Maximising cloud through cloud-aware apps

Whether organisations chose to go with private or public cloud adoption, or both, they are now at a stage where they need to look at effectively leveraging the potential of their computing strategy. To make that fundamental shift, enterprises must look at ways they can address development and operations.

For instance, a full range of cloud-computing benefits can be better realised by adopting a fresh approach to application development that builds on the strengths of a cloud computing model.

Applications for the cloud are built differently, run differently, and are consumed differently.

These differences require new modes of thinking, consideration of the inherent trade-offs when planning solutions, and an understanding of the design patterns that achieve the best results.

Internally, Intel IT continues widespread adoption of cloud computing. Intel software development is undergoing a major shift, with architects and developers learning to design cloud-aware cloud apps that maximise cloud advantages such as self-service positioning, elasticity, run-anywhere design, multi-tenancy, and design for failure.

Organisations face several challenges in making the transition to cloud-aware application development. This also requires a new way of thinking, and developers must be retrained to think in all ways cloud.

Red Hat's OpenShift, for middleware, automation, provisioning, and dependencies, allows developers to concentrate on building their own cloud apps, rather than the infrastructure for them.

OpenShift allows developers to quickly develop, host, and scale applications in a cloud environment, with a choice of offerings, including online, on-premises, and open-source project options.

To accelerate your organisation's ability to develop cloud-aware applications, focus on three key areas: Applying key learnings from grid computing; developing consumable web services for use as software components; and designing for high availability. Through these efforts, we have been able to decouple applications from clients, enable easy reuse of software components, provide security at every layer, and design for failure.

However, there are several challenges in making the transition to cloud-aware application development. Having already invested considerably in developing and maintaining legacy applications, organisations may be resistant to change. To facilitate this change, organisations need to focus on three key areas: Applying key learning from grid computing, developing consumable web services for use as software components, and designing for high availability. Through these efforts, you will be able to decouple applications from clients, enable easy reuse of software components, provide security at every layer, and design for failure.

Intel sees an ever-growing percentage of cloud-aware applications replacing legacy apps. IT organisations that want to take a similar path and maximise the value of their cloud efforts through cloud-aware apps must take several steps -- train architects and developers on cloud-aware apps fundamentals, create reusable app design patterns and templates, and promote the principles of cloud-aware apps.