Cloud Computing: IT as a Service

Cloud computing has been a dominant IT news topic over the past year, yet what it is and its industry impact—realized and potential—are only gradually becoming clear. To help demystify the matter, the authors presented a panel at the 2008 IEEE International Conference on Web Services (ICWS), held last September in Beijing. The panel, "Cloud Computing and IT as a Service: Opportunities and Challenges," featured presentations from three IT vendor giants—Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco—addressing industry perspectives and cloud computing initiatives. This installment of the Trends department distills the authors' panel session and provides updates in the year since it occurred.