Collaborative Strategy Guild » Microsoft Cloud Strategy http://collaborativestrategyguild.com Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:58:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Apples to Kumquats: Comparing Cloud Service Offerings http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/2009/04/apples-to-kumquats-comparing-cloud-service-offerings/ http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/2009/04/apples-to-kumquats-comparing-cloud-service-offerings/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:09:33 +0000 Karen Hobert http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/?p=78 7 Keys to Comparing Google Apps Premier Edition with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Discrepancies and misdemeanors aside, the biggest problem I have with the piece is that it's the wrong comparison if you want to sell Google Apps to customers. The piece is great collateral to demonstrate the differences between on-premises and hosted services but it does not say why way GAPE is say better than Microsoft Exchange Online. To be fair, and not to single out Google, I've found that the collateral from major cloud computing vendors (including IBM and Microsoft) tend to do a pretty good job at presenting arguments in favor of cloud-based... Continue reading: Apples to Kumquats: Comparing Cloud Service Offerings

]]> I recently read through a new Google Apps Premier Edition (GAPE) Partner Guide called 7 Keys to Comparing Google Apps Premier Edition with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Discrepancies and misdemeanors aside, the biggest problem I have with the piece is that it’s the wrong comparison if you want to sell Google Apps to customers. The piece is great collateral to demonstrate the differences between on-premises and hosted services but it does not say why way GAPE is say better than Microsoft Exchange Online.

To be fair, and not to single out Google, I’ve found that the collateral from major cloud computing vendors (including IBM and Microsoft) tend to do a pretty good job at presenting arguments in favor of cloud-based services versus on-premises deployments, but they tend to confuse the comparison as justification that their particular services are better than another vendor’s services. Wouldn’t the Google piece have more value if it were called 7 Keys to Comparing Google Apps Premier edition with Microsoft Exchange Online?

Of course cloud computing is the hot new item and currently represents a huge new promised land for enterprise computing; what if you could have all of the benefits of email without all the fuss? It’s like dating without commitments. In reality there are commitments and right now vendors see huge opportunities as long as they can get the huge economies of scale that make it all pay off. It’s big business.

Last week I blogged about a recent McKinsey report that shoots some holes into the cloud argument. My best advice to any customer is to consider these delivery models carefully and make strategic decisions according to thier unique business, technical, and security requirements. The real comparison is two-fold; is cloud computing a good choice for you, and which cloud offering will meet the needs of your firm?

]]> http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/2009/04/apples-to-kumquats-comparing-cloud-service-offerings/feed/ 0 A Bigger Microsoft Cloud http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/2009/03/a-bigger-microsoft-cloud/ http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/2009/03/a-bigger-microsoft-cloud/#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:32:25 +0000 collabstrategy http://collaborativestrategyguild.com/wordpress/?p=30 Karen Hobert's Connecting Dots by Karen Hobert Since its announcement of the Software+Services strategy in 2006, Microsoft has been steadily refining and growing it's online offerings. Over the last two years Microsoft has unveiled it's strategy at regular intervals. Thus far we've been taken from the S+S strategy in the summer of 2006 through the general availability of US-based consumer and business grade hosted messaging, communications, and collaboration services in November 2008. Last week Microsoft's cloud got bigger with the general availability of worldwide Microsoft Online Services for any sized company. According to Microsoft's press release:
...the Business Productivity Online Suite, part of Microsoft Online Services, is now available for trial to businesses of all sizes in 19... Continue reading: A Bigger Microsoft Cloud

]]> from Karen Hobert’s Connecting Dots by Karen Hobert

Since its announcement of the Software+Services strategy in 2006, Microsoft has been steadily refining and growing it’s online offerings. Over the last two years Microsoft has unveiled it’s strategy at regular intervals. Thus far we’ve been taken from the S+S strategy in the summer of 2006 through the general availability of US-based consumer and business grade hosted messaging, communications, and collaboration services in November 2008. Last week Microsoft’s cloud got bigger with the general availability of worldwide Microsoft Online Services for any sized company. According to Microsoft’s press release:

…the Business Productivity Online Suite, part of Microsoft Online Services, is now available for trial to businesses of all sizes in 19 countries. In addition, Microsoft will release Microsoft Office Communications Online, for instant messaging and presence, and the Business Productivity Online Deskless Worker Suite, an extremely economical e-mail, calendaring and collaboration service for the occasional user.

This steady cloud formation is formidable and steps up the competition in the emerging cloud-based platforms market. There’s lots of ground that still needs to be covered, especially when it comes to supporting enterprises, however. Microsoft is still not likely to suck the air out of the enterprise hosting room until it can make the entire platform (e.g., messaging plus all of its supporting services) affordable and secure. Cheap mailbox services are a good selling point but enterprises tend to look at (and need) more than just better mailbox service costs. The cloud maturity model looks more complex than one-stop shopping solutions when you get to the enterprise. Flexibility, adaptability, and risk mitigation are the keys to enterprise hearts. The cloud is still too squishy and moist for many.

Microsoft Online Services Available Worldwide: Microsoft signs agreement with GlaxoSmithKline to deploy Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online and Office Live Meeting for employees worldwide.

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