Q&A with a Cloudologist

by Rachel Round

Just what is cloudology, and why should you care? With AWS re:Invent right around the corner, it felt like the perfect time to answer these and other pressing questions by sitting down with CHT’s own CTO and founder, Joe Kinsella (pictured at right, in cloudologist form).

So, “The Cloudologist” is making his debut. Can you describe what cloudology is, and what a cloudologist does?

Think of cloudology as the study of cloud computing — from a wide variety of angles. The cloud has become a critical resource that enterprises leverage to be more competitive, agile and cost efficient. It’s a strategic initiative for organizations around the globe, as seen by its massive growth numbers: a recent IDG study found that more than 25% of IT spend is going to the cloud. That same study predicts that, by the end of 2017, companies will have moved 59% of their IT environment to the cloud (either public, private, or hybrid).

Clearly, there’s a lot to talk about in terms of what cloud can offer and how to do cloud right. Stepping into my Cloudologist role, I want to be a resource for people and organizations — discussing trends, helping to solve challenges, answering questions,but also having some fun with the topic.

Why is the field of cloudology so important these days?

When something new and exciting grabs people’s attention, it tends to create a lot of confusion. Enterprises have heard about the benefits of cloud computing and what it can do for their business. In some cases they moved quickly and stood up cloud environments that grew unchecked due to lack of process and governance — I call that cloud chaos. But, in other cases, enterprises just don’t know where to begin. They are looking to leverage lessons learned and best practices from others. Rather than blazing a new trail in cloudology, they are looking for a strategic roadmap.

What kinds of issues will The Cloudologist be talking about in the coming months?

The Cloudologist will be lecturing and pontificating on all kinds of subjects that confuse cloud users these days — everything from the cost of cloud services, to performance, to security, to the ability to automate governance.

Cost is a big one. The cloud providers have different ways of charging for their services, and the plans are not always easy to understand. If you have hundreds of servers on one cloud platform, how do you optimize your cloud resources to make them work at peak efficiency? If you’re a business analyst or an engineer, what do you need to know about your cloud to make sure you’re using it to its full advantage? Say you’re the CEO: What is the health of your cloud strategy, and what can you do to ensure its success in transforming your business? Then, let’s say you have multiple cloud platforms. The level of complexity multiplies. How do you, as an organization, manage and optimize resources across platforms without tying yourselves in knots? You can see how confusing cloud can get. The Cloudologist will have insights, answers … and maybe even a spin you weren’t expecting.

Is The Cloudologist a superhero? Does he have super powers?

I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a superhero. He’s probably more nutty professor than caped crusader. As an early adopter of the cloud who built multiple large scale, successful cloud environments (e.g. thousands of cores of compute, petabytes of storage), he has direct experience with many of the mistakes and pitfalls in the cloud. But I’d like to think he is wily and wise, with certain special powers at his disposal. He has an innate ability to untangle problems. He can see into the past (tracking cloud historical trends) and way into the future (forecasting trends and best ways to manage cloud resources). He knows how to use technology to cut his way through cloud chaos. When he steps into his Cloudologist suit, he may not save the day… but his insights will save you serious time and money.

Just where will The Cloudologist be popping up in the coming months?

Anywhere. Everywhere. Around the globe! He’ll be in the news, on CloudHealth Tech’s blog (maybe some others as well), at trade shows and events. I hear they have some promo materials about him. You just never know.

Originally published at www.cloudhealthtech.com.