The blitz of web traffic following news of Michael Jackson’s unexpected death greatly underscores a core value proposition of cloud computing: If your site gets a major surge in traffic, you can spin up new servers to handle it. Given the relatively low monthly prices and ease-of-use of cloud offerings designed to handle web-site traffic (e.g., Mosso), and the pay-by-the-drink billing offered by other providers (e.g., Amazon Web Services), there are few excuses for long-term downtime. And considering nobody reads the newspaper anymore, shouldn’t news sites expect heavy traffic and know enough to plan accordingly?
Infrastructure Links for this Week
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Why The Big Switch matters today

Nick Carr, author of the book that brought the cloud to a business audience, reflects on why the key messages still resonate today.
Submitted by Paul Miller
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SpyCloud: Intel agencies look to keep secrets in the ether

Commentators frequently moan about cloud security, yet the investment arm of the CIA reckons that cloud solutions can be "ideal for storing mission critical data by addressing the core principles of data confidentiality, integrity and availability."
Submitted by Paul Miller
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Why the cloud of today isn’t the cloud of tomorrow

A lot of today's cloud adoption is around Infrastructure and Software, but the big shift will come as Platforms get adopted.
Submitted by Paul Miller
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All cloud roads lead to applications

Cloud is a means to an end... and that "end" is running the applications people need.
Submitted by Paul Miller
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GlowHost launches cloud hosting solutions for SMBs

Another traditional hosting company gets into the cloud business.
Submitted by Paul Miller
