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Cloud Expo: Article

Microsoft Cloud Patent Application Not What It Seems

The patent is a failover kind of way to move data around from Microsoft data center to data center
By Maureen O'Gara
Article Rating:
December 4, 2009 02:45 PM EST
Reads:
 3,084

Cloud Computing on Ulitzer

InformationWeek stumbled on a Microsoft patent application dating back to 2006 deceptively titled "Migrating Data to New Cloud," which makes it sound like a way out of vendor lock-in, one of the chief drawbacks to cloud computing.

Well, it's not according to Vordel CTO Mark O'Neill.

Vordel's got a unique cloud service broker in beta that should resolve the cloud lock-in issue.

What Microsoft's asking to patent - apparently for the warm and cuddly feeling customers should derive - is a failover kinda way to move data around from Microsoft data center to data center in case the ISP hits the wall - even if Microsoft should be the ISP.

Whether it works or not is another matter. We were under the impression everything would be duplicated anyway.

O'Neill says it's not cloud-specific, but more network services-generic, the way patents are meant to be.

Despite the lock-in issue, O'Neill said most of Vordel's beta customers are using its widgetry for hybrid clouds.

Click here for more information.

Published December 4, 2009 – Reads 3,084
Copyright © 2009 SYS-CON Media, Inc. — All Rights Reserved.
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More Stories By Maureen O'Gara

Maureen O'Gara the most read technology reporter for the past 20 years, is the Cloud Computing and Virtualization News Desk editor of SYS-CON Media. She is the publisher of famous "Billygrams" and the editor-in-chief of "Client/Server News" for more than a decade. One of the most respected technology reporters in the business, Maureen can be reached by email at maureen(at)sys-con.com or paperboy(at)g2news.com, and by phone at 516 759-7025. Twitter: @MaureenOGara

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