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This Week in Cloud, November 1, 2012: 96% of CFOs see cloud benefits, Big Data tracks Sandy, Cloud data centers prepare for storm. And more…

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Cloud News

  • A recent Google-sponsored survey of 800 CFOs revealed that 96% of them believe that cloud computing provides quantifiable benefits to their business, according to this InfoWorld article. The survey also revealed that 94% of CFOs believe that cloud computing will be an important part of their success.

  • Big data companies were showcasing how their products and tools can help save money and lives through data analysis, according to this GigaOM article. The article details new big data tools and dashboards from Google, Palantir, SiSense, and Datum Companies.

  • Companies with data centers on the east coast were taking steps to prepare for Hurricane Sandy this week, according to this GigaOM article. The article details how companies like Terremark and Internap prepared for the storm and advises companies on what they can do to mitigate the risk of losing data and ensuring business continuity during a hurricane.

Feature Article

Could Cloud Call the Mainframe Home?

By Denise Dubie, CA Technologies

Denise Dubie

Study reveals IT decision makers plan to incorporate mainframes into cloud strategies.

Tomorrow's cloud strategy could read a bit like a bride's must-have list: something old, something new and perhaps even something from Big Blue. Recent survey data reveals plans among a majority of global IT decision makers to strategically couple cloud computing initiatives with existing mainframe platforms to create private and hybrid cloud environments.

The findings come as part of a larger study from CA Technologies, dubbed "The Mainframe as a Mainstay of the Enterprise 2012," which found more than 80% of IT decision makers worldwide believe the mainframe to be a "highly strategic part of their IT plans." The CA Technologies commissioned study, conducted by Decipher Research, surveyed some 623 IT professionals in 11 countries. And the results overwhelmingly show that despite some exaggerated reports in the press about the mainframe being "dead," a majority of IT leaders realize the value the platform offers and the potential benefits to building future technology strategy on a foundation as solid as the mainframe. Read the full article.

Cloud Views

  • Due to sweeping power outages in the Northeast, we postponed our @CloudCommons #CloudViews tweetchat on cloud standards that was scheduled for October 30th. The event will now take place on Tuesday, November 13th. You can preview the questions on Smart Enterprise.

  • Does it matter if the CIO is happy with cloud? In this Forbes.com blog, Joe McKendrick quotes Andi Mann and recent data from a CA Technologies commissioned IDG survey to reveal that the business may not be on the same page as the CIO when it comes to cloud computing.

  • Are EU policies smothering the cloud? In this ZDNet blog, Phil Wainewright, the chair of EuroCloud UK, suggests that the industry needs to step up to ensure that policies aren’t put in place that will smother the cloud.

MSP Corner

  • Can MSPs predict cloud outages? In this MSPmentor blog, Joe Panettieri discusses new tools that monitor the cloud for warning signs of an impending outage.

  • Are cloud data centers prepared for disasters? In this Talkin’ Cloud blog, Chris Talbot reveals how Hurricane Sandy affected east coast data centers and details storm related announcements by Rackspace and Nirvanix.

Upcoming Cloud Events

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More Stories By CloudCommons 2012

CloudCommons is an independent online community of IT professionals, analysts, technology providers, and industry experts. Members can ask questions, learn from experts, and find the latest cloud-related news. Cloud Commons offers a forum to contribute and discuss best practices and successes, as well as research vendor solutions. Sponsored by CA Technologies, Cloud Commons has been growing steadily since its launch in May of 2010.

Hosted on Cloud Commons is the Service Measurement Index (SMI). Led by Carnegie Mellon University, SMI encompasses a growing consortium of members. SMI compiles user-submitted ratings of cloud services and scores them relative to other services of the same type. Ratings include metrics such as: quality, agility, risk, cost, capability, and security.

ThisWeekInCloud is Cloud Commons weekly newsletter listing the industry events we felt worthwhile reading about. Read them here or subscribe to have it delivered to you inbox as email or as RSS Feed.

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