the sidelines.
The CIO seldom has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership attributes ; the CIO does lead  the IT team, which are mostly a breed with high IQ and high emotions thus when the CIO has to lead the troops it will be greeted with resistance and followed by failure.
The Board seldom gives face time to the CIO, most often it is the CFO who gets the credit from the Board and whom the Board trusts for IT Investments, this puts the CIO at a Disadvantage but the CEO is comfortable, since the probability of the Bean Counter wanting the corner office is generally remote.
Though some CFO's have become CEO's  the outcome has been mixed.
So if the reality is that the CIO Journey to the corner office is doomed, then how does the CIO realize one's fantasy?
IF the CIO firmly believes that one is made for the corner office, then then at the first opportunity the CIO should jettison the IT department as a cost center, and as the first step make the IT department the profit center.
Few Boards will agree with this approach, so it is the CIO's persuasive powers alone which can make it happen and a good time to try is when the Business is doing well.
The CIO  has an enlightened Board and the IT Department becomes a profit center, the next step of  the CIO  is to reduce the exposure of IT services to the parent business and expand the IT services to outside companies. This should to be done quickly and with profits must accrue into the balance sheet of the Profit Center led be the CIO.
A smart CIO can show exponential growth in IT services, since the angel investor is the parent company and when the CIO converts the IT company into an independent unit then the CIO's  fantasy will be a reality .
Surprisingly IT companies return on Assets employed is one of the highest in the world and the IT Division can be spun as a separate entity and subsequently get listed and create wealth for all and bigger corner office to the CIO transformed in the CEO.
Here is wishing all CIO's a wonderful journey to the corner office as the CEO's of their own IT companies, after nothing succeeds like success driven by one's own core competence.
May more CIO's transform in CEO's in 2014!

P.S. There are number of these CIO's today who due to circumstances or of their own choice have transformed themselves into CEO's and  seem to be happier and effective.
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Will 2014 be the year of Community Clouds ?

As the year of SMAC the outlier which changed  the fortunes of business across the world in 2013.
Looking into the crystal glass, we see that next year 2014 will the year of Community Clouds which will change the fortunes of companies which specialize in data center solutions.
We will see community clouds being build by the Fortune 500 companies in a collaborative manner, business across Europe will drive the adoption of Community Clouds in Europe to adhere to the ENISA guidelines.
Cloud Computing now moves beyond cost it is about reliability, economics of scale, security and mutli device support and global standards.
Community clouds will be adopted by the banks of Europe, the pharmaceutical companies of Europe, the European Union and more.
Developing regions in the globe too will adopt cloud computing, Africa will lead the charge with large nations like Brazil, Latin American countries and across the APAC region.

A Bus in Mumbai, A community initiative !

Everyone is worried about privacy in the cloud and the community cloud will allow them to build the trust and reliability and economy of scale they are seeking.
In a world that cannot retreat from Digital footprint, the community cloud will be the way forward and 2014 will be the year of Community clouds.
Companies like HP, IBM , DELL will benefit from this thrust as their hybrid cloud adopters will migrate to community clouds from public clouds.
Public clouds will continue to be fueled for the PUBLIC by social media applications, but enterprises will take refuge in Community clouds.
Are you ready with your road-map for the Community Cloud Explosion in 2014?

How internet shrunk the world and made us global citizens.

We take much for granted today as we race towards a digitally connected world, thanks to the Internet; the internet is less then 50 years old and has transformed every aspect of our life.

The telegram is dead in most parts of the world and its successor the fax machine is on its way out  ; I remember getting my intimation for my job interview in the early 80's by telegram, fitting in a legible message with the least number of worlds in telegrams was an art. You paid per word for a telegram; verbosity was a luxury. Also there was the noisy teleprinter which was a dedicated point to point messaging systems and we needed special skills to operate the telex machines, these were known as telex operators.  Later these telex machines did get electronics and a computer inter-phase, but even that did not save them from extinction. 

In the old days you had to wait for many years to get a land line telephone else you went to a post office to make a call, long distance calls were known as trunk calls and were metered for a duration of 3 minutes, so brevity was the key to save on the cost. Foreign calls were also through trunk calls and it was a major event when a relative called from another country in the old days.  Later on we had in India the STD (Subscribed trunk dialing) which put many trunk call booking operators out of work and you could call anyone by clicking a code from your phone, post office or a STD booth. Then came the mobile revolution for voice and then finally today we have the smart phone and even toddlers have their connectivity. 

Today we use Twitter for real time communication instead of the telegram. We can address the world real time and share our thoughts , ideas and news.  Voice  communication has move to IP telephony, you can do a voice chat for free for hours in most places of the world through a Skype and a keyboard chat on  Google Chat or Microsoft Live and if you like text you have the BBM and  WhatsApp etc... Everyone is available on real time to send or receive messages.

Of course the email too has changed our lives, though it slowly losing its sheen to social media and chat rooms; email continues in business as a mode of communication, But on the personal front Social Media leads the way. Without social media I will not be able to publish or share this blog post. 

Where does this take us next, the world is shrinking and the common man can reach to any citizen of the world on the digital highway, this allows free flow of thoughts and ideas and gives humanity a platform to share, create and agree or dissent.  

This is impacting the world power structure as we have defined it, especially the pace is accelerated by Social Media and one sincerely hopes it will help break barriers, prejudices and makes us all global citizens of one World. 

All this would not have been possible without the Internet and the waves of innovation that have ridden on it as the backbone.

The CIO role in supporting top line growth

The urgency of the CIO to ride the juggernaut called inclusive technology is a challenge. Today the young executive is more tech savvy then most people in the IT department who have become tired and jaded in just keeping the lights on.
Innovation and Excellence from the IT department needs a CIO who can juggle being a strategist, innovator and also hit the sweet spot in emerging technology swings.
The CIO needs to deploy  technology as a catalyst to stitch the organization together in delivering the same goal and vision as articulated by the Board .

CIO has Miles to Go and Promise to Keep in an Uncharted Terrain!

