Cloud Expo 2011 West

So the second major Cloud Expo this year is taking place at the Santa Clara Convention Center out in California, and oh how I wish I was there. Some of the brightest minds in technology are giving presentations, as well as a number of not-so-bright-but-very-in-the-know suits. I don't need to tell you just how much the cloud has changed business computing over the past few years, and the next few years look to bring even more changes as consumers begin to see extra benefits from cloud computing as well.

As every new technology morphs from its premature state into a full-fledged movement, it undergoes the type of scary changes that are happening right now in the cloud. IBM has called 2011 the "Year of the Security Breach," and they might even be underselling the issue. Cloud computing makes information ridiculously more accessible, but at the same time it brings a host of new security concerns, as everyone's information is now on centralized servers. So far, cloud security has been fairly good, but a few major issues have highlighted the fact that security will be the most major stumbling block for cloud adoption going forward.

The speakers and programs offered at the Cloud Expo 2011 West highlight the point of security's importance. While older Cloud Expos focused on the opportunities companies were ignoring by not moving into the cloud, this version of the Expo is all about overcoming the negative aspects of cloud adoption. I've written an Infoboom article about this subject, and recommend you check it out if you find cloud computing interesting.

Hopefully, I'll be in a position to visit next year's east coast Cloud Expo. It'll truly be interesting to see just how far the cloud advances by then.