For a successful implementation of cloud computing infrastructure, let's understand what is important to end-user customers of Public Cloud computing.

1. Instant-on Business-centric Service: Customers want virtual services made available to them as and when their business needs, in configurations and sizes that meet their technical requirements. Faster deployment with self-service portal will result in quick time-to-market for the end users. Customers want to focus on their core business and get relieved from IT related tasks. Customers do not want to worry about software licenses, patch analysis and updates. They are focused on consuming the service which is expected to be secure, stable and available.
2. Predictable TCO: Cloud customers want to know not just the price to entry but also want to know what it will cost as they continue to consume more cloud services. This kind of predictability will in fact fuel growth of cloud services.
3. True multi-tenancy: Multi-tenancy support is defined as the capability of a single software instance to provide its service to several parties simultaneously. Customers of Cloud computing prefer to pay based on usage and avoid buying perpetual license. Multi-tenancy makes the service more competitive in the market.
4. Privacy and Data control: With Cloud computing, on one hand, you get great flexibility of storing information where it makes sense technically and business-wise, it is also important for cloud computing service providers to understand privacy and data security and associated compliance requirements.

What are the inhibitors to Cloud computing?

1. Privacy and Data Security, Data back-up, Compliance and Overall Security: This is one area where customers are looking for more clarity from Cloud service providers. Customers expect Cloud service providers to take care of privacy and local compliance requirements and deliver cloud service with high level of security and availability, reliability and high performance. Cloud service providers will have to implement their cloud infrastructure to address these concerns and deliver service with simple SLAs.
2. Governance: For customers, Cloud computing is a different way of consuming services. This will require aligning their internal governance processes to ensure that cloud services are consumed with the right level of control and approval process. Many customers are concerned about lack of control which could result in islands of cloud services from different sources in different parts of their organization. Cloud service providers will have to implement a self-service portal that can easily be tailored to suit different approval and governance processes in customer environments.

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