"The cloud provides access to an endless range of services and applications," noted Uri Mishol, co-founder and CEO, Xoreax Software, in this exclusive Q&A with Cloud Expo Conference Chair Jeremy Geelan. "Without these up-to-date applications companies run the risk of being left behind, an option that on one cannot afford in today's global market," concluded Mishol.

Cloud Computing Journal: A very general question first, about Cloud Computing itself: Surely we've heard all of this before in various forms and guises - grid computing / utility computing, etc.? What is different this time - why is everyone so convinced it will now work?

Uri Mishol: Cloud Computing provides users with easy access to the latest technology and applications, in many cases well ahead of their ability to acquire them for themselves, and without the cost of installing and maintaining additional infrastructure. Moreover, Cloud Computing provides users with the opportunity for HPC. Users can take advantage of the large volume of resources in the Cloud and run HPC applications without deploying actual infrastructure.

Cloud Computing has emerged at just the right time: the need is there, the technology is there, and the solution is there.

Cloud Computing Journal: What are the three main factors driving companies toward the Cloud?

Mishol: There are many benefits that drive companies toward using the Cloud. The three outstanding ones are typically:

1. Do more with smaller budget: Cloud computing reduces IT expenses: there's less investment in new resources, software and network management. With the Cloud, companies pay for what they need and not more.
2. Take advantage of the Cloud as an HPC environment: Users of HPC applications can take advantage of the large number of resources and run their applications over the cloud.
3. Increased innovativeness: The cloud provides access to an endless range of services and applications. Without these up-to-date applications companies run the risk of being left behind, an option that on one cannot afford in today's global market.

Cloud Computing Journal: And what are the three main barriers preventing some companies from moving some of the on-premise computing to the Cloud?

Mishol: The three main barriers are:

1. The conservative approach: The concept of cloud computing is new, and like all new concepts it is a concern for some companies, especially those that do not easily embrace change.
2. Security and privacy concerns: Some companies will be concerned about security and privacy since their data will no longer be stored in-house. These companies will not use the Cloud until they are satisfied that the Cloud is secure.
3. Lack of tailored solutions: The cloud includes a large selection of products and services, and most are configurable. But it's more difficult for the cloud to provide tailor-made solutions, and companies looking for such specially developed products continue to develop their solutions in-house.

Companies that are reluctant to move their computing to the public cloud may find the private cloud a good alternative. The private cloud, being safer in terms of security and privacy, while providing high performance in low cost, may be exactly what these companies need.

Cloud Computing Journal: How does your own company's offering/s assist CIOs and organizations/companies?

Mishol: CIOs are always looking for faster/better/cheaper ways of doing business, and this is precisely what Xoreax provides.

With Xoreax's XGE technology, companies dramatically accelerate their products, with little or no change to their existing code. Here is how it works: by using distributed computing, XGE takes advantage of idle CPU time in existing computers in the network and speeds up computational processes up to X20. This acceleration is very easy and quick to implement, and requires no special hardware or software to be installed.

For example, by using XGE for in-house development (such as for the acceleration of code builds), companies save significant time when running different processes, which in turn results in reduced costs. Companies that that integrate XGE technology into their products produce a superior product that executes much faster, and is thus much more market competitive.

Cloud Computing Journal: Are there other players in the Cloud ecosystem offering the same - or is your company unique? Why?

Mishol: Yes, there are other companies that offer acceleration products using grid or cloud computing, but all of them require changes to code, infrastructure, and/or resources. XGE is unique in its simplicity. XGE requires no changes to the user's code or resources. That is what makes it so easy to use. Most of our customers report that all they needed was a few hours to get their product accelerated using XGE.

Cloud Computing Journal: In the future what do you see as being the next "conquests" by virtualization and/or cloud computing? Are there any unclimbed heights yet in the enterprise? Is for example the convergence of telecoms and the cloud the Next Big Thing, or...?

Mishol: Not only are there unclimbed heights, the whole mountain is still before us. What we will be seeing in the near future (and we are beginning to see it already) is the convergence of the computer, phone, television, and game-ware (IT, voice telecom, visual services, and entertainment), and probably many more services. All this will make the cloud not only more attractive but more necessary. The cloud will take the concept of the Internet to the next level. The amount of information and services that will be available to businesses and private people will change the way we live. If for the past two decades we have been witnessing the information and communication revolutions, we are now entering the decade of the services revolution (which has, in reality, already begun).