In the world of SMAC the CIO has to become an aggregator and has to change his teams pace in adopting technology which is driven by his company's employees and customers rather than by the IT Team.
Gone are the days when the CIO had a chance to choose build deploy and support technology, today the CIO  has to deliver in real time in a hyper competitive environment and show direct correlation to market share and top line growth of the company.
Let me share a SMAC story, this is the story of start up  company named Vondasoft ( www.vondasoft.com) who have a SMAC solution on the cloud, they trawl the digital world 24x7 and aggregate data about your company, product or whatever you wish to know.
They come up with real time analysis or time series analysis on what your customers are thinking or doing or posting about your product, they give you a customer insight which will help you micro manage your relationship with every customer you own in the digital world.
Money is scarce and the old capex model is history, we live in an opex world with tighter accounting and a business which has shorter time to markets and a very impatient end user of technology. If the IT team does not deliver, the business will use underground technology, they are many in the market which can be used with a simple credit card.
The CIO's role in  supporting the top line growth is under threat unless the CIO is willing to  adapt  to today's ever changing technology landscape and use technology for business agility, value addition and simplifying the way we do business.




 

Everybody is a Winner Baby that is the Truth !

Everybody is a Winner Baby was a popular song many decades ago and  is true for Cloud Computing.

Everybody wins in the Cloud, the service provider, the application developer, the network provider, the end point device maker and all the innovators who come up with a new idea everyday in the cloud.

Cloud is about Innovation and Excellence with a small investment to get started and if your idea is big enough you are all set to be a Winner.

When you compare the capital invested to the rewards by companies like Twitter and FB the  poster boys of today your realize that no other investment has provided humongous valuation for such a small investment, The valuation hinges on the innovative ideas and excellence of delivery and savvy marketing to the end consumer.

Everyone is a Winner in Cloud Computing ! 

In cloud computing  you signed for Salesforce or Google or Zoho  for free and got hooked and   realized you could be technology illiterate and still  add more value to your business and yourself. 

The winner is the end user of computing who uses cloud for their music, exercise, health monitoring, sharing, pictures, videos , and crowd sourcing, suddenly collaboration is a breeze.

No rigorous training needed for the cloud and bulky manual as passe; the cloud applications are  intuitive & they delight the end user and also allow them to customize the application based on their moods and fancy.

Cloud Computing has made access to the Global Digital Highway easy with almost no barriers, causing a headache for Governments to regulate their citizens.  But the growth of social media goes on unabated and  it is the medium of communication in many countries where other forms of media are controlled. 

The advent of Mobility too has changed the way we live and work and interact as global citizens and it may be difficult to stop this growth.

Cloud has transformed into the new avatar of SMAC - Social Mobile Analytics and Cloud bringing in more power to the digital user.{Read http://cloudbus.blogspot.in/2013/11/smac-and-transformation-of-customer.html}

Every person who is part of the cloud eco-system has benefited, whether it is connecting with old school mates, changing the way government thinks and acts, sharing with family or even inviting your friends for a party and sharing the photos. There is no part of our social fabric which is not touched by cloud including virtual engagements, marriages and separations.

Cloud company valuations are astronomical and we await with bated breath for the next big game changer, and these are not people in pin striped suits but rather school kids, college dropouts and any citizen of the world.

No wonder "Everybody is a Winner Baby that is the Truth" in the world of Cloud Computing !

IBM should ignore AWS !

Recent advertisements have shown IBM  comparing itself against AWS in the cloud.
Here is the ZDNet article http://www.zdnet.com/ibm-takes-aim-at-amazon-web-services-via-marketing-campaign-7000022805/.
It seems to be a let down for Big Blue who has forgotten its blue blood and is stooping to compare itself to a company which is about a decade old.
If you missed my blog on the Big 5 it is worth a read again, since most of the analogies seems to have panned out, here is the link
http://cloudbus.blogspot.in/2011/04/big-5-in-cloud-computing.html?q=the+big+five

Photo Credit : Sudesh

IBM seems to have forgotten that the Elephant can Dance and only  needs to learn new steps in the world of SMAC and Internet of Things.IBM should not discount its loyal customer base who are there to cheer and support IBM through thick and thin; some customers could also teach IBM to dance to their tunes.

IBM has all the arsenal required, but is reluctant to open its chest and take off to the cloud, IBM's survival is not about beating AWS, it needs to do more to make Wall Street smile.
For one it needs to provide all its software applications on a SAAS model ASAP so that it can change the world of computing.
There is no business application that IBM does not have in its arsenal, but it is internally so divided that it has forgotten that the "Sum of parts is greater than Whole".
It needs to bandy all its application under one SAAS roof and make them available to the world.
Here is what IBM has as per its  own web page.
http://www-304.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/ContentHandler/pw_com_swg_application-specific-licensing-solution-areas

The only element that IBM is missing the inertia to put together a Winning GO TO Market strategy.

Here are some pointers which can put IBM on top of the heap in the cloud war.
a. Selling cloud to the Government is not where the action is , the action is in delivering cloud services to the retail computing user. The Government and large business is a saturated market for IBM, and it needs to focus on the smaller user for future growth. Though winning big deals is always a joy, but the such deals are few. The retail is money on the table, more like the dollar bill on the table before the drink in an US bar, this is real money and now.
b. The Planet story is old, IBM needs to move into the clouds and acquire the speed of Mercury to compete in the world of SMAC which is always turbulent. IBM has to learn new steps, and needs to be quick to respond in  the consumer driven marketplace. They need a ship commander like Captain Spock!
c. IBM has to realize that the action is with the end user and not the CIO; the power user has shifted  and IBM has address this segment.
d. IBM will come on top if it can change direction, it has shown the world before it can do this, it is time for the Titanic to change course, if it does not then 2014 may be the Titanic year for IBM.
e. Shooting at AWS is not doing any good for IBM, it is not an IBM way of doing business. Remember AWS has the first mover advantage, IBM is entering the party late, no use shooting the leader of the pack.
If AWS goes there is a good chance that Cloud Computing may also crumble; a 10 year old will die without being given a chance to be a teenager.
This will not help IBM if it is betting big on cloud computing since it will not have any competition unless it believes Google is competition.
If AWS goes down so would Twitter and Facebook and many more social media sites which we take for granted in our daily lives.
IBM should not behave like the fox n the story "Grapes as Sour",
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes
IBM needs to take the mantle of the wizened elder and understand there is space for all including AWS and IBM in the cloud and  realize that good  wine is not sour grapes.

