Cloud is a Technology Game Changer, it has dramatically changed how we think about and utilize services. Cloud facilitates rapid deployments due to quick availability of scalable services. It provides the high service velocity to manage changes incrementally and less time for provisioning storage and applications. Cloud can enhance productivity by providing the infrastructure or application platforms and related tools to respond to customer needs faster, giving organizations an edge over others that have not assessed such mechanisms. In addition, the on-demand capabilities can lead to efficient utilization of resources. I have seen applications that traditionally would take months to deploy, being rolled out in several weeks due to the Cloud and new environments being set up very quickly , the key is to carefully assess existing capabilities and focus on service and process integration.

Cloud is a major shift from technology services development to business services development. Traditional technology services are being encapsulated in the Cloud so Information Technology Management can focus on business services development and related aspects. This gives an opportunity to strategize and execute at a higher level. There is also greater emphasis on the delivery of multiple services as composite services, the metrics driven consumption of services and related service monitoring.  For effective cloud integration, data transfer should occur efficiently across services and applications , also end to end integration of business processes should be accomplished across services. For Hybrid Cloud solutions, it is important to develop seamless connections across applications and services. Effective integration across data, interfaces, processes are important aspects for Cloud integration. Shared services in the Cloud can be leveraged across organizations and government agencies resulting in significant reuse and cost savings. Due to the utility based aspects of the Cloud, service consumption can be adjusted as needed based on on-going monitoring .

As part of the transition to the Cloud, standards and open interfaces are extremely important for seamless connectivity. Governance at the business and technology levels is also important to complement the development of services. Inadequate governance and rapid development without control can result in silos and data inconsistency. Security, privacy and reliability aspects have to be carefully assessed as part of migration to the Cloud. Change management, compliance with standards and effective service management are the key elements to ensure that cloud services can be deployed and leveraged effectively. (This has been extracted from and is reference to Ajay Budhraja's blog)

• Is Cloud Computing a Green Giant?
• "Cloud Computing & AJAX" Session by Amazon's Jeff Barr on October 22, in San Jose, California
• Free "Cloud Computing & AJAX" Session by Amazon's Jeff Barr on October 22, in San Jose, California