NIST releases cloud guidance
 The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently released an extensive analysis of cloud computing that works to define the technology and give businesses insight into its potential. While this goal is quite ambitious, the overall message of the document is rather simple - cloud computing is a vast, diverse technology that businesses need to evaluate in relation to their corporate needs to deploy successfully.
The cloud's inherent scope becomes clear upon attempts to define the technology in concise terms. The report explains that cloud computing is a technology that allows users to flexibly rent access to robust programs, software development and deployment environments and IT infrastructure. However, that summary of the cloud exposes its sheer size by presenting at least three distinct types of services that businesses must consider.
Because of the technology's large scope, the report said cloud computing has garnered significant attention and commentary. But all of this discussion has only complicated the definition of what the cloud really is because it cannot be pinned down to a single system. Instead, the NIST report said cloud computing is the end result of a number of distinct technologies, including virtualization, that are interwoven into applications, software environments and IT resources.
Besides offering businesses a diverse range of technologies that need to be supported, cloud computing also requires configuration considerations and an understanding of deployment and service models to be used effectively.
To make the most sense out of the wide range of options included within a cloud computing solution, businesses need to evaluate the technology's intricacies and compare them to their own business processes, the report said. To accomplish this, companies need to consider how particular cloud delivery models will impact their own internal operations and understand which service models will meet their application- and infrastructure-based needs. It is also important to explore the economic ramifications of a cloud computing model, which includes evaluating risk and potential when deploying the cloud and its various supporting technologies, the report said.
Beyond evaluating these relatively tangible and direct elements of cloud computing, businesses need to seriously consider the operational and security-related concerns associated with the technology. To accomplish this, the report said companies should recognize the performance and reliability issues that will impact their cloud deployment. They also need to address any legal and security-related concerns. None of these issues are such that they make the cloud prohibitive, but a business' specific limitations in any area may dictate how they can deploy the technology effectively.
The NIST's new guidelines for cloud success come as the technology continues to emerge as a key enabler in a number of settings. Recently, the U.S. federal government announced plans to expand its dependence on cloud computing to host popular websites and other similar services. According to a recent InformationWeek report, this move comes as part of a larger strategy to reduce IT expenses among federal agencies, but is being directly motivated by recent challenges in maintaining some of its websites. The U.S. Navy is headlining this need, as it is officially seeking a cloud web hosting service capable of meeting its needs for fluctuating service levels in light of a high quantity of visitors in recent weeks.
The Navy is seeking services capable of meeting three distinct bandwidth needs based on service spikes that may occur at any time. This request is indicative of the cloud's potential to provide flexible, scalable computing resources to users trying to meet specific needs that emerge as market conditions rapidly change.
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