Do share your thoughts. I am an old IBM fan and wish Big Blue all Success.

SMAC and the Transformation of Customer Service & Dialogue

"SMAC" is the a acronym for Social, mobile, analytics & cloud the four pillars of the fifth wave of technology as defined by  Cognizant Technology the  Teaneck, New Jersey headquartered ITES company (NASDAQ Symbol : CTSH).
SMAC will change the customer dialogue by leveraging on the collective strength of the Social Media Network, Mobile devices, Analytics driven by Big Data solutions and Cloud Computing as the underlying backbone of affordable and reliable engine for computation. 

Let us look at each of these components and their impact on our lives today:

1. Social Media - The Social Media has seen breakneck growth and significant valuation with the winners, we have the four undisputed leaders in this segment Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest  & LinkedIn with competition from Yahoo, Google and Microsoft and another hundred more social media sites of different hues and aspirations.  

2. Mobility - The way we handle and process information anytime anywhere  is significantly driven by Mobile Devices. Whether it is a mobile phone with two undisputed leaders Samsung and Apple, with two leading operating systems Google's Android and Apples iOS and two fundamental devices a phone or tablet or an hybrid Phablet.  The mobile is the most used device today to access, converse and interact in the internet. 

3. Analytics - Big Data and the ability to bring affordable analytics by use of cloud computing has transformed the way we dice and slice our data and we can do much more in nano seconds with our Terabytes of data to get a better understanding which influences our strategy and decision making. Analytics has invaded every aspect of business, financial markets, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, the potential is endless on how it can add value to bring insight into the way we do business. 

4. Cloud Computing - In a brief period of ten years the cloud computing has taken the world by storm and has been the catalyst for the growth of social media companies like Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, Twitter and more.  The pioneer and leader in the cloud computing space continues to be AWS with others playing catch up, the software giant's Microsoft, Oracle, the hardware giant's Dell, IBM, CISCO and HP.  Cloud Computing is today mainstream computing as more government and business adopt Cloud to bring about reliability, efficiency and cost saving. 

SMAC is the future of our digital lives and these four pillars in conjunction will define the way we deal with our customers.

Companies who have the right SMAC strategy will profit and grow in a flat world. 

Banks who shunned the cloud have taken to Facebook for Banking.

Newsprint companies have be on Twitter today if it wants to reach its audience and garner revenue.
If you want a job today the best place to begin is LinkedIn and if you have a pretty picture to share and profit look no further than Pinterest.

Retailers are discovering the joys of growing their business with a SMAC strategy, understanding their customers needs and serving them in more innovative ways. 

With SMAC we need business leaders who understand their customers lifestyle, use digital technology and the live in a world of social media.

A significant number of the customer base with spending power are GEN Y  today and without a SMAC strategy we may not be able to connect with the GEN Y customer.

The customer dialogue is real time and companies need to respond to this changing scenario.  

We will have companies giving away mobile devices free to their customers as a glue to customer dialogue and interface. 

Imagine a scenario of a bank, it is connected to its customer in a mobile world and the customer lives and thrives on Facebook, the Bank today builds its  banking services around the customer in the world of Facebook. A New Zealand Bank (ASB Bank) has been the pioneer in using Facebook in serving its customers and is laughing all the way to the Bank, other banks are playing catch up. 

Twitter announced its public issue in a Tweet and in day one of its public issue Twitter's offering price was $26 but by the end of the day the stock had risen dramatically and closed at $44.90. On day one of its public issue Twitter's market cap was USD 24.4 Billion ; opening value in the morning was USD 18 Billion; a cool appreciation of USD 6.4 Billion. You need look no further to understand the business dynamics of social media. 

Companies need to address SMAC as the most significant business strategy for their very survival in next few quarters, is your company ready to use SMAC to transform the customer service and  dialogue?

An Indian Engagement in a global world with a little help from Technology

Unlike many parts of the world  the Indian Marriage still take a traditional route whether arranged of the prospective partners decide to marry themselves. With the Indian diaspora  setting their footprint globally technology comes to the rescue again. 

Let us start with the matchmaking, it is more complex then the song in the Movie Fiddler on the Roof "Matchmaker", though the criteria remains about the same. Here are the lyrics to the Matchmaker Song : http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/fiddlerontheroof/matchmaker.htm

After the match making is done mainly through matrimony websites dedicated for this purpose which are complex matching engines and then a number of meetings between the parents and the concerned couple it is finally decided and announce it is an YES. Then come the engagement ceremony, which is today's post.  

The engagement ceremony normally takes place in the groom's residence , a priest is called to first pray to the gods and then a contract or what is known  'lagna patrika' is drawn and announced containing  the date, time and venue of the marriage and is binding on both families. The bride's family brings fruits and sweetmeats and the groom's people in  serve them snacks and dinner and present a sari to the bride. And also the bride then wears the new sari and ornaments presented and then the boy and girl exchange the ring.

In a global world when the boy and girl are in another continent and the parents still want to continue with this ritual there is a challenge and that is when SKYPE again comes to the rescue. 

Skype supports low video and voice and is Free and so here is the Indian engagement in a global world. 

The priest and parents go through the rituals in India and the couple who are not in India then participate through Skype, they can see the event and also they can be seen in the large Television provided for this telecast. Then when the turn comes for the girl and boy to go through their piece of rituals, presto the action shifts to the Television.

Thousands of miles away the girl, boy and their friend and relatives have assembled to participate in this event, they do their bit by changing garlands, changing rings and whatever else is needed all through Skype.

The engagement is over and the food and sweets are served to the guests in India and the foreign location and tradition has won again thanks to technology.

Welcome to an Indian engagement in global world, with a little help from Technology and an matching time to match both time zones for all to participate in the event.  

We all cherish our traditions and why give it up when time and distance can be compressed by Technology. 

