Cloud Nine for China’s Cloud Computing?

Posted by zibin on December 23, 2008 · Filed Under China Web2

Everyone’s talking about Cloud computing. Let’s talk.

We know that cloud computing is a term reinvented for Web2.0. It has existed in many names, especially by the name: Internet. Essentially, cloud computing moves applications or services from client to server. The client, in turn, fetches the remote services using web services.

So what’s the fuzz about cloud computing in 2008? Amazon has been doing it for years now through Amazon Web Services. Maybe because Google and Microsoft have now decided to crash the party. Microsoft launched Azure in October. This got people talking.

China doesn’t want to be left behind. Baidu has announced Aladdin, a plan to improve Baidu’s search capabilities. Baidu can’t help by referring Aladdin as to having significant cloud capability. Baidu’s CTO, Li YiNan went on to refer cloud computing as the next most important core technology after search.

A friend was recruited by Alibaba to do computational work. Alibaba talked about recruiting developers to develop a new computational-intensive technology whereby thousands of machines are used to store, manage and analyze data. Hmm, sounds like cloud.

Google China obviously can’t be left out. KaiFu Lee, the face of Google China talked about cloud computing. He said the reason Google build Chrome was because of Cloud Computing.

2009 for China’s cloud computing will be like 2008’s in the west.

Photo source: tashland’s flickr photo

Comments

zibin

I'll go with you that bandwidth inconsistency in China might be a unique challenge for cloud computing in China

rexchung

With so much money invested into AWS from Amazon themselves as well as other startups, it is not going to go away. Also those success stories makes it a very attractive model for companies that can afford it like Baidu and Google. We haven't heard much successes from Google's App platform, in my opinion it is not very flexible at all. Only openness can create fast adoption.

The bandwidth speed inconsistency problems and GWF are big problems to overcome before the same AWS model can be viable in China.

rexchung

There's far too much money from different startups invested into Amazon's AWS now. It has also proven to be a viable business. All these success stories with Amazon is definitely very attractive.

Setting up a cloud computing service in China is probably alot more difficult with the bandwidth speed inconsistencies across different cities. Certainly Baidu or Google might have enough cash to overcome this problem.

Fyre Vortex

I have to agree, Cloud Computing is starting to be really important and many companies are now trying to go into and build their cloud computing system and "be the first", seeing that it (CComputing) will be the next generation of hosting/main online infrastructures.