Monday, 24 January 2011

An example of Greenwash/Cloudwash

Regular readers will know that I have a problem with clouds, especially computing ones although I'm not a lover of rainy days, anyway read the following http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/cloud-computing-could-create-20000-jobs-2508694.html.

The cloud could create up to 20,000 jobs in Ireland says a report comissioned by MICROSOFT, who just happen to have a tailor made cloud solution.

Lets Analyse:
Ireland could create almost 20,000 jobs by rebranding itself a world leader in "cloud computing", a report has found.
Hmmm, ahhhh, maybe

Industry chiefs also claim public sector costs could be slashed by shifting systems on to the new technology.
Paul Rellis, managing director of Microsoft Ireland, said "the cloud" could be worth €9.5bn to the economy by 2014. 
Claim, could, etc

"The potential of this thing is big and there really is a great opportunity, if there is some speed and urgency put behind this, to take a disproportionate share of the global cloud computing market in Ireland," he said. 

Disproportionate share?? Average new cloud Data Centre uses between 10 - 20MW of power. The Island of Ireland, has approximately 6000MW of capacity, consumption has been growing at 16% per annum, although it is likely to tail off now in these poor economic climes and quite simply, Ireland will have to find a lot of power to claim its dispropotionate share of the cloud, perhaps that is why the Corrib gas field has got planning permission for the last section of the pipeline, much to the annoyance of the locals whose environment is about to get a whole lot worse.

Cloud computing allows people to store applications and software with companies and access them on demand over the internet. 
Thats the concept, reality though is a little different.

It has been described as the computing equivalent of linking into the electricity grid or gas network. 
It has, but its a little more complicated than that.

The technology cuts out the need for users to build and manage their own complex and costly systems. 
Oh no it doesn't, oh yes it does, oh no it doesn't, it actually depends on what you are trying to build and why, so more artistic licence here.


Goodbody economic consultants, who were commissioned by Microsoft Ireland to investigate its potential for Ireland, found businesses could halve IT costs by using "the cloud". 
Hmmm, there is potential for cutting costs, however this could easily be achieved with the adoption of ITIL or a Green IT strategy.

Savings would help 2,000 small and medium companies get off the ground with the creation of 11,000 jobs, the report claims.

Not sure what this line means, does it mean that 2000 SME's could create 11,000 jobs by moving into the cloud, or that moving into the cloud would create 11,000 jobs, in which case costs would surely increase!!

Another 8,600 new jobs would come from companies specialising in "cloud computing" if Ireland took a lead in the market.
On the contrary, clouds mean automation, automation cuts the amount of staff required in the cloudee company but doesn't necessarily mean that the clouder company increase headcount



Mr Rellis called for a major cloud-based public sector project which would cut costs and send out a signal that the country is embracing the technology.
Of course he is, hes wants some business 
 
Barry O'Leary, chief executive of IDA, said a flagship project was really important for promoting Ireland.
"Provided we get in early enough, we can capitalise on the opportunity," he said. 
Another attempt at kickstarting the market

More than half of IT firms in Ireland surveyed for the report were already either developing a cloud-based project or planning one for the future. 
Were they? hmmmm ok then
The market is believed to be worth around €12bn, but is expected to grow to between €40bn and €110bn. 
So, its worth 12billion , but it could be 40 or even 110. Try going down to the bank with that in your business plan and see how long you last before they show you the door.




Sorry, just another example of the Greenwash and Cloudwash prevalent in the industry at the moment.

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