The Road to Cloud Computing: Be Bewildered and Be Realistic

From Li Kaifu to cloud computing...

Recently, in the IT circle, a very hot topic is between Fang Zhouzi and Kaifu Kai, the CEO of “Innovation Workshop”, and he conducted a contest between the authenticity of self-description in the autobiography of the latter. The ultimate result is that Li Kaifu acknowledges that In the biography, there is something wrong with his description of being the “youngest associate professor” in 26 studies at Carnegie Mellon University, and there are not enough “rigorous” statements about Obama’s classmates in the United States.... The consequence of the incident was that Kai-Fu Lee had been dazzled by the autobiography and had to say that he was going to fade. This can not help but once again people's emotions, and people still have to be pragmatic.

From this incident, I think there is a lot of reference to the "cloud computing" which is also hot in the IT circle. For Li Kaifu himself, even if it is not false propaganda, its knowledge and qualifications are quite outstanding, and cloud computing itself is widely recognized from the technical point and development experience to the final concept and mode. On the other hand, Kai-Fu Lee was dubbed the “Teacher of Life” and the “Youth Tutor”. He himself also defaulted on his own and there were countless admirers. Is cloud computing not the case in today's IT circles? The "future IT" and "ultimate vision" are fascinating and followers are rushing. However, after Li Kaifu’s aura faded, I think that cloud computing is also facing the same problem. We, each of us who participate in it, must also reassess how much “pragmatic” people are left.

When Kai Kaifu taught young worshippers, he would often show his glory to the younger generation, so that his younger generation would be passionate about their aspirations and thus inspire them to work harder to make the world different. In the "tour" process of cloud computing, the same is true. It describes many beautiful visions and attracts you to go. Like Li Kaifu's speech, it does not tell you what to do for each student, but it is Tell you how good I am and what kind of results and performances I have. In many companies' cloud computing introductions, most of them do the same, telling customers how advanced the cloud computing is, how much it can save you costs, and how to achieve an efficient business model. However, in the end, Fang told us that Mr. Kaifu was not as good as he said. However, the reason he taught the students is actually nothing new. He only uses himself as a fresh example, which makes people more admirable. Longing for. In contrast, academic qualifications are not as good as opening up. The experience of serving in a large company is not as good as that of Steve Jobs, and the achievements it brings are far higher than those of the former. This means that everyone’s road to success is not. The same is different from person to person. The same is true for cloud computing. It is actually not as beautiful as it advertises. At least for certain companies, we need a pragmatic heart. In the present glory, we must look for our own companies. Excellent IT evolution (success) road.

If you want to use cloud computing, you must choose what is cloud computing, but this issue is a rather complex set of problems. Explaining it in detail is not the purpose of this article. However, what I want to say is that by grasping a few points, we can have a general understanding of it. First, cloud computing is an IT service model or method. Note that it is a kind of service. This is an important concept. We can imagine using the example of spending money to buy things. A common cloud is the IT of your enterprise. Buy IT resources (infrastructure, platform, applications). Private cloud is your business department buying IT resources from IT departments. Hybrid cloud is a mixture of two IT resources. It's equivalent to home-atmosphere, food and home-made products. , To buy a part of the restaurant outside, and the guests you ask is the demand for business applications. Second, cloud computing is not really a technology. It is an idea. It is more like a collection of technologies. So don’t think of how mysterious cloud computing is. Relatively mysterious are just the technologies related to it. There are many that are not needed by everyone, so many times you don't need to worry about yourself. Finally, you'll be disoriented. Third, cloud computing is indeterminate, but there is a unified pursuit. Now there are too many types of cloud computing, vertical and horizontal, and many companies will feel that they are in the cloud, but here We must master that cloud, no matter what, needs to achieve "dynamic resource allocation, automated demand response, and efficient and flexible management to achieve a lower TCO" for the demand areas it targets. This is basically all. The common pursuit of the cloud should also be the pursuit of the company's future IT development.

Having said this, our views are also clear - the emergence of cloud computing, so that companies actually saw a correct and inevitable demand - low-cost, dynamic, automated and efficient and flexible management. Regardless of cloud computing, this should be the common aspiration of every IT manager. The current hot cloud computing is just a model for realizing it. Whether we need the cloud computing that we are currently talking about specifically, it is because People are different. In other words, it is not important for postdoctoral students or university dropouts. What is important is what kind of development path suits them.

