Online Privacy and Web 3.0

So we are all worried about the Googles, Facebooks, eRetail sites that collect our information and monitor our activity on the internet. But this is old news and I guess unless we are really careful to unsubcribe and notify these companies to withhold our online activity it is inevitable that we are all being tracked. But at this point in time, it benefits the business rather than the consumer. If you are going to take my personal experience in the web and put an algorithm behind it to figure out what I want to buy or how I interact, then wouldnt it be better to bring this back to the user's experience? Confused? For example, say I go to CNN.com and click on a few articles regarding Iraq, Technology, Financial Markets in China. Over a period of time through constant clicking through these articles, couldnt CNN possibly understand my news preference? I know we can all sign in and choose which news we are interested in, but half the time, I dont even know what I like. I call this web 3.0 where I log into the website and instant gratification!!! News I like to read, articles I want to see. No i didnt have to type or do anything but based on these HID applications, the news is selected and displayed to my liking. Now thats really giving back. Sort of what they do in Vegas by letting us reside in opulence despite stealing all our money on the roulette tables.

Green Governance - Myth or Fact

So I have been reading about the emerging green governance industry and have come to a couple of conclusions:

a) The Green IT concept is still in its marketing phase and little to do with true Green Governance at the code-base level

b) Green IT always existed but is a different GUI interface as opposed to a true Green IT System.

Why do I say this? Well similar to the cloud where the industry at this point is in discussion on a taxonomy between, public, virtual, private clouds similarly green governance has really met no standardization. Companies are claiming energy efficient servers, desktops, applications by claiming more efficient utilization of resources. This is achieved through either virtualization, maybe even automation. According to me, true Green IT Governance would involve discovering asset consumption within the enterprise and its direct impact on utilities (cooling, electricity, physical storage space) dynamically. From what I have learned Metering applications today do not entirely automate the governance structures around going Green. Just my thoughts!

Microsoft Battles Google

Cloud news just doesnt stop. Companies are scrambling to offer cloud based services with their own definitions. Other than the enabling technology behind the 'how' to abstract the storage and middleware layer from the application itself the enterprise will only see benefit once this is secure. This gives rise to 'Private Clouds'; let me host it but not manage is the way I look at it. Today Microsoft admits defeat against google from its cloud based offering for google docs, by offering Office Live 2010 in the Private Cloud. This business differentiation in the way MSFT is offering cloud services goes to show how MSFT cannot afford to compete in the public cloud space and trying to define its own cut of this market.

The article is posted here: http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/hosted/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218500287

Growth of Outsourcing

Last week, I spoke briefly about the emerging rise of Service Providers as customers and install base erosion. Last friday Sprint announced a $5 billion dollar contract with Ericsson to manage and upgrade its network over a 7 year contract. As I mentioned earlier, as each large enterprise shifts to such a business model it impacts the ISV revenue dramatically. The slow growth and gentle adoption doesnt really hold in this case, a single contract simply wipes out the underlying ISV's for such large contracts leaving the buying decision to the Service Provider! Though Sprint will continue to own the network/assets buying decision for new software licenses will shift to Ericsson.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10283799-94.html

Cloud in the Cloud

Google Chrome, Servicenow, RightNow Technologies, Software as a Service and IAAS/PAAS. Ive spent the past six months dwelling in this emerging services. The angle which I believe is most important is through the service providers. Think CapGemini, BT, Vodafone, Wipro, ACS, if these guys begin offering services then who is the next customer for ISV's? Typically we can see a shift of the end customer in which Integrated Software Vendors will begin noticing installed base erosion as the demand for service based delivery with tight SLA's shifts to the service providers.

This disruptive change will only be captured by the brave and those willing to change. It is inevitable that with 17% to 20% CAGRs within the Cloud Services that these incumbents are changing the way in which the end user consumes software.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, what is really going to the cloud? Think large enterprise. You own a database of your employees, benefits, payroll, customers, clients, partnership agreement forms....you are going to keep this close to your heart. So as the cloud reaches its steep climb, I think the enterprise will outsource only the periphery keeping the core in tact.

This still means a large portion of enterprise spend on infrastructure, governance and management will be outsourced. ISV's watch out!

First Post

Well I had always had a dream to write a book about my experiences in getting where I am so far (Im really not that far, but just figuratively speaking). So what better alternative than to create my own blog and document my experiences and thoughts as time proceeds. If anyone pays any remote interest then I am more than merry to accomodate your feedback and thoughts.