Intel, partners enter into alliance for cloud computing

NEW DELHI: World's largest PC chip maker Intel on Thursday said it has entered into an alliance with global firms like BMW, Lockheed Martin, Shell and JP Morgan Chase to lay a road map towards adoption of cloud computing.

An alliance of 70 companies, including the Bombay Stock Exchange and CtrlS from India, the Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) will lay out future hardware and software requirements for a more open and inter-operable cloud environment.

Cloud computing, which is Internet-based, facilitates sharing of technological resources, software and digital information. The emerging field would function on a pay-per -use model, helping technology companies to bring down cost.

"Security, energy efficiency and interoperability are primary concerns that companies share when it comes to cloud computing. The alliance would try and develop a roadmap to approach these issue," Intel South Asia Director (Sales) R Ravichandran told reporters here.

The alliance will help Intel develop products around the cloud environment, he added.

"For exchanges like us, what is important is real-time and seamless access to data across devices like phones and laptops. As we move towards cloud capabilities, we are keen to see that standards for data portability, security and reliability on cloud gets ironed out," BSE chief technology officer Anjan Choudhary said.

According to a study by Zinnov Consulting, the country's nascent cloud computing market is expected to touch $1 billion in the next five years.