The Cloud in 2014. Are you ready?

Businesses around the world, from the smallest SMB to the largest Enterprise, continue to embrace cloud computing and its many benefits. And this paradigm shift has no end in sight.

IT Solution Architects, Engineers and Developers must fully understand the technologies that form the foundation to these Cloud Services and be prepared to guide their employers/customers throughout the 21st Century.

Whether its Enterprise Data Centers providing ITaaS via Private Clouds, or incorporating the many flavors of Public Cloud Computing such as SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, CCMaaS and/or VoIPaaS offered by the worlds growing number of Service Providers, or fully outsourcing IT to a Cloud Services Provider, the future is being written today and those who are prepared will be valued!

Here are a few of the key players in this new paradigm of Cloud Computing and highlights of predictions for 2014.

10 Cloud Predictions For 2014 Compiled by CRN - It's A Cloud World!
http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/cloud/240165202/10-cloud-predictions-for-2014.htm

1. Bridging The Public-Private Divide (Federated Clouds are in the future!)
2. Hybrid Cloud (Virtualization Platforms and Standards are key for workload migrations and management!)
3. HIPAA Compliance
4. Billing Model Change
5. MSP To Cloud Adviser
6. More Cloud Marketing
7. More Small Businesses To The Cloud
8. Partnering For Scale (Host, Syndicate, Broker and/or Hybrid)
9. Increased Competition (for VARs/MSPs/Hosters/Service Providers)
10. Increased Demand For Managed Services

Cloud Scaling - evolving the Cloud in 2014:
http://www.cloudscaling.com/blog/cloud-computing/evolving-the-cloud-in-2014/

(1) No More IT as Usual

(2) OpenStack is Coming to an Enterprise IT Portfolio Near You

(3) Public Cloud is No Longer the Enemy

(4) Public Cloud Becomes the Default Backbone for Enterprise IoT

(5) Big Data Becomes the Leading Use Case for Hybrid Cloud

(6) Software Defined Everything Marches Forward

(7) Brands Become Open Platforms for Collaboration and Innovation

(8) Cloud spending will surge by 25%, reaching over $100B

Add an Ecwid e-commerce solution to your Web Presence! Ecwid used by over 375,000 retailers in 175 countries

Parallels Presence Builder solution now includes a revenue share program for Parallels service provider partners. More @ http://www.parallels.com/products/web-presence-builder/

With more and more small businesses adding e-commerce, Parallels is making it simple for partners to deliver a full-featured e-commerce solution that their merchants won’t outgrow.

Parallels Service Provider Partners Now Profit from Each Sale of Ecwid’s Add-on E-commerce Solution; New Version Also Adds Improved Integration, Mobile Responsive Design, Other Features

About Ecwid: Ecwid is a full-featured, cloud-based e-commerce platform that allows SMBs to create professional online stores and embed them into any existing web, mobile, or social site. Ecwid, available directly or through trusted partners, has over 375,000 registered merchants in 175 countries, and is available in 45 languages. A free plan is available. The Ecwid Facebook app is the leading shopping cart application on Facebook with over 40,000 Facebook stores globally used by more than 300,000 monthly active users.

With just a few clicks, merchants using Parallels Web Presence Builder can add a full-featured online store with Ecwid. By offering Ecwid’s solution, hosters who offer Parallels Web Presence Builder and Infrastructure Providers who attach Parallels Plesk Panel to leased servers, can increase profitability through add-on revenue and also reduce customer churn. Partners require no additional resources to integrate Ecwid, since it is embeddable and a fully hosted SaaS solution.
    
“Parallels Web Presence Builder helps shared hosters attract new SMB customers,” said John Zanni, vice president, Service Provider Marketing and Alliances at Parallels. “By partnering with Ecwid to provide a full-featured, integrated e-commerce solution, our partners now also have the potential to realize significant additional revenue per Web Presence Builder customer without any additional effort.”
    
“Parallels Web Presence Builder is a critical ally in reaching small businesses, and we are excited not only to provide additional features and ease of integration, but also to add increased revenue opportunity for Parallels SP partners,” says Jim O’Hara, president of Ecwid, Inc. "With more and more small businesses adding e-commerce, Parallels is making it simple for partners to deliver a full-featured e-commerce solution that their merchants won’t outgrow.”

Additional details @ http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131024005774/en/Ecwid-Adds-Revenue-Sharing-Parallels-Web-Presence#.UtMZ5Xt3vb1

Facebook page @ https://apps.facebook.com/ecwid-shop/?fb_source=fbpage

Demo @ http://www.ecwid.com/demo-frontend.html

Add an online store in minutes! Ecwid Home Page @ http://www.ecwid.com/

The Canadian Cloud Council and The Cloud Factory technology conference

The Canadian Cloud Council (cCc) is excited to announce an organizational restructuring, new website (www.canadiancloudcouncil.ca) and two new initiatives: patronage opportunities and the The 400 collective.  More @ www.canadiancloudcouncil.ca

The Cloud Factory is a premiere enterprise technology conference to be held in the stunning resort town of Banff, Alberta, Canada on April 7 and 8, 2014. This conference will bring together senior enterprise executives, corporate M&A teams, venture capitalists, startups, industry disruptors, technology thought leaders and global media to discuss disruptive innovations in cloud computing, big data and enterprise technology.

Each day will focus on a distinct theme – Democratizing the Enterprise, and Growth Hacking the Enterprise – featuring keynote presentations, fireside chats, panel discussions, startup pitches, demo alleys and post-event excursions and activities. The conference will culminate in the first ever Canadian Cloud Awards dubbed as the Oscar’s of Cloud Computing.
The Cloud Factory is the biggest enterprise technology conference in the history of Canada and is not to be missed.

Registration @ http://thecloudfactory.io/