The Global Vision for European Cloud Computing

I stumbled upon this fairly comprehensive vision for Cloud Computing in Europe.

Europe and Clouds
Notwithstanding common beliefs, clouds are not a phenomenon entirely imported from abroad. This report will elaborate the main opportunities for European industry and research to be pursued with respect to the specific capabilities and remaining gaps.

This document provides a detailed analysis of Europe’s position with respect to cloud provisioning, and how this affects in particular future research and development in this area. The report is based on a series of workshops involving experts from different areas related to cloud technologies.

The Global Vision from Europe

TOWARDS GLOBAL CLOUD ECOSYSTEMS
Europe will participate in the movement towards a global cloud ecosystem, due to a growing interest of industry and academia, as well as a specific requirement for location specific resource infrastructures. Such global ecosystems would be useless without the capability to easily switch between providers / resources and without ensuring that specific legislation and policies are met. Europe, with its specific background in joint research efforts, convergence in legislation and international policies etc. is a key enabler in this vision by keeping the “big picture” in mind when defining cloud behaviour, interfaces etc. (cf. Holistic Systems below).

Similarly, Europe’s cloud computing research agenda could centre its efforts to be the centre of excellence for cloud applications in key business areas for European companies (key industries and SME’s). With a strong focus on the usage patterns and demands from European industry, a “userdriven” research agenda promises to provide significant impact on the economic agenda.

“Globalisation” in this context involves in particular the following issues:

• Global legislation issues
• Strong European partner eco-systems
• Behaviour policies
• Interoperability & standardisation efforts

It was prepared by… hold on …  By the Commission of the European Communities, Information Society & Media Directorate-General, Software & Service Architectures, Infrastructures and Engineering Unit.

So, if you want to know what all the fuss is about with Cloud Computing take a read on this document
https://frrl.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/cloudcomputing_visionineurope.pdf

The Future of Cloud Computing

The future of cloud computing

Technology experts and stakeholders say they expect they will ‘live mostly in the cloud’ in 2020 and not on the desktop, working mostly through cyberspace-based applications accessed through networked devices. This will substantially advance mobile connectivity through smartphones and other internet appliances. Many say there will be a cloud-desktop hybrid. Still, cloud computing has many difficult hurdles to overcome, including concerns tied to the availability of broadband spectrum, the ability of diverse systems to work together, security, privacy, and quality of service.

Read the full report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project –
https://frrl.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/pip_future_of_internet_2010_cloud.pdf