LOOKING TO THE CLOUDS TECHNOLOGY

摘要

Cloud computing is top of the hype charts, at least according to IT consultancy Gartner's so-called 'Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2009', which maps the adoption curve of new technologies. Such a lofty position therefore heralds an investigation into this relatively new internet-based delivery model for IT services. Is the promotion of cloud-computing services so overzealous that banks have to be warned that they face the 'trough of disillusionment' that follows the peak of inflated expectation on the Gartner map? Or is there a real benefit to be gained from employing cloud computing services, as long as banks are able to manage their expectations and confine the cloud to those services to which it is best suited?