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AT&T Announces 12-Word Synonym for “Cloud Computing”

Apparently, the folks who write AT&T’s mind-numbing service disclosures are the same ones who pen its press releases. How else to explain this unwieldy description of the company’s new Synaptic Hosting offering? “AT&T Inc. today announced the global launch of AT&T Synaptic Hosting, its next-generation utility computing service with managed networking, security and storage for businesses.”

Which is really just a grotesquely long-winded way of saying that AT&T is joining the burgeoning market of cloud-computing service providers. Like Google (GOOG), IBM (IBM), and Amazon.com (AMZN) before it, the company is offering computer networking and storage delivered over the Internet, on demand. But with one important advantage: AT&T (T) runs the backbone network that will connect its customers to those services. Presumably, that means one fewer potential failure point–a compelling proposition, especially for businesses that have suffered through Amazon’s Simple Storage Service outages.

Comments

  1. In reading the below WSJ report on the AT&T news, it appears another ‘deep-pocket’ backbone player, Verizon is also making the move to ‘cloud computing.’

    The “cloud computing” field (sky?) is getting crowded to the point where one wonders what the margin impact will be to the players, specifically, Amazon.

    And then there is the ‘gang’ of Intel, HP, and Yahoo recently throwing their collective hat into the ring, too.

    AT&T to Be Provider Of ‘Cloud Computing’
    By ANDREW LAVALLEE
    August 5, 2008

    AT&T Inc. is unveiling a service that provides computer networking and storage services for business customers, making the telecommunications giant the latest company to invest in what is known as “cloud computing.”

    Cloud computing has become a crowded field in a short period of time, as technology companies such as Google Inc., International Business Machines Corp. and Amazon.com Inc. have announced initiatives.

    **Verizon Communications Inc. said it plans to enter the market in the first half of 2009.**

    http://online.wsj.com/article/.....whats_news

    Intel, Yahoo, HP Partner On Cloud Computing
    Vasanth Sridharan | July 29, 2008 12:00 PM

    HP (HPQ), Intel (INTC) and Yahoo (YHOO) announced a partnership to create data centers at each of the three companies and ones in Illinois, Germany and Singapore in order to research and innovate in cloud computing. The servers will be provided by HP, the processors are from Intel, and Yahoo’s bringing the software expertise. The centers will be operational later this year.

    http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/7/intel-yahoo-
    hp-partner-on-cloud-computing

    Posted by Tom Mar at August 5th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

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