Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud

    Cloud Computing Means Vendor Lock-In, but It’s Not All Bad

    By
    David Needle
    -
    July 10, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      cloud vendor lock-in

      MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—The allure of cloud systems, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, is unmistakable. Companies can stop investing in expensive, hard-to-maintain data centers and move to the cloud where they only pay for the resources (compute power and storage) they need, and the vendor maintains the infrastructure.

      The value proposition is unmistakable and a growing number of cloud vendors are cashing in. But panelists here July 9 at the wrap-up of the two-day AlwaysOn Silicon Valley Innovation Summit said customers shouldn’t have any illusions that by moving online to the cloud they are freer to move between competitive offerings—from AWS to Azure, for example.

      “From hardware to just about the application layer, I would submit the cloud introduces a level of vendor lock-in we’ve never seen before,” said Abe Kleinfeld, CEO of GridGain, which specializes in in-memory data fabric. “Before you could choose the hardware, the network layer and more, and now it’s all abstracted. Is that bad? That’s up for discussion.”

      There is a level of portability. Rajeev Madhavan, CEO of big data specialist Robin Systems, said there is a fair amount of application portability between cloud systems with containers. “But unless you get data portability, vendor lock-in is inevitable.”

      The reason, Madhavan said, is that it’s not in cloud vendors’ interest to make it easy for customers to move from one cloud system to another. “If you put 60 petabytes of data into a cloud system, you are locked in. It’s not going to be easy to move, and it will be expensive. It’s a great opportunity for a great solution. CIOs want this,” he added, noting that his own company is focused on this area.

      In the case of AWS, James Liao, CEO of Pica8, a software-defined networking vendor, said he thinks the company will develop better ways for companies to move their data off AWS when they want to, but it won’t be a total solution. “I think they will supply 90 percent capability to move your data; the rest will be vendor lock-in,” he said. “But there’s going to be interoperability.”

      Vendor lock-in is less about systems that restrict portability, and more about the cost of switching, Liao said. “A vendor can’t prevent you from switching; it’s just a matter of cost,” he said.

      To what extent and at what cost interoperability will come remains to be seen. Gaurav Tewari, managing director of Citigroup Ventures, said it’s not a question of yes or no. “It’s going to depend on the type of company.” He also said vendor lock-in isn’t a bad thing if the company is giving the customer what it wants. For example, he noted that security is a big issue, and being able to show the ability to recover from a breach or other disaster—natural or otherwise—is a very big deal. “AWS has a great story there,” said Tewari.

      He also talked up cloud services as a great way for companies to experiment without making a large infrastructure investment.

      Kleinfeld of GridGain said the question of interoperability gets confused by different interpretations or references to what constitutes a cloud. “Everyone defines cloud differently, whether it’s AWS, or the Google Compute Engine. We hear about the ‘open cloud,’ but I don’t think it’s here yet,” he said.

      David Needle
      Based in Silicon Valley, veteran technology reporter David Needle covers mobile, bi g data, and social media among other topics. He was formerly News Editor at Infoworld, Editor of Computer Currents and TabTimes and West Coast Bureau Chief for both InformationWeek and Internet.com.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×