InformationWeek says Cloud Computing is a “megatrend” and I’d totally agree with them. If it isn’t now, it will be in 6 months – it pays to be ahead of the curve and from speaking with a few analysts recently, it’s definitely a hot topic for them which is a useful barometer.

Cloud computing is likely to be a very misunderstood term, especially as it relates to SaaS, PaaS, Web 2.0 and utility computing so the Information Week post does a good job at helping give a base level education cloud computing. There are some real gems in there too.

“There's not that much difference between the enterprise cloud and the consumer cloud" – says Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

 

He ought to go talk to a few Chief Security Officers and see if that rings true with them :)

The post also mentions that Microsoft’s cloud strategy has come in for some questioning and rightly so I’d say – but this year will change things and some clouds will clear so to speak. Mary Jo Foley positions this better than I can on her Microsoft2.net site

 

If you want to understand Microsoft’s gameplan for the future, this is THE document to read. Since Ozzie penned it back in 2005, Microsoft has been following it to the letter. Ozzie foreshadowed Microsoft’s Software+Services strategy, its move to make more of its online services ad-funded, and even the company’s recently introduced Live Mesh collaboration/synchronization service and framework in this memo.

Actually I’d say the FAM presentations are the ones to read. They hold many clues and answers.