Cloud Computing Market in 2010

Predictions

- If 2009 can be called the year when cloud computing moved out of the "early adopter" phase into the mainstream, then 2010 will be the year cloud computing transforms IT industry and change the way people and businesses use technology

- If 2009 was the year when the leading players such as, Amazon, Google, CA, Microsoft and IBM have all announced various initiatives in cloud computing, then 2010 is the year when major enterprises adopt cloud computing and deploy their mission critical applications

- If 2009 was a year of early adopters and changing concepts, then in 2010 we will see a pragmatic adoption and emergence of standards and best practices. In a word 2010 is predicted to be the Year of Cloud Computing Realism - according to many industry experts.

Players

With many leading software vendors including VMWare, Citrix, Sun, HP, Cisco, Intuit, Symantec, Yahoo, IBM already started their cloud initiatives, there are three major forces that will drive the cloud in 2010:

Amazon - the growth of Amazon's Web Services has been little short of explosive. The global crisis and economic environment of previous years have helped the company and attracted not only start-ups and internet companies, but many other businesses and enterprises looked to slash operational and maintenance costs. Just a year ago, its Simple Storage Service (S3) contained around 12bn "objects". Now it's home to 40bn and climbing rapidly. The company reported in 2009 to have served more than 400,000 AWS customers among which there were a solid number of enterprises. Amazon already signed partner deals with IBM and Oracle to deliver their software through Amazon Web Services.

Microsoft - most people in the world of cloud computing consider Microsoft a punch line. However, with the rise of Azure and Microsoft Office Web Apps, Microsoft will find itself well placed in the clouds. Most Global 2000 companies, if they are existing Microsoft Office customers, will find Microsoft is the best glide path to cloud computing. The company itself has clearly outlined its strategy towards cloud future. In its official speech and email sent to all employees Micrsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer signaled a company-wide refocusing on cloud computing. "For the cloud, we're all in" - is a prominent slogan on Microsoft new cloud-computing Web-site. The company plans to increase the number of employees involved in various cloud programs from existing 70 per cent to 90 per cent till next year

Google - while Microsoft will be concentrated on large businesses and enterprises, Google will continue to dominate small to medium-sized businesses, individuals and organizations, using its free ad-driven model for delivery of Google Apps, Docs and Gmail, with some larger enterprise deals closed.

There are many other prominent players such as Cisco, IBM, Sun, HP that will shape the market and present their portfolios of offerings utilizing comprehensive delivery channels and sales organizations.

Market Growth

As for the overall market growth there are some estimates making cloud computing one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Merrill Lynch estimates the cloud market reach $160 billion by 2011,while Gartner pledged the market at $150 billion by 2013.

As more and more enterprises adopt cloud solutions, we'll see emergence of new market players (both big and small) as well as consolidation as major vendors look to expand their portfolio. With consolidation comes increased market value. With increased market we'll see innovative cloud computing startups to appear offering everything and anything that can be delivered as a service With the diversified market landscape consulting practices built around design and implementation of cloud infrastructures come to the scene. Major consulting players will offer advice and consultation for adopting a cloud-based approach to IT.