The Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) will hold its one-day Forecast conference on June 12th in New York, concurrent with the 10th International Cloud Expo. The Open Data Center Alliance is working actively to shape the future of cloud computing—a future based on open, interoperable standards. CloudTimes is an official media sponsor of both Forecast and Cloud Expo.
We had the chance to interview Allyson Klein, Director of Leadership Marketing at Intel. Intel Corporation serves as technical advisor to the Open Data Center Alliance.
Q: Please give us a quick intro of the ODCA and why it was founded.
A: Open Data Center Alliance is the first customer centric organization chartered to document the requirements for cloud computing. The group was formed in October, 2010 based on customer demand for a central customer voice for the cloud and help accelerate solution delivery by working with the industry to streamline innovation priorities.
Q: Tell us about what attendees can expect to learn at the conference.
A: Forecast is focused on delivering tangible learning that attendees can take back to form their corporate strategies for the cloud. Speakers include some of the leading executives from enterprise IT and the service provider industry discussing how they are prioritizing delivery of cloud in their organizations. With heavy influence on panel discussions and networking opportunities, attendees will have the opportunity to voice their questions about cloud and make critical connections to help pave the way to broad utilization of cloud resources within their IT strategies.
Q: You are splitting up your tracks in Cloud Storm, Cloud Ceiling and Cloud Formation. Can you explain what’s behind that.
A: The tracks reflect the lifecycle model of ODCA engagement with members and industry in delivery of cloud solutions. Cloud Storm is focused on discussion of the main challenges facing cloud deployments today, Cloud Ceiling focuses on sharing of best practices from enterprises in their deployment of solutions as well as POC testing of solutions based on ODCA requirements, and finally Cloud Formation is focused on provider progress on innovating platforms and services to address customers’ most pressing requirements for cloud.
Q: You have recently formed a new working group about Big Data Collaboration. What do you understand under this term and why is it important to ODCA?
A: Big Data represents many things to many people. For ODCA, the Data Services workgroup reflects the transformational opportunity that data analytics represents to members, and how utilization of new tools for unstructured data analysis alongside of traditional data stores represents huge opportunity, but also specific and real challenges to any organization. The group will be looking at documentation of requirements, scoping the resources organizations need to bring in order to address this new opportunity, and how industry standard frameworks associated both with data stores and benchmarking can aid in acceleration of “big data” utilization.
Q: Which track or session are you most excited about at the Forecast conference?
A: There are so many. At first pass the two keynotes, from Curt Aubley, CTO of Lockheed Martin and Andy Brown, CTO of UBS, which will provide a great point/counterpoint on perspectives from the provider and enterprise perspective on the top priorities for cloud. I think these two sessions will lay a great foundation for the entire day. And for those who can’t attend the event in person, I’d encourage them to check these sessions as well as select panels out on our live-cast stream at www.opendatacenteralliance.org
Q: How do you register for the show and are there any discounts available?
A: Visit www.opendatacenteralliance.org/forecast2012 for more information about the event. For a discount price of $500 please use CLOUD-12 for your registration.
Allyson Klein is the Director of Leadership Marketing within Intel’s Data Center and Connected Systems Group. In this role she oversees the marketing for technology innovation across data center segments including cloud, mission critical, and technical computing. Allyson has been driving data center leadership marketing for Intel for the past twelve years including oversight of Intel’s I/O, memory, virtualization, and data center efficiency initiatives. She also has driven marketing programs for industry groups including the InfiniBand Trade Association, PCI SIG, Itanium Solutions Alliance, The Green Grid, and Climate Savers Computing Initiative prior to her engagement with the Open Data Center Alliance. Allyson holds a BA from the University of Oregon in Marketing and Management and an MBA from Portland State University. She is the host of Intel’s Chip Chat and Digital Nibbles podcast programs and shares her insights on technology innovation @techallyson.