 

 

 

The Gold Rush for Secure Clouds

Europe has blown the War Bugle, they will build their own EU clouds and secure their data and applications within the boundaries of Europe.
The Rest of the World will also follow suit in building their own Secure clouds for their business, government and anything else that needs cloud computing.
The Gold Rush is on for Secure Clouds built bottom up, it is going to be a bonanza for leaders who offer virtualisation solutions like VMWare and its competition including Microsoft Azure & others, Data Center Equipment hardware providers  IBM, DELL, HP and CISCO and others.
The marketing teams in these companies that provide the building material for cloud computing are going to be busy and laughing all the way to the bank. Their fears of the cheap Public Cloud will be history and no longer a challenge to their growth and revenues.

Secure Clouds in the Horizon will herald the demise of Public Clouds.

The cloud pundits who understand how to put together a cloud computing environment will be in demand, irrespective of their nationality. Cloud Architects who can deliver secure clouds will be  paid in gold for their skills.
China has shown how to build a secure national cloud by buying the Azure platform from Microsoft other countries will follow.
Open Source Computing may be used by countries who have good cloud computing  talent like India, China and Eastern Europe.
Are you ready for the Gold Rush, even if you do not understand the cloud it is a great time to invest in companies which provide the hardware, software and services in building secure clouds.
It is also time for to dis-invest from Public Clouds and SAAS solutions in the Public Clouds, their demise will be swift once these secure clouds are build, the decline could start from  New Year if the requirement for Secure Clouds becomes stronger
Are you ready for the Gold Rush for Secure Clouds, there is gold for everyone.

New Indian Banks need to ride the cloud for their Success

Come January we will have 7 new Indian Banks given licences to operate from the many applicants.
The new licences will be given with conditions attached for rural thrust in banking and also social banking.
As the applicants eagerly await their licences and start head hunting for their leadership the promoters will need to review whether Cloud Computing could be  the Elixir for getting them operational in weeks rather then months.
Cloud computing will give them reach to the remote rural hamlets in India and also be effective, reliable and a secure vehicle to reach banking technology to the 40 million unbaked Indians.
As the head hunters set the wheels in motion to hire the new suite of leaders to put execution plans into action it may the time for the Board of these promoter Banks to consider Cloud Computing for their profitability, agility and secure banking.

Are New Indian Banks Ready to Fly into the Cloud ?
Photo by Amitav Thamba

Hiring Technology leaders from the conventional technology banking landscape may be disastrous for these banks who will need to hit the ground running.
The good news is a few of these new banks could be Micro Finance institutions who are already using the cloud and they will surge ahead of the other Banks who use conventional wisdom in rolling out banking solutions the old way.
Indian Banks need to learn from cloud deployment for banking in Latin America and Africa and learn from their experiences in providing reliable and affordable financial services to their customers.
Are the new Indian Banks prepared to ride the cloud for their success ?

Founders' must Let Go !

Founders must Let Go!

Many founders are so attached with their company that they are unable to scale of grow their company fast enough to realize value and take it to greater levels. 

The challenge for the Founders is to grow the company quickly and then bring in professional management and list the company so that the risks are distributed among shareholders plus the company can raise more capital and the founders can de-risk their investment in their company. 

But most times company founders treat their company as the extension of their personality and like a protective parent do not let go and allow it to grow and mature. There are so enamored by their success that they suffer from myopia.

Over the last 20 years I have seen companies similar in aggression and business grow, but I have found companies where founders were willing to take it to a wider investor base and also bring on board more passionate professionals succeed where as companies where the owners have hung on are still dwarfed and have not realized their full potential. 

Let Go to take your company to greater heights!

Are you as a Founder ready to "Let Go" or do you want  your company to clinging to your Apron ? 

Disruptive Technologies and their Adoption

Over the Centuries any Disruptive Technology has always been welcomed with skepticism and resistance to adoption, sometime the creators of these disruption have been executed, imprisoned or forced to publicly take back their technology insights and apologize for their oversight.
In the last fifty years disruptive technologies have transformed the way we live, eat and procreate and also pair, whether it is DNA sequencing, bio-technology;genetic modification, health and medical delivery, intrusion into our privacy and the way we conduct our lives and business.
These disruptive technologies have compressed time and have been deployed  quickly that we sometimes forget that there was an era without these tools.
Let us take the instance of this blog, in the old days I would have to get this written in a typewriter, have it proof read and hope to disseminate it through print media, indeed a herculean task for a layman to get their ideas to the  world.

Disruptive Technologies Adoption needs Acceptance of Change 

Today withing minutes and a press of a button people right across the world have access to my thoughts expressed in this blog irrespective of their location, the disruptive technologies that make this possible are the blogging site, the cloud computing, the internet, the mouse, the laptop on which I write this blog, the spell checker in the world processor, the ease of transferring my pictures from my digital camera into this blog and finally the social media through which this blog will be advertised and distributed.
Many of these technologies are less then a decade old and for sure none of them are more then 50 years old; but we have learnt to adopt these technologies and harness this for the benefit of mankind and sharing  our thoughts and insights.
Disruptive technology have repeatedly  shown  that they have an adoption cycle, they are first denounced, then accepted and then embraced. The same is true of Cloud Computing which has been one of the game changers in the way we compute, communicate and share information and collaborate.
Accepting Disruptive Technology Adoption with open Arms is the right way forward rather then trying to resist change in a world where technology innovation is in months rather then decades, get real and get used to the ever changing and disruptive world of innovations if you want to excel in your pursuits.
Your thoughts on how disruptive technologies and their adoption has changed your life will be appreciated as an addendum to this blog post.

Emergence of National Clouds and National Intranets

With a porous digital world many nations will build National clouds and National intranets to protect their citizens, government and country from intrusion.
A national cloud will go against the very tenets of the internet as a growth engine for collaboration and dissemination of information in a free world.

Countries will erect fences to keep out the freedom offered by the cloud, internet and social media. 

As national clouds and intranets get build countries will shut access to the internet and will also encourage us of social media and other collaboration tools within the country.


