Future of cloud computing: Microsoft's edge over others

Fifty-fifty as the Ignite conference was going on, the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, spoke nearly his aggressive plans for cloud calculating and well-nigh the border they have over other cloud computing service providers in the field. He disclosed a few notable points in an interview to "The Fortune" that I will talk virtually in this post.

According to Satya Nadella, Amazon Web Services and Google stand no chance in the contest when information technology comes to Microsoft. He said merely Microsoft has the capability to add together servers to the deject: something that Amazon and Google tin can't and won't do. IBM, though in manufacturing servers, cannot compete with Microsoft equally the latter has already built up a huge base of operations for Microsoft Azure, 1 of the virtually trusted cloud platforms from Microsoft.

Nadella says that they have the server and that volition aid them in better profitable the clients in conveying out their deject computing needs. He is evidently referring to hybrid clouds when he talks about providing servers in addition to the cloud. The cloud is Microsoft Azure, running on Microsoft's servers while the "servers" that Nadella points out are the local clouds (running Windows Server OS) that the clients operate at their premises or elsewhere – accessible only to the companies that congenital them. The ability to transfer files and data between Microsoft Public cloud and local clouds running Windows Server gives them an edge over others in cloud computing. The future of cloud computing is Microsoft, if we are to believe Satya Nadella.

The three leaders in the field of cloud calculating are Amazon, Microsoft and Google, with IBM and Salesforce abaft behind. There were speculations that Microsoft would buy Salesforce to further kill the competition but it backed up for unknown reasons.

While Amazon and Google are not pretty much into the hybrid cloud business, Satya Nadella takes pride in proverb that the traditional servers are the hugger-mugger that gives the visitor, an edge over the competitors. This is something that other companies can't imitate without infringing the patent of Microsoft'due south hybrid cloud model i.e., without implementing Windows Server on their machines.

The company is investing aggressively in its cloud computing platform named Azure. In Satya Nadella'due south ain words:

"We at present accept the power to necktie together the cloud and the server. That is a very unique adequacy that nosotros have. So who am I competing with? Amazon has no capability to compete there. They don't have a server. Nor does Google. Oracle doesn't have the equivalent adequacy. So those are the places where we want to really excel"

At that place are companies similar IBM etc. but they cannot attract as many clients because they started also late. HP also ventured into the public cloud only gave up afterward a brusk while, saying cloud is not their specialty. IBM is persisting and might gather some clients only it is nowhere nearly Microsoft when it comes to the contest in cloud computing.

Recently, Microsoft announced Azure Stack, a characteristic in the Windows Server that would let clients run the same kind of platform in their local data centers as they would in the Azure platform. Information technology was a assuming motility but it does delight their clients every bit they can implement the paradigm of Azure on their local cloud platforms. With Azure Stack, information technology becomes easier to write programs that would run on both Azure and local clouds, running Windows Server, without whatsoever conflicts.

In short, Microsoft is betting on its server software to provide better hybrid clouds that will exist the futurity of cloud computing. While public clouds are most used, many enterprises get for hybrid clouds for their operations. Normally, they would use public clouds for trifle tasks while employing their ain clouds for real time tasks. It is non that public clouds cannot provide real-time services only the companies do non want to accept risks. For instance, if a company policy states that data should be maintained for 10 years, they volition employ the public cloud for the storage of such data while employing private clouds for other operations. That'south just an instance. Real-world scenarios let companies using Azure to do more than just shop data on deject.

Satya Nadella farther added that he does non think that the server software is traditional or legacy. Rather, he thinks of information technology as a secret edge for the deject services that will help Microsoft in putting up with companies' needs of private and hybrid clouds. Equally about companies prefer hybrid clouds, having like applications that tin deal with both public and private clouds is more viable and bonny equally it saves time and coin amidst other cost factors.

Nadella points out that neither Amazon nor Google has enterprise software for cloud servers and every bit such, they are limited to providing public clouds. Though Amazon does offer hybrid clouds, the ease of functioning won't be there as different apps will have to be adult for public and individual clouds. That is a negative signal and hence, he believes they are not fifty-fifty in the competition for the future of cloud computing. Non in competition with Microsoft, at to the lowest degree. He does acknowledge IBM equally the closest competitor to Microsoft Azure but since it has started too belatedly and since Microsoft has been dealing with businesses for a long, Microsoft has an edge over IBM likewise.

Fifty-fifty for companies that want entirely private clouds, Microsoft is able to cater the services using its server software – on the cloud, on mobile, and on any other practical devices. While Nadella acknowledges that others might succeed – as with the previous generations – having their own server offers an border to Microsoft when information technology comes to the future of deject calculating and competition among service providers.

He also talked of the integration of Windows into the cloud:

"Windows is very much office of the deject. But one of the fundamental things I believe is, it'due south not just virtually ane device. When I say "mobile commencement" or "cloud first," to me information technology'southward nigh the mobility of the app or the experience, not the mobility of the device. And if you believe that, then the control aeroplane is really the deject"

When people are logged into Windows operating system (Windows 8.1 and later OS), they will too be automatic logged-into the cloud and that is how they are integrated. Too, Function software besides provides online integration. Nadella too stated that people using Enterprise Mobility Suite can manage security, identity, devices, and data loss protection across platforms like Android, iOS, and Windows. He says it is a unique capability that is available simply with Microsoft.

Cloud computing interview questions MS Azure