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et’s face it folks! Cloud Computing is still growing
and it remains largely misunderstood by a large
segment of the consumer population. This is not
to say that many aren’t taking advantage of cloud
computing in some form or fashion (often times,
unknowingly), only that people seem generally
confused as to how it’s diferent from more traditional
IT infrastructure models.
Of course, those who are working within IT-related /
dependent felds should have no problem identifying
the fner points of how cloud computing works, or
even what it seeks to change. If that is the case then
a little cloud computing training and / or certifcation
should defnitely be on this year’s list of “to-dos”.
But just because most IT professionals are more
knowledgeable about cloud computing doesn’t
necessarily imply that they have its best “potential
application(s)” in mind. For example, in the near
future, there will likely be a big push toward
monetizing cloud computing service(s) by means
of marketing them to the average person. Though
it’s impossible to tell at this point what direction
this trend might take, it’s probably safe to assume
that it might build upon what’s currently in place.
Meaning, perhaps cloud computing services will be
sold / packaged by ISP’s or tech frms, and individual
companies might begin leveraging individual cloud
components and delivering them in an App-like
format?
Whatever happens, the bottom line is that IT
personnel need to begin familiarizing (or re-
familiarizing) themselves with the fner points of
cloud computing and perhaps even elect for some
form of certifcation also. Certifcation might very well
be one of the primary indicators that many future
cloud-centric employers will want their potentials to
have a strong background in (wouldn’t harm current
job security either).
Alright, so we’ve established that cloud computing
is likely to play a very important (if not central) role
in the future of computing and networking, but how
does this relate to ITIL?
ITIL is recognized as the primary reference for
IT professionals regarding the establishment,
operation, management, modifcation, and various
methodologies concerning IT infrastructure. In other
words, when you have a problem with Infrastructure
or need to see what the best methods are for
achieving something, you go to the ITIL for assistance.
However, ITIL is also part of a generalized certifcation
that professionals can attain, which not only boosts
the look of a resume’, but also prepares one for the
many real-world challenges that they are likely to face.
Cloud computing is going to continue to create
challenges for IT professionals until it has been fully
explored and charted (and even then, breakthroughs
can occur which might very well rewrite the rulebooks
yet again). The point is, IT workers need a solid
How ITIL Can Help
Define the Future of
Cloud Computing
WilliamManning
®