Oct 29, 2010 14:11 GMT  ·  By

We've already told you quite a few things about Intel's plans for the future of cloud computing, but we haven't yet provided you with an overview of the company's overall plans, or what the chip manufacturer calls the “Cloud 2015” vision, and that's exactly what we'll do as follows. Intel's roadmap for cloud computing is built around three key elements, namely a world of interoperable “federated” clouds, “automated” movement of software applications and resources and PC and device-savvy “client-aware” clouds that know what processing should take place in the cloud or on one's laptop, smartphone or other device. While we've already talked rather extensively on the last subject within one of our previous articles on this matter, we'll focus on the first two as follows. The first element mentioned above, the one related to the “federated” clouds, will probably be the most difficult to develop, but this task will represent the primary area of interest of the newly-formed Open Data Center Alliance, who'll ultimately draw-up the necessary standards for creating public and/or private clouds that can be easily interconnected without affecting their level of security and/or functionality. Plus, getting the various entities out there to share precious computing resources will also be a difficult task, especially if we're talking about direct competitors. The second element we've talked about earlier, namely the “automated” movement of software applications and resources, will be a bit easier to attain, especially since Intel has expressed its commitment to create software and build new capabilities into Intel Xeon processors, which include features such as Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) and Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) that form the basis of cloud computing today. Of course, as you might have already noticed, we're mostly talking about enterprises here, since mainstream computer users and consumers are a completely different category, following a different set of rules. And even Mr. Boyd Davis, Vice President, Intel Architecture Group and General Manager, Data Center Group Marketing, admitted in a short 1-to-1 meeting that it will be quite a long time before the aforementioned segment will actually adopt the cloud for the large majority of their activities, although future technological developments might actually make it possible, at some point. As part of the steps taken in order to achieve the Cloud 2015 vision, Intel, beside becoming a technical adviser for the Open Data Center Alliance, has also announced a significant expansion of its Intel Cloud Builders program that brings together leading system and software solution partners to provide proven cloud building recipes and practical guidance on how to deploy, maintain and optimize a cloud infrastructure. While the alliance will determine future requirements for cloud infrastructure, the Intel Cloud Builders program will help bring these requirements to life with full solutions. The program now has a total of 20 reference architectures with several more on the horizon and represents a community of the most critical providers of technology in the cloud, including Canonical, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, EMC, Enomaly, Eucalyptus Systems, Gproxy, HP, IBM, Joyent, Microsoft, NetApp, NetSuite, Novell, Parallels, Red Hat, Univa and VMWare. All in all, we'd dare to say that Intel has some pretty big plans for the future, but the long ahead is not an easy one and it remains to be seen just how many of them will manage to become a reality by 2015.  

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The Intel 2015 Cloud vision
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