Examining Amazon’s new Cloudsearch Service

Well, it looks like cloud computing just got upgraded (yet again); thanks to Amazon’s new Cloudsearch service, searching and scanning is quicker and more efficient.  Before the emergence of this new service, queries and searches across extensive clouds (which comprise even more widespread resources) required setting up, maintaining, scaling and operating a search platform. Managing a search platform which services a large cloud computing infrastructure isn’t necessarily an easy task to accomplish due to such concerns as data provisioning, hardware allotments, and continuous software-based upgrades.  Now that Amazon has created Cloudsearch, all of the concerns associated with the pains of initiating and overseeing a search platform are a thing of the past.

Upload, then sit back and relax..
To say that Cloudsearch is a full-service program is a bit of an understatement. Amazon’s Cloudsearch basically allows customers to simply upload their bulk data / content (which they want to make “searchable”) and then the rest is taken care of.  Amazon takes care of the search indexing and provisioning of required technology and hardware; all the customer has to do is sit back and relax.  Once the service is (quickly) up-and-running, the customer has the option to make adjustments or modify their data and search capabilities as necessary. The best part is, all modifications can be made without having to perform any addition uploading(s).

Scalability
The true beauty of this service can be found in how it allows organizations to provide automatically scalable searches.  In other words, as the density and volume of data changes, Cloudsearch automatically requisitions the right resources to ensure proper functionality; the beautiful part about this is, of course, the customer doesn’t have to lift a finger.  Likewise, the same thing can be said for query rates; as they increase, so does the power which drives them.

Cost-effective, uninterrupted service
Amazon’s Cloudsearch is a type of service which only charges customers for what they actually used.  This means that the monthly charges which are received reflect the actual volume of searching that was actually carried out that month.  Cloudsearch does not require up-front or contracts, it truly is a “plug and play” –type service.  Not only does this model make it extremely easy for IT to justify its cost to accounting, but it also allows IT personnel to focus on other perhaps more important tasks as well.  What more could you ask for? Cloudsearch is basically a service which is affordable, effective and takes care of itself.

Just how important are search capabilities to your employees and/or customers?
In truth, your search engines are your best friends.  For example, they bring you eager customers, allow your workers to find crucial information / data quickly, and increase everyone’s enjoyment of cloud computing technology in general.  Having a large database of useful, pertinent and highly sought-after information / content is virtually useless unless you have the search capabilities to quickly and accurately trawl that data. Formalized studies involving the use of sophisticated software to track customer’s responses and eye movements have proven that both the relevance and speed of delivered search results greatly impact the likelihood that a sale is going to take place, for instance.Simply put, “if people are waiting, they’re not buying”; and if they can’t even find what they’re looking for, all hope is lost.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here…
The real question is; do you already have a cloud infrastructure set up and running? Or, are you even utilizing cloud computing technology to benefit or improve / reinforce your organization’s capabilities?  Jumping into cloud computing isn’t really the easiest thing to do, but it is getting easier every single day. Thanks to the emergence of services like Cloudsearch, companies are soon going to be able to simply pay for metered cloud computing services which will cover all their needs (and then some).  This doesn’t mean that you will no longer need an IT department, only that you need to find individuals with experience in cloud computing and/or get your current IT team certified.  A top-notch cloud computing certification course will provide your IT workers with everything they need to know in order to assure smooth, uninterrupted delivery of your critical cloud-based services (and component operation).

Cloudsearch is opening the door for automated cloud services
Cloudsearch gives businesses and organizations exactly what they need at an affordable price, and very quickly.  These types of automated cloud services are becoming increasingly prevalent, and that’s a good thing. Metered cloud services allow companies to not only determine exactly what their proposed budgetary expenditures are going to be, but also to make plans accordingly. This, along with the fact that labor-intensive-related costs are virtually absent, makes automated services like Cloudsearch ideal for any size business.

Get your entire IT department “cloud certified” through e-learning (group rate discounts are applicable).

ITIL In depth:  comparing and contrasting OLA & SLA

While it might seem as though (to some people that) an OLA (operation level agreement) and a SLA (service level agreement) essentially take on the same roles and duties, it’s important to note that they actually differ in some key ways.  For example, SLA is really about forging a connecting contract with a proposed customer or consumer base.  An OLA on the other hand, is an agreement between or rather, amongst those in an IT department, for instance.

It’s also important to note that you can’t really set up an effective OLA without first having established