Cloud opportunities abound | Bangkok Post: tech

Mobile applications in the future are neither about games, nor communications, but will be the front-end interaction of relational processing applications, according to Software Park Thailand chairman Manoo Ordeedolchest, who suggested that software developers view the process-as-a-service as their business opportunity in cloud computing technology.

Manoo Ordeedolchest.

"If we can learn the process as a service, it tends to change the methodology of software design," he said, noting that cloud service is the model that tries to lower software costs by using standardisation to design software.

Most applications software that we have today is based on transactional processing, but what the customers have problems with and the jobs which have been rarely done and has no solution yet is the relational processing system.

Citing a company which has a factory as an example that comprises marketing, sales support, logistics, billing finance, after-sales support, production, etc, which have different jobs to serve the same customer, these functions have been working in silos. However, the relational processing applications can close the gap, with a small charge.

Relational-based jobs are comprised of the components of form-based design, business process design, workflow design, rule-based engine and enterprise content management (ECM). These all are open source engines that are available for software developers. Combined with cloud service, this software should be cheaper and more versatile, which should raise more interest and this will make it more convenient for users. That's why Gartner also noted that mobile interactive application will boom.

"Relational applications will be end up at mobile applications, thus in the future, mobile applications will be not games, not communication, but will be the front-end of interaction in the group called relational processing, which is a large area and open for developers that need not to invest a lot," Manoo said.

He stated that virtualisation is an old thing and cloud computing mostly uses virtualisation technology, the Internet is not new, but when they have been blended, we called it cloud computing.

Manoo suggested that software developers should view cloud computing as a business model, the type that they can bring technology to do business, and think about how to make it useful for the parties involved in terms of business.

Cloud computing is forecast to be the number one technology of Gartner's top 10 trends in 2010 and also 2011, that means it must be really important, Manoo said.

"Behind the screen of cloud computing service is that how we can take it to do software service for customers.

Process-as-a-service which is a model of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), it beginning to be talked about more and more, this is the most exciting development and it is likely to lead to the change in software design.

Smart phone users or tablet users seem to familiar with this concept and know that it's convenient and powerful. These applications are easy to use and have an impact because it has been used by lot of people such as on Facebook.

He pointed out some examples of software programs such the personal data store DocsTogo, DropBox and iDisk of MobileMe, noting that these are cloud computing that open opportunities for developers. "If we are software developers, how can we extend this idea, not so heavyweight like those programs, but lightweight applications," he said.

DocsTogo, a utility program to manage files, helps users to automatically file synchronisation, via the cloud, with no need to use thumb drive. One can use Internet protocol, but without through browser, everything runs via HTTP, that is standalone, such as widget or whatever on mobile phone all applications can be accessed via cloud computing. Components of the program, controlled by a utility program hosted on a PC, the handset has a utility program that can access data files directly from the cloud. Synchronisation is done automatically and this concept will make it more convenient for users.

"From now on, the concept of cloud computing is becoming more accepted and there are more and more these kinds of applications, it allows those who have innovation and imagination to see the opportunities to develop the programs and will help inspire the developers," he said.

The benefits of the cloud, besides increased productivity, Manoo said cloud computing is another point to serve system integrators as a marketing tool. The open source group has a method to build programs running on the cloud service to allow you to test the programs. "This means we all help to reduce the cost of software development along the value chain," he said.

The long-held dream of computing as a utility, the cost will be eventually become lower because there is no waste. Cloud computing refers to both applications which are delivered as services over the Internet (SaaS), hardware and system software in the data centres that provide the service. The hardware and systems software in the data centres that provide the services.

For developers, there is an opportunity to use techniques on the cloud to solve the problem of software development costs.