The positive and negative of cloud computing actually, every enterprise's IT environment more or less has the shadow of cloud computing. For example, in the traditional IT architecture, the business department puts forward demands to the IT department in the current physical and isolated island environment. It can also be realized, that is, the time is long and the cost is high, but you can't say that this is not a cloud computing service model, but the cloud computing that we talk about now has evolved. According to the traditional approach, the cost will undoubtedly be enormous if we want to achieve dynamic, automated and efficient and flexible management. I think this is also the greatest value of cloud computing.

But what is more confusing in China is that when many people think that cloud computing is centralized computing, cloud computing is distributed computing, cloud computing is providing software services through the network, and virtualization is cloud computing, various types of clouds also follow. The birth of a large-scale cloud computing center was continuously launched, as if it were not behind cloud computing. This kind of "urgent" and "Chinese characteristics" that surrounded them is behind the impetuous, it also greatly improved the aura of cloud computing.

In the final analysis, we do not need cloud computing and we don’t need to answer. Every enterprise is a cloud computing environment. It is just a different degree of evolution, so it’s like the different levels and levels of students who listen to lectures. , can only understand the truth, but how do you do? Obviously we must make judgments based on our own needs and abilities.

Some people say that cloud computing must be virtualized. Some people say that the physical environment is also very important. Who is right or wrong? ——If you look at application requirements, it is not suitable for virtualization. Otherwise, it is counterproductive. Just like to arrange a 2x1.8m bed for Yao Ming, but also let him and Yi Jianlian sleep together, this is not waiting for an incident?

Some people say that cloud computing can reduce costs. Some people say that cloud computing is more troublesome and costs more. The adoption of cloud computing depends on the specific application needs and environment. Just like a 4-port vehicle only needs to buy a car. If you have to buy a large palanquin, then you have to change your driver's license, and you have to cope with the usual maintenance and high oil costs. Isn't this a block for yourself? Therefore, we must choose to look at our own scale and needs and do what we can.

Some people say that cloud computing is simple and easy to use. Some people may say that deployment is difficult. Cloud computing involves multiple layers, especially at the application level. It has to make greater changes to the traditional architecture. It must be confirmed that the work of converting well in advance is like riding a bicycle. The bicycle's fierce ride a tricycle, there are a few do not run?

Some people say that virtualization of cloud computing has a great impact on performance. Some people say that performance is very good. Whether or not it is virtualized, whether or not the performance is good depends on the type of application load. Is it CPU, memory, or storage I/O? ? Use a large funnel to pour water on a small bottle, or use a straw to add oil to a drum. Do you say that pain is not painful? Targeted elimination of performance bottlenecks, whether virtualization or cloud computing is needed.

There are many standards for cloud computing. A says A is good. B says B is good. Who am I talking about? - This is the truth. Whether it is virtualization or cloud computing application framework, there are many standards, but this phenomenon will exist for a long time. Just like programming languages ​​and middleware, it cannot be avoided. According to the above explanation, choosing one you think is appropriate, the key point is the compatibility of the upper management platform. At the same time, considering the possible future connection with the public cloud standard of your choice, there is no better Method.

The benefits of cloud computing are good or bad, which should I listen to? ——Who does not listen to it and measures it for himself, but surely, the benefit is good. Its enterprise IT is excellent in equipment selection, architecture design, and internal supporting management and process design. Cloud computing can be said It is a whole change, like a fat woman wearing a good-looking thin skirt, but the effect is not good, but only the full body of the new clothes (cloud computing) targeted weight loss (optimization) will reach the most Good results.

Is my business suitable for cloud computing? - I said, now that corporate IT can be said to be the original cloud computing model. As far as suitability is not suitable for the current promotion, this is a very reflective spirit. We must look at this issue in a pragmatic manner. But I can't conclude here that you need not to need, or look at the situation in which your business needs are met. If it can be easily dealt with, then it is not necessary. If IT is constantly struggling, and it causes dissatisfaction with the business sector, then it is true. You should think about it. But to comply with the dynamics of resources (pooling, that is, virtualization) - application of transformation (for cloud, virtual environment optimization and transformation) - management automation (flexible response) to take a few steps, but not in a hurry, Do it quickly.

In short, cloud computing is a good thing, but it is not so beautiful for everyone, so you must not deify it. In the process of actual observation, research, deployment and implementation, you need to have a practical and realistic heart. In order to constantly review its own road to cloud computing, based on its own needs and actual application scale. And only if the “ray of light” that we constantly pursue is no longer dazzling, we will see the road ahead more clearly...