Top 10 Cloud Computing Topics of 2009: Happy New Year!
1. Cloud Computing.
The number one topic in cloud computing of 2009? Cloud Computing. Gartner puts the 2009 market for cloud computing services at $56.3 billion. Merrill Lynch is predicting that revenue from cloud computing services and applications will hit $160 billion by 2011.
2. Amazon. 
I thought they sold books? Now they are the premier cloud computing infrastructure with Amazon EC2.
3. Microsoft's Azure Cloud.
The original article on which this post is based stated, "Perhaps the company least likely to be associated with cloud computing is Microsoft." I respectfully disagree. If there is any kind of new technology trend, Microsoft will try it out. In no particular order: Windows, Xbox, Bing, Office, Internet Explorer, Zune... Why not cloud computing?
4. Cloud Security. 
Is cloud computing safe? This could arguably be #2 (#1 if we weren't counting "Cloud Computing itself) as security seems to be one of the only "cons" on the list of reasons to migrate to the cloud. If it weren't for the security issue, there is very little reason not to adopt a cloud compute platform. However, with this being such a big topic in the virtualization arena, you can imagine that all the cloud giants (Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, etc.) are plugging in all the holes that critics are trying to poke in the cloud.
5. The City of L.A. Signs $7.25million Contract.
About 30,000 employees of the Los Angeles government are now using Google's cloud email and office application software. This was done despite Topic #4 and was seen as a huge step forward in the cloud movement.
6. Government Cloud Computing.
The United States Government has begun to recognize the importance of cloud computing as well. The Office of Management and Budget has noted cloud computing for the FY2011 budget. In addition, in September of 2009, Apps.gov was introduced as an online cloud store where government agencies could purchase online applications from the cloud providers like Salesforce.com and Google.
7. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
Another big cloud computing story of 2009? Larry Ellison saying there is no cloud computing story of 2009. "My objection to cloud computing is the [assertion] that cloud computing is not only the future of computing, it is the present and the entire past... All it is, is a computer attached to a network." Strong words coming from the CEO of a company that could be in prime position to become a leading cloud vendor. With many of the world's leading technology companies stepping into the game, it is a bold move by Mr. Ellison to not only stay out of the cloud race, but to bash it as well.
8. IBM's Big Blue Cloud
IBM has always been making its mark on the cloud with offerings like the LotusLive portfolio, Rational cloud-software development toolset, and the private cloud application WebSphere. Then in October, the announcement for the IBM Smart Business Storage Cloud service marked IBM's entrance into the cloud data storage business.
9. Virtualization.
In April 2009, VMware introduced vSphere 4 virtualization technology as "the industry's first cloud operating system."
Meanwhile Citrix updated its Citrix Cloud Center platform and formed at partnership with Amazon Web Services under which customers can develop and test cloud applications.
10. Opportunties for Solution Providers.
As organizations and businesses move from on-premise computing to cloud computing, there is a tremendous opportunity for solution providers, as they will be the key in making all the incongruent moving parts work together.
Click here to view the original article.