Jumping on the Cloud-Wagon?: Pack Your Server Applications for the Trip

Google "Cloud computing" for a leisurely stroll through more than 10 million returns - most of which are dedicated to technology issues such as: the relative merits of Amazon EC2,Go Grid et al; Platform as a Service (PaaS) ala Salesforce; or consideration of the impact Microsoft, IBM, and casts of other giants will have on life in the cloud. Alternatingly fascinating, speculative, opinionated, and informative, most of these papers miss a foundational fact: The Cloud is more than a set of territorial technologies. It is a cost-effective vehicle for delivering functionality to the business. It's all about the application.