Things have been quite on the utility computing front recently, but as this article states, progress is being made (and many companies are beginning to experiment with it on limited levels). One big reservation I have with utility computing is the highly centralized model it creates. Centralization isn't always bad, but in a computing world, it often results in limited options for end users (and increased control for a select few). As the author says: "If utility is to take hold, cultural change will be a key challenge. By its very nature, utility requires centralization and the sharing of resources in a manner that many companies won't recognize. Senior management's job will be to smooth ruffled feathers as departmental servers evaporate into a pool of resources that are controlled by the IT department or outsourced to service providers."
Posted by gsiemens at August 12, 2004 02:52 PM