Open Cloud vs proprietary systems

The IT service sector should watch cloud computing at the moment. However the growth and adoption of this new technology is being undermined by the disorder of a very old IT debate. Cloud is the newest battleground in the war between open and proprietary systems that has spun across desktop technology with the rise of Linux and Windows, web browsing with Opera, Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Open Office to challenge Microsoft Office.

In Asia Pacific, organizations are wary in adopting cloud computing because there is a risk that may be locked into systems that do not interoperate with other systems or infrastructure. With so many options currently available at every step of the cloud migration process, this risk is very real and soon becomes significantly unpalatable. The fundamental disagreement around the basic philosophy of the cloud, that of proprietary versus open systems is undoubtedly at the root of the cloud adoption problem.

The proprietary system of cloud computing requires all the componentsthe hypervisor, the orchestration, and automation systems and the metering tools, must all come from a single provider for it to work. This is the approach taken by some cloud infrastructure providers, who look to build the entire cloud stack upon their proprietary technologythe closed cloud.

In comparison, open cloud propositions allow for the creation of a system from across a wide range of compatible suppliers. This allows enterprises to piece together the best of breed cloud system to meet their specific needs. Cloud as an open and flexible platform assists companies to realize the most effective systems for their needs on a pay-as-you-go basis, an open cloud proposition.

The cloud industry cannot grow or service corporate computing effectively without providing the flexibility to offer bespoke services. Neither can it continue to present a high-risk investment through mandatory upfront purchase and licensing of cloud infrastructure in order to begin to operate cloud applications. Closed cloud propositions do this and the imposition of large upfront investment before potential payback makes cloud computing a high-risk investment. How can cloud prove itself when it requires such an initial investment? The answer is, it cannot.

Once organizations have made this initial investment, closed cloud solutions offer a rigid, shrink wrapped solution to enterprises, but not the flexibility that in these uncertain times ought to be highly valued. Presented with a standardized, limited choice infrastructure, enterprises cannot necessarily construct the cloud system that best fits their needs. They can find themselves unable to move workloads into the cloud to take advantage of the elasticity and economic benefits. Once locked in to their proprietary cloud proposition, it becomes extremely difficult to change the providers at any level in the cloud infrastructure. With this limited choice and effective lock-in, cloud infrastructures cannot provide a quality service for an organization needs. Until they receive the service they demand, large scale corporate customers will not take up cloud computing on any convincing scale.

This is not only a worry for IT departments but also for cloud service providers. Service providers must establish themselves as offering a quality service to their customers, or commoditize their prices to become the cheapest broad brush provider available.

Proprietary cloud stacks restrict choices to a limited number of options served by a single provider, instead of allowing for a cloud infrastructure constructed from the best of breed technologies. In the absence of this mix and match culture, cloud services will become commodities differentiated only on price and will not have the compatibility with the larger cloud infrastructure stack to offer a specialist service. The providers will lose their ability to deliver value to their clients and differentiate themselves with the quality of their service and their understanding of customers business needs.

The ecosystem approach of the open cloud, on the other hand, allows total flexibility for enterprise organizations to construct their own cloud infrastructure from a range of providers according to their business needs. This creates a flexible pay-as-you-go offering which enterprises can migrate to and grow slowly, in conjunction with their own needs. As a result of this flexibility, cloud service providers are free to target the business sectors where they can have the greatest effect and add definable value.

Cloud migration will gain momentum, not through large full stack vendors but by the universal compatibility of open solutions and by allowing enterprises to pick their own route into the cloud. This model will allow cloud providers to entice and grow customers and prove direct return on investment. For end user organizations, an ecosystem approach will allow them to construct the platform that best suits their business needs at a minimum risk and extend the possibilities of their involvement in the cloud.