Will Microsoft be a winner in enterprise Cloud computing?

There have been a couple of trends in the Cloud marketplace recently that are noteworthy.

First there is now a general acceptance that enterprises will choose hybrid Clouds as the best way to meet their needs. This was picked up by David Sherr in his recent blog entry (http://dsherr23.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/ive-looked-at-clouds-frm-both-sides-now/) and covered by David Linthicum in his blog on InfoWorld (http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/hybrid-clouds-new-twist-old-trick-514).

There has also been increasing debate about whether Microsoft will be one of the top 5 Cloud providers (or Cloud Champions as I refer to them) three to five years out. David Linthicum has covered this quite well [...]

Enterprise IT Unit Cost – Microsoft Could Play a Leadership Role in Cloud Computing

In his article “Microsoft has nowhere to go but up in cloud market”, Robert Mullins examines BTC Logic’s cloud computing ranking report.  As part of the cloud computing ecosystem, Microsoft could take a leadership role through cloud technology, to help the enterprise CIO understand their unit costs, and supporting how best to allocate costs across business lines. As a major player, they could support the revitalization of unit costing in data center management.

In a recent discussion with a top 10 cloud management company, the chief marketing officer mentioned a major sales challenge: getting [...]

Why Microsoft sees its future in [Rich Services] Cloud

From health care systems to cellphones, Steve Ballmer wants Microsoft “to invent everything that’s important on the planet.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/business/18msft.html?th&emc=th

Microsoft is very much aware that they are facing a present where the traditional desktop OS and traditional thick desktop apps (i.e. Office) are being squeezed and a future where these lines will have less relevance. Without a path forward –  MS Online (the first full Cloud app suite for SMB/Enterprise – essentially MS Office in the Cloud with Rich Services clients) and to make “Cloud run better on Win7″ – Microsoft is looking at a bleak future with diminishing revenue streams.

The [...]