We generally try and send at least one EA-type Smartie to each of the European Open Group conferences, and this time I’m lucky enough that it’s my chance to go. There is no such thing as a free lunch in Rome though, and so I’m presenting in one of the conference streams on the subject of how to put some quantitative measures on the mythical business strategy-IT strategy alignment that is often discussed in Enterprise Architecture circles. If you happen to be attending, just come and say hello.
The conference is split into three main themes – architecture, security and cloud. It is interesting to see that cloud computing gets its own seat at the agenda top table, which is topical I guess, but also rather fashionable in architecture circles at the moment. My prediction is that it won’t have it’s own conference stream in three years time once the industry marketing hype machine has moved on to the next shiny thing, but “architecture” will still be there, because that is fundamentally what it is all about – enterprises that are designed rather than evolving accidentally will typically be more successful and efficient in the long run. Cloud computing just gives the Enterprise Architect some more tools in the toolbox to perform this task, albeit some very significant industry-changing tools.
April 14, 2010 at 7:40 pm
These posts are invariably very informative, but almost fell off my chair when I saw this one.
On the one hand, I’m genuinely impressed that The Open Group has extended its mighty hand to Mr Meehan. I am sure he will make a good job of it as he has a reputation for knowing his stuff.
On the other hand though, was I the only one to get the impression from this post that Cloud computing is perceived as a mere fad, or maybe its just a head-rush because I suddenly feel I don’t understand ‘architecture’ sufficiently well to draw the distinction.
Hands up all those enterprise architects who will admit to a niggle that something so disruptive might brew out of the ‘hype’ – a storm that’s game changing – afterall, clouds are notoriously unpredictable (meteorologically and otherwise).
April 15, 2010 at 7:13 am
Just to clarify, I certainly don’t see cloud computing as a fad – quite the opposite in fact. Compared with some other hypes over the years in our industry, I think this one is genuinely “game changing”.
My point is that, in a few years it will be a mainstream practice that is used by most enterprises for the appropriate use cases, and so will no longer be a separate conference stream (and the next hype might take its place), but security and architecture will still be “top table” agenda items that matter to enterprise architects regardless of what the management magazines have on their front covers this week.
The previous equivalent hype (and so conference sessions) was around SOA, but now the world has moved on to a general view of “why would you do anything else” (for many but not all scenarios). That does not mean SOA has disappeared, just that the adoption is more advanced.
April 15, 2010 at 9:53 am
I would agree with the reply on “game changing”.
I only partly agree with the remark on SOA; I’m not that sure adoption is so very advanced. SOA is not front page news or top billing at conferences anymore because too many SOA projects stalled – the obstacle probably being the perception by the business that there’s little or no return.
Back on Cloud Computing: If only IT companies provided some advisory service on this subject then architects and others would know what side of the line to stand. Maybe more would cross the line and be believers if it was better understood.
April 15, 2010 at 10:21 am
Picking up on the remark about advisory services, did you know that Smart421 has been building a proposition around Cloud Computing Consultancy?
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April 29, 2010 at 6:29 am
[...] it to say there’s some interesting stuff going on here which makes me rather regret my slight gripe at the fact that there was a cloud conference [...]