Cross-industry

Ballmer and the future of the cloud

8 March 2010

Steve Ballmer talks cloud computing at the University of Washington

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer addressed an audience at the Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington last week. He used this opportunity to talk about what the future is for computing, with a particular focus on cloud computing.

Ballmer discussed how cloud computing will change the way people and businesses use technology as well as talking about the five dimensions of cloud computing and the opportunites this will offer the IT industry and society in general.

“We're asking the question, how does the cloud become something not just that Microsoft and four other companies run on behalf of the whole planet, but how do we give the cloud back to you, to users, to institutions,” said Ballmer.

He also touched on some of the challenges facing the industry, such as the issue of privacy and security in the cloud, as well as highlighting how Microsoft’s new product launches will utilise the cloud.

“We think as a big company we've got to lead on privacy,” said Ballmer. “We've got to really do the best job we can to make sure that there's a vibrant and healthy competition amongst all of the companies that provide commercial infrastructure.”

“If you think about where we grew up, other than Windows, we grew up with this product called Microsoft Office, added Ballmer. “And so really taking Microsoft Office to the cloud, letting it run in the cloud, letting it run from the cloud, helping it let people connect and communicate, and express themselves. That's one of the core kind of technical ambitions behind the next release of our Office product, which you'll see coming to market this June.

“The inspiration for what we're doing now starts with the cloud. And Windows, driving smart devices that the cloud really wants. Windows Phone, Xbox, we had a chance to see. Bing, of course, is a service that was born of the cloud. Windows Azure and SQL Azure, which are really the products that succeed to Windows Server and SQL Server start with the cloud as their design point. Microsoft Office and Exchange, and SharePoint are all really focused on the cloud today.”

Microsoft has also launched a new cloud computing Web site, featuring the slogan ‘For the cloud, we're all in.’
 

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