07 Nov 2008

Software plus services 'right approach'

Microsoft is right to conceptualise its cloud strategy as software plus services, an expert has said.

John Foley, writing at Information Week, said Microsoft's terminology reflects an emerging enterprise model of computing, where software-laden PCs and handheld devices are used in conjunction with both corporate data centres and cloud-based data centres.

This model is flexible and developers will be able to create new mobile user experiences through it, Mr Foley suggested.

His comments come after Microsoft launched its new Azure programme to apply Windows in the cloud.

Meanwhile, an article by Charles Babcock at Information Week has discussed that the IT industry could experience the rebirth of software within the cloud and greater improvisation of off-premise applications could be a future trend.

If customers are already used to managing data and applications through hosted solutions, Mr Babcock added: "What's to stop them from improvising applications off premises, running them in the cloud, connecting to customers and executing transactions, all without having a line of code running inside their own hallowed halls."