Defining the Cloud at CSC's Future Focus

I've been through about two hours of sessions here at CSC's Future Focus conference, and one of the main thrusts of the conversation so far has been the definition of the cloud.

Granted, I sat in on a breakfast roundtable, moderated by Novarica's Chad Hersh, on the topic of cloud computing, so there is some self-selection at work here. But, after attending a keynote by Brian Wallace, VP of solutions and client development for the vendor, it's clear that enterprises and service providers are trying to reach a consensus as cost-conscious organizations push cloud efforts.

In the breakfast meeting, Hersh outlined the difference between cloud computing and software-as-a-service, noting that the two are often considered to be the same, but there are differences. The main difference, he noted, is that with a SaaS platform, the user cedes control to the vendor. "When you log into Salesforce and they say it's version 4.0, for example," he said, "you don't get to go back to the old one if you want."

So, a true cloud platform means a solution that is hosted off-site, but you're allowed to do some measure of configuration - and you're also able to scale up and down the use of that platform with the ebbs and flows of your business.

Wallace pointed out four pieces to the cloud puzzle: Broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service (you pay for what server space you use).

For those of you wondering what the heck cloud means, does this offer any sort of clarity? Is it important to draw a line between SaaS and cloud so that enterprises know exactly what they're getting into? I'd love to know what you think.

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio