Infrastructure Evolution to Support Cloud Services

Cloud computing is still very much in its adolescence; the lack of standards does inhibit the adoption of services. We also have to take a careful look at how currently available technology has evolved and more importantly its suitability in the new cloud operational and consumption model. This will inevitably lead to new standards, both technological and operational-based capabilities being developed. In short, how can the network optimize applications (workloads) and vice versa in a real-time consumption model? Figure 5-12 illustrates a highly abstracted representation of this concept.

Figure 5-12. Intelligent Cloud Platform: Infrastructure as the Service Enabler