This will impact the globalization of digital data and also the sharing of information and use of the social media and the internet for dissent and discussion.
We are charting into dangerous waters as a few countries have already demonstrated the ability to contain the internet access and also have deployed national clouds.
All this does not augur well for the growth of computing and the future of the internet; but with countries and governments getting defensive and protective a better moral policing of information on the internet will be called for to ensure the continuation on the cloud and internet as we know it today.
More importantly the fallout of this will be the death knell to democracy and freedom of expression which is valued by many citizens of the world.

Shutdown in the Cloud !

Recently there have been a few Shutdowns of Cloud Services with short notice periods which have forced customers to scurry for cover and in some cases customers have been caught in a bind
Shutdown in the Cloud will be an eventuality when companies cannot scale in the cloud and remain profitable, they get choked for cash and suffer slowly leading to instant death within weeks after they are choked of funds.
How do we handle Shutdown's in the Cloud will be the next domain for Risk Management in the Cloud.
Though outright it looks straightforward and it appears we can apply the same matrix as we would to technology vendors, but this may not be the right approach.
There are various dimension of Risk to be associated and constant monitoring of the health of the vendors is essential in the fast changing landscape of technology vendors which is pitted with risk and unexpected twists and turns.
Why Cloud computing, we seem to forget how Tandem, Digital was snapped up by Compaq in months when they were tottering and more recently Blackberry. Constant vigil is required on the technology readiness of the vendors, their financial liquidity and the ability of the leadership team.
No one would have predicted that the Investors in Microsoft would want Bill Gates out along with Steve Ballmer who is stepping down as the CEO.

Make sure your vendor can stay afloat in the cloud !(Photo Courtesy Amitav Thamba )

Hence singling out the cloud service provider for unexpected shutdown is not fair, rather a more mature approach is needed in managing and preparing for Shutdown's in Cloud.
For one there must be a contingency plan and for sure you must have all your Data backed up with a second independent vendor to contain the risk of losing your digital assets. Regular assessment of the vendors financial and operational health and review of the leadership team is essential.
Does Shutdown in the Cloud means we go back to the old ways of computing, it is doubtful if we can replicated the benefits of the cloud in running our own data centers and also we may be hampered in finding adequate talent to keep the lights on.
So the best approach will be to embrace the cloud, but with wide open eyes and with risk management skills and as a team rather in cloud adoption.
I am sure more will be written on managing shutdown in the cloud and how to prepare for them, let us wait for the pundits to give us the nuts and bolts, until then let us use our expertise and maturity in managing our cloud vendors.

Honesty

In a fast changing world Honesty is the victim which is discarded as a liability by citizens who want to grow rich and accumulate wealth by all means.

The old adage Honesty is the Best Policy is under threat, as you look around you may be convinced that the Dishonest are prospering while the Honest are still at the Starting Line.

But then one can justify that dishonest people do not reap the benefits of their actions which is advocated by most religions or to quote the Bible "As you Sow so shall you Reap".

At school we used to have a weekly class of Moral Science where the virtue of honesty was imbibed for eternity into our souls forever.

The question which one asks in today's situation is Does Being Honest essential and is a good attitude to life.

As I look around me I find the Honest People more content and balanced and managing with what they have earned within their abilities and genuine labor.

Dishonest people stand out in a crowd,  for some strange reason it becomes easy to identify them even if we hardly know on how they operate, this is brought out by their very behavior and attitude in a social setting.

If you are known to be an Honest Person then the dishonest groups do not want you among  them , but being dishonest to be accepted is not the solution.

What is honesty, is is just not robbing , when we explore the attribute of Honesty it is more than money, it is an attitude of being fair, virtuous and respecting the fellow human who live with us.

[caption id="attachment_636" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Dishonesty lives a trail, like the shadows in the picture.[/caption]

Honesty is not about putting your fingers into the money jar, it is much more, it is your action, your behavior, your thoughts and your outcomes in  your life.

Next time when you decide to call yourself an honest person, check on all your attributes of honesty and you will find that you can be a better person by working on your shortcomings.

And when if you are ever in doubt about Honesty, thing of  what you have achieved by being honest and that will justify the need to remain Honest.

 

 

Message to the Children at the Junior School Prize Distribution

Dear Children I would like to congratulate you for doing well in academics; you have worked hard and deserve this recognition.
I would like to share a few important lessons I have learnt,
Do your best , in every task big or small.
Be punctual and courteous at all times.
Cultivate the habit of reading. books teach us about the world and open our minds to new ideas.
Respect and listen to your parents , be aware of the sacrifices they make to give you a good education and remember they always have your best interest in whatever they do for you.
Volunteering - Whenever you have a chance volunteer to help however small the task may be; this allows you to learn new skills and also makes you a valuable member of our community.
Remember that all of us are born equal and each and every one of us has the ability to realize our dreams; be passionate in whatever you do , passion translates into excellence.
It is our teachers who nurture our talent and help us realize our true potential.
We must thank our teachers every day for their commitment in teaching us, indeed there is no nobler profession than that of a teacher.

I want to share a story :
A little girl was watching her mother prepare a fish for dinner. Her mother cut the head and tail off the fish and then placed it into a baking pan. The little girl asked her mother why she cut the head and tail off the fish. Her mother thought for a while and then said, "I've always done it that way - that's how grandma did it."
Not satisfied with the answer, the little girl went to visit her grandma to find out why she cut the head and tail off the fish before baking it.
Grandma thought for a while and replied, "I don't know. My mother always did it that way."
So the little girl and the grandma went to visit great grandma to find ask if she knew the answer.
Great grandma thought for a while and said, “Because my baking pan was too small to fit in the whole fish”.
It is important to challenge belief systems and assumptions and make changes when needed.
In closing always do not be afraid to ask questions like the little girl in the story. I wish every one of success in achieving your goals and realizing your dreams.

Cloud Computing in the world of VUCA !

