The Fallacies of Cloud Computing

Adnan Hashmi
Aug 27, 2017 · 1 min read

The original 7 Fallacies of Distributed Computing list was published over two decades ago (the 8th one added in 1997), the common assertions outlined by the list were largely around networking and connectivity.

In recent years, many have attempted to retrofit those fallacies to highlight misconceptions in implementing (public) cloud solutions. One such post, titled ‘Busting the 8 Fallacies of the Public Cloud’, provides a good explanation around adopting a cloud strategy to get past the incorrect assumptions made by most teams.

While accurate, in almost canonical terms, the distributed computing fallacies referenced above do not provide much purview beyond the networking aspect of cloud computing, and hence I am attempting to capture (at 4:00 am on a Sunday morning) a list of fallacies pertaining to the public cloud below. Although not exhaustive, the list is fairly self-explanatory.

  1. Lift-and-shift is a strategy
  2. Compute is infinite (and so is storage)
  3. Resiliency is guaranteed
  4. Existing IT processes are sufficient
  5. CDN waives caching (and vice versa)
  6. Administration is manual work
  7. A Private cloud is more secure than a public one
  8. Multi-tenancy is inherent
  9. Scalability requires microservices
  10. Serverless is a technology
  11. A Cloud-agnostic Architecture is desirable
)

Written by

Data & AI Architect @ Microsoft, Learner, Educator, Author

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade