Cloud computing on Tech.Ed

Many sessions were dedicated to Cloud Computing topics last week at Tech Ed EMEA. Some highlights I wanted to post here.

First the Azure platform. Like Windows SharePoint Services (SharePoint Portal is build on top of it) Azure delivers a platform for applications that will become geographic independent. By this I mean that we will see many more applications that do not require a specific location to run. Geo independency is a major advantage with cloud computing. You can now create multiple instances of your application anywhere in the world! Or if you are more of a green fellow, wherever the coolest datacenter is.

Next federation. Microsoft is aiming to become a federation trusted party. It is like the TTP in certificate world. The federation platform v2 has codename Geneva. When this product evolve we will see websites where you automatically will become recognized. Just because your system admin and the web application developer were able to combine efforts. The result is stunning. As a consumer you get a personal experience, without noticing you have logged on through the federation trust *).

*) Technical note: a federation trust is one of the the basics of cloud computing. It is not a Active Directory trust. It is more like exchanging public certificates.

The very first application that will become available in the could (it actually already is) is EMAIL ! You didn’t see this coming, right? Then you are probably an Exchange administrator. Your work will shift towards provisioning. Cloud providers can deliver the exact same email experience at virtually no costs. Beat that. You cannot. Migration is easy and so is reversing the migration *).

*) Technical note: email is using a mature protocol. RPC over HTTPS is reliable, secure and open. It is geo independent. Your Outlook will not notice the difference. And your mailbox size will become 5 GB +.

Finally provisioning using ILM v2. The new policy engine is very powerful yet complex. My personal experience is that provisioning is not a technical challenge, We solve input issues with technical tricks, that’s for sure. So actually the problem is at the input processes. This maybe your register desks and user admins. Provisiong is a crucial activity.The true challenge is getting the technical and the business specialist to allign. Cloud computing will otherwise never be a successful hype.

Question: when do you plan to migrate to Microsoft Live Mail , Google Apps Mail of like?

- Paul

Scientist cooks up adjustable strength metals

As you may know, crafting a katana is a delicate process that involves carefully constructing a razor-sharp high-carbon edge around a soft shock-absorbent core. One day though, smiths and forging fires could be replaced by electrode-wielding mad-scientists, with the technology to selectively harden and soften metal at will. At least that's what we envisioned when we read about Jörg Weißmüller's breakthrough research in the field of nanomaterials. The German scientist discovered that by placing precious metals in acid he could create tiny ducts through corrosion. Once those channels are flooded with a conductive liquid, electrical currents can be used to harden the material and, if you change your mind about the brittle results, the effect can easily be reversed to make it soft again. The tech could eventually lead to self-healing vehicle armor or scratch-resistant cellphones -- but, really, we just want to zap our way to a high-quality samurai sword. Physorg

Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on

Intel's already teased Compal's "Ultra Mobile" Ultrabook from afar, but when this Ivy Bridge laptop popped up on the show floor after the Computex keynote, we decided to give it a closer look. While this prototype isn't quite in the same league as ASUS' gorgeous UX21, do bear in mind that we're still looking at a relatively slim package for a 14- to 15-inch Core i7 rig. Also visible around the machine are a couple of USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-out port, a LAN socket, and an SD card reader. Until we hear more about this Ultra Mobile, enjoy our eyes-on photos below. Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on omment

TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer

TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800. And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who can't stop their thumbs from flying even while walking.

NYC

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