While many vendors and analysts are touting the cloud as the next computing wave, it's important to remember that there's really no such thing as a “cloud” of processing power hanging there all by itself. Every cloud needs a robust, scalable and real-life data center behind it. Those managers and professionals working at larger corporate sites are just as likely to be providers of cloud computing as the teams at Amazon – just for different audiences.
Even organizations that rely heavily on outside cloud providers, however, need to understand the fundamentals of the data center platforms and operations that are powering their enterprises. Remember, despite what business-side users may think, the cloud is not magic – just a set of well-configured, well architected systems. To stay on top of all the trends, subscribe to Database Trends and Applications magazine at www.dbta.com/subscribe.