Cloud computing will provide the comfort and stability in the world of VUCA ( volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity).
Wiki source for VUCA : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility,_uncertainty,_complexity_and_ambiguity
Cloud computing is the right solution to help business in its technology investments and answers its concerns on the following issues confronted in the world of VUCA :

1. Anticipate the Issues that Shape Conditions
2. Understand the Consequences of Issues and Actions
3. Appreciate the Interdependence of Variables
4. Prepare for Alternative Realities and Challenges
5. Interpret and Address Relevant Opportunities

Cloud computing also helps the organization to be prepared with technology enabled tools in the VUCA world : 

1. Knowledge Management on Sense-Making 
2. Planning and Readiness Considerations 
3. Process Management and Resource Systems 
4. Functional Responsiveness and Impact Models 
5. Recovery Systems and Forward Practices

Cloud Computing will be the antidote for business to operate in a VUCA world, a world where leaders may lose in the mystical business climate and where money is scarce and risk aversion is the norm.

Business who adopt cloud computing as the engine for technology and business process empowerment will drive through the VUCA business era successfully, those who stick to brick and mortar technology will be vanquished. 

Are you ready to ride the Cloud to conquer the VUCA syndrome which is affecting the global business climate ? 

Remembering My Teachers on Teachers Day!

Today is celebrated as Teachers Day in India in honor of the late President
Dr.  S. Radhakrishnan who was a celebrated academic and today is his birthday.
Wiki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan

Teachers are the single largest influence-rs of Society in the way the citizens think act and their value systems and attitude to their fellow citizens. 

In an ever changing world the teacher stands like a bedrock supporting and nourishing their students. 

Our first formal educations starts with the teachers who teach us in primary, middle and senior school, they set our future course and direction for excellence and a thirst for knowledge. 

Then we have another set of teachers in college at our graduate studies and then as we decided to pursue more knowledge in our post graduate studies and beyond. 

As we progress in life we would be lost without the guidance of our teachers, they are the singular beacon of light that infuse knowledge and thought in our minds. 

As a teacher myself I owe my giving back to my teachers who imbibed the quality of sharing and giving knowledge when they taught me.

Today I am connected in social media to my teachers who taught me in school and gives me immense pleasure to see that they still retain the zest and enthusiasm for sharing even as they get ready to fade in the sunset. Once a teacher always a teacher.

Let us take a few minutes to remember  all the Teachers who have given their time and effort on this Teachers Day and say a silent prayer of gratitude for their selfless service to society!

 

Secure Data in the Cloud and Internet are Misplaced Concerns

There has been widespread attack on security of data and there has been a clamor to bring back data into the data centers and set the clock back on cloud computing and the internet.
This has been driven by panic and a lack of understanding by many on the risks associated with data in motion, any data in motion is vulnerable to attack and capture whether encrypted or otherwise.
Data in motion can be in device and more importantly a network whether private or internet, the risks are compounded based on the medium in which data is in motion.
Any  government requesting data and data encryption security features like keys and algorithms do so to secure and protect the country. The governments primary business is to protect its citizens in a complex world run on digital technology and it is every citizens duty to cooperate with the government .

Do not allow your cloud computing plans to wilt, there is a bouquet of security strategies to protect your data.

There are  fears that government's access to Business Data will blunt the competitive advantage of the business and put it at a disadvantage. This is far from the truth, why would any government want to hurt business which is its main source of taxes and generator of employment and commerce.
Rather businesses that are open to unethical business practices and more importantly insider trading are those who may be most worried about sharing their data with the Government agencies.
The laws of most countries give legal access to Government agencies to business information and this is not snooping, rather the havoc created by cyber-criminals on business data is much more then what the government would ever achieve with your business data.
Another aspect is any data on a network is vulnerable including your data centers which connect to the internet and other networks, the features provided by cloud computing vendors for security when used prudently can give you a better security posture at a lower price point then what you can implement in your  business data center and networks.
This is a wake up call for companies to look at cloud computing with IT GRC as the first point of  evaluation; if you are already in the cloud then revisit your IT GRC posture.
A cost benefit approach to data security and the cloud/internet will help in overcoming the misplaced concerns on data security.
Finally if you do not understand the Information Life-cycle Management and data protection risks and the available solutions to mitigate them, hire an expert to help you with your IT GRC strategy to protect your business data and also overcome your fears; you will also need legal counsel to understand and interpret your countries posture on data collection. Freedom of Speech and right to privacy can only exist in countries where the government is vigilant.
This is an opportunity for information security professionals &solutions companies to work with business and help them secure their data and assist them in overcoming their misplaced apprehensions.
It is also an opportunity for legal experts who specialize in data privacy, information security and compliance to assist companies in getting their act together by educating them on the various aspect of the law in their countries.
We have nothing to Fear other then Fear itself,so get the right arsenal and take your business to the cloud confidently and securely.

True Friends are those who tell it as it is !

We collect many friends as we traverse various stages of life, but we have a few true friends who tell it as it is !

True friends are those who have no qualms in telling you that your not doing the right thing and need to set it right !

True friends are those whom you can trust to give you a fair and objective assessment about something which is bothering you !

True friends are those with whom you are at ease in a few seconds, even if you have not met them for decades !

True Friends are those that help us shape our character, our career, our personal lives and also our values.

True Friends are those that realize that your purse is empty, but do not embarrass you when they pay up for you, they know it will be your turn another day !

Beware of Fair weather friends are like leaves in autumn who will blow away from your life after spring !

True friends are those who lend their shoulder when you are in distress, those who suddenly chat up with you when you think you have been forgotten !

True friends are those who demand you to do them a favor and command you to set aside an be with them !

I have a few  True Friends and I am grateful to God for having them in my Life !

Thank you my friends, I need no friendship day to celebrate our bonding, every day is a friendship day for me.

True Friends are those who will run the extra mile to be with you when you need them the most .

True Friends are not those who keep clicking their mouse on "Like" in your social media posts !

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="390"] True Friends may be like Thorns in a Rose bush ![/caption]

And one is a True Friend only when we value our friendship with each other and treat the relationship as sacred !

Goodbye Cloud, Welcome Services.

It it time to bid goodbye to cloud computing, the time has come to evangelise the three services offered by the cloud
IAAS - Infrastructure as a service
PAAS - Platform as a service
SAAS - Software as a service.

Are you ready to embrace cloud services

Cloud has been established as an utility - secure reliable resilient and trustworthy.
So the future is in evangelizing, marketing, branding and deploying the services that ride on the cloud.

The opportunity in SAAS has seen exponential growth making cloud ubiquitous for computing.

The next challenge is in increasing PAAS and SAAS adoption, this means shaking up the enterprise computing space, changing the mindsets of the CTO/CIO and the CISO  and the Cloud Strategist.

Are we ready for this, the next year will see the intense adoption of PAAS and SAAS as more companies shut down their data centers and move to cloud computing.

Are you prepared to ride the next tsunami in the cloud computing saga, are you prepared to deploy and support PAAS and IAAS operations.

The time is now to build the expertise and skills in managing these services in the cloud.

By the end of the year we will bid  goodbye to the cloud  and embrace  the services PAAS/IAAS?
Are you ready for the next wave in the cloud computing disruption ?

Memories of The Kaka Tea Shop at Starbucks

I visited the Starbucks at Hiranandani Powai  and found it packed to the gills, there was a person at the door to welcome me and told me I could sit anywhere I liked and there were no reservations.  The Americano coffee large was good and nice and affordable and hot.

[caption id="attachment_119" align="aligncenter" width="225"] There was comfort and sanctuary in the kaka tea shop like shade from a tall tree.[/caption]

It brought back memories in the early 1980's of the Kaka tea shop at Wheeler Road, Cox Town in Bangalore a favourite haunt late in the night for a cup of tea. Kaka is a term used for a  specific community from Kerala who specialise in setting up tea stalls and provide snacks at an affordable rate.

Some of the most exciting debates and discussions were at the Kaka shop whether it be politics, philosophy, science or anything under the SUN, there was always an opinion and everyone pretended to be the master. There was not internet or search engines  in the eighties.

Our knowledge was gleaned from reading books, papers, magazines from both India and elsewhere in the world, the American magazine was Span, there used to be one from USSR and one from East Germany, the National Geographic and the Time Magazine, plus we had access to books in the public library at Wheeler Road, Sindhi Colony.

At the tea shop there was only one standard brew; the same tea leaves would be brewed again and again, some fresh tea leaves were added for each round of brewing. The tea powder was put in a white cloth (locally known as thorthu) and tightly bundled. Not a drop of tea liquour was allowed to remain in the cloth as it was tightly wrung after each round of brewing; the cloth itself had its own distinct colour with no evidence that it was a white cloth at the beginning of time. The quantum of milk was kept to a minimum in the tea giving it a dark brown colour.

There used to be a credit system by the owner of the Kaka tea shop  for tea, biscuits and cigarettes to his trusted patrons, though he had a board in the cash counter "No Credit Allowed" .

The stall used to have a small menu of eggs in various preparations which included single omelet, double omelet and boiled which were the star items along with bread butter/jam along with a dish known as ceylonese parathas.

Our first introduction to Hindi film music was the Kaka tea shop, there used to be an old valve radio on top of the cash counter which would be tune to Radio Ceylon the most popular radio station for Hindi Music. We used to be entertained by Radio Ceylon blaring Hindi Music in the background  as we continued our discussion over tea and the smokers with their cigarettes about life, careers and numerous other discussions.

liquor was not served or allowed to be consumed  in the Kaka Tea Shop; only tea and snacks were allowed.
As we grow older we crossed the Road and continued our discussion over Beer at the Dolphins Bar and the Kaka Tea Shop was no longer the preferred haunt.
I still remember with joy the days spent sipping Tea at the Kaka Tea Shop at Wheelers Road; no Starbucks can replace the charm, grime and smell of a the Kaka Tea Shop at Wheeler Road, Frazer Town, Bangalore, India.

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Raising the Bar

I was in a  meeting today and when my turn came to speak I spoke of the business school aiming to be better then the best business school in the world

There was stunned silence in the group and it was the I realized that I had raised the bar beyond  then the grasp of the audience. 

 

When we set targets in our why not aim for  the loftiest goals, why do we settle for the second best and keep our targets in our comfort zone.
Until I raised the bar it was all challenges from local schools, when the bar went global there was a HUSH.

 What is there to fear in Raising the Bar, When you raise the Bar you start seeing life in a new perspective and have a better world view and your horizons expand. 

Are you ready to raise your the Bar  ? 

How cloud computing can revolutionize manufacturing

Manufacturing in an earlier era led to management thinking and also automation of processes, courtesy the efforts of great management gurus like Alfred Sloan, Frederick Winslow Taylor, Michael Porter, Tom Peters, and Michael Hammer and C.K. Prahalad. 

Manufacturing can benefit from Cloud Computing !

For the preceding decades, the financial markets sucked the best and the brightest minds to drive greed and make profits in investment banking and financial markets. This era fortunately is slowing down and the regulators and economists of the world have realized the futility of driving financial markets without underlying security provided by manufacturing.

Engineers who were trained and equipped for manufacturing, migrated to a coveted MBA degree lured by the offer of huge starting salaries coupled with even bigger annual bonus. They drove an invisible economy driven by paper bonds and other instruments and created more complex instruments all based on an economy, which was created by hedging financial bets on a weak underlying asset value.

Manufacturing did not grow or innovate because the best were not available, manufacturing was considered a poor paymaster and the brightest who wanted to make money and fame stayed away.

As the world spins into recession every country realizes that it needs to get back its manufacturing back in action, every government is struggling to get the right resources to put back the derailed manufacturing sector back on track.

It was manufacturing which created the big middle class in most developed countries in the world, those who spent their money on weekends, paid mortgages on their cars, houses and holidays and kept the wheels of the service economy ticking. 

Cloud computing could help manufacturing firms adopt the latest technology innovations to improve their processes, supply chain management, CAD/CAM/PLM solutions,  research & development, collaboration, plant operations, diagnostics, back office functions like ERP and front office CRM.

Cloud computing can offer the latest technology, with deep functionality and flexibility at lower capital and operating cost than the traditional invest, build, operate computing route adopted in manufacturing. It offers the manufacturing sector scalability, reliability, a secure environment, an on-demand computing power, faster upgrades and the latest technology. 

Cloud computing enables manufacturing collaboration among mobile and remote workers, vendors and other constituents in their supply chain solutions through fast, easy and secure access to data when needed to optimize operations and make data-driven decisions. 

In the next decade, we will see new material, new designs and new cross-country collaboration in cutting-edge manufacturing technology all created by cloud computing as a vehicle for computing and synergy.  We will see the best minds in the various universities of our world use the cloud for collaboration and co-option to create a healthier and stronger world for our future global citizens.

Use of cloud will help us leapfrog into the future with the best of computing technology, unbridled solutions to innovate and collaborate. So, is the manufacturing sector ready to ride the cloud? 

This article was carried in Information Week India Today 

http://www.informationweek.in/manufacturing/13-07-15/how_cloud_computing_can_revolutionize_manufacturing.aspx

Cloud Detractors Need to Keep Away from Cloud Computing Conferences

In a recent cloud conference they were two Senior Technology Professionals who spoke in the conference and the general consensus of the participants was all they did was to Rave, Rant and Spit Venom at Cloud Computing.
People who attended their session were wondering how they had reached such Senior roles in Information Technology Leadership with so much bias and attitude against emerging technologies like cloud computing.

Raise the Bar not degrade yourself and the cloud 

These these two personalities were able to bring about a pall of gloom and disbelief  among the participants in this cloud conference.
Many wondered if  they had such strong views against cloud computing why they were invited by the organizers ?
Why did they take time off to use the forum at the conference to belittle the participants in the cloud conference and also show how petty minded they were..
Cloud Detractors Need to be Kept Away from Cloud Computing Conferences as speakers !
As a cloud evangelist all I can state is "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)", Amen.  
Source : http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/142050.html
They can Raise the bar for cloud computing bu  not degrade themselves and the cloud computing fraternity, what we saw that day was the disruption caused by cloud computing in the minds of of the old technology brigade who are unable to comprehend and adapt to change.
Time and Tide waits for No Man, Cloud Computing is a reality so wake up you detractors; convert or
perish  into ignominy.

Virtualization is not Cloud Computing

Recently Forrester stated that 70% of "private clouds" aren't really clouds at all

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/022613-forrester-private-clouds-267108.html

Therein lies a tale of deceit, misinformation and false gratification of many organizations believing they have a cloud in place. 

To get the facts right we need to revisit the definition of cloud computing as defined by NIST which in may opinion is the final authority on cloud computing standards and is followed by the industry and professionals. 

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-145/SP800-145.pdf

Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared 

pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that 

can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. 

This cloud model is composed of five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment 

models.

Essential Characteristics: (Five)

On-demand self-service. 

Broad network access. 

Resource pooling. 

Rapid elasticity.

Measured service. 

Service Models: (Three)

Software as a Service (SaaS). 

Platform as a Service (PaaS). 

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). 

Deployment Models: (Four)

Private cloud. 

Community cloud. 

Public cloud. 

Hybrid cloud. 

Cloud Computing affects traditional hardware and software vendors adversely.

Though virtualization may provide resource pooling and rapid elasticity, there will be a need for on-demand self service, broad network access and measured service to meet the essential characteristics of cloud computing. 

But in a thrust by manufacturers for servers and hardware and connected virtualization solutions and software there has been pressure on NIST to change the parameters of cloud computing, thankfully NIST has held its ground, though there is a regular clamor to change the definitions to meet the needs of IS Vendors who have millions of dollars a stake. 

I know of a bank in India who claims to have implemented cloud computing, though nowhere do they publish their architecture or their adherence to the NIST cloud definition. The vendors who have sold them the hardware and software for virtualization are delighted to tout this as a cloud implementation and even the CIO has won a few award for taking the bank to the cloud. This is not the only instance of false reporting of cloud computing implementation. To add to this the said bank also runs a SAAS banking solution on it purported cloud and has signed up a number of banks for its services. The Indian regulators are clear that data cannot be kept in a public cloud or outside India, but they have no guidelines for cloud computing in India.

Since there is no enforcement or regulation for  Cloud Computing other then guidance from NIST, CSA and ENISA the vendors and their customers continue to brag  about their cloud computing prowess without adhering to the standards.

Virtualization  comes with its own risk though it seems attractive given its significant return of investment, I remember an IT team wanted to virtualize their infrastructure. When queried about their expertise they told me they had installed the virtualization environment on their desktop and were ready to do the same to their data center. Though I recommended that they not go ahead, I am sure they would  implemented virutalization without understanding their lack of skills and the risks for their organization.  I am sure they will soon brag about having built a private cloud for their organization. 

It it time for more compliance in cloud computing implementation and there is a need for a certification process to quality that the organization is truly cloud ready from a reputed assurance consultancy or a knowledgeable cloud evangelist. 

Do share your stories of organizations who have reached the cloud without NIST guidelines, love to hear about them. 

Compliance alone will not Secure the Bank

Banks scurry to meet compliance requirements; many have a team of professionals whose job is to meet compliance requirements and also convince the auditors that the Bank is Compliant.
A lot of energy is expedited in ensuring SOX, ISO 27 K +++, Basel compliance, the regulators long compliance which banks need to comply with.
Let us focus on Security, many banks have an annual audit and some of them may have a bi- annual audit,
Audits cost time and money and the financial risk management is more demanding then information security; technology is secure, we have a firewall and anti virus and anyways it is not a Board Item in many banks.

Banks need to be able to Crow about their Security 

In the old days information security in banks was bracketed under operational risk, but as banks rely more on technology, information risk management has come out of its own and the banks appoint a CSO, CISO,  GRC Team etc. Many Banks follow a prudent policy of separating IT Risk Management from the IT department and keeping it under the Risk Management Department which is a good practice.
But few banks consider investing on tools and resources that can perform continuous information audit on their information systems. In a fast changing world where banks are held to ransom by organized crime it is time that banks realized that compliance alone will not secure the Bank.
It is time for  banks to invest in SIEM tools, continuous audit and control tools and a team to manage the presence of the bank in a hostile cyber world.
Banks who make the investment in securing themselves in a digital world will survive into the next decade, while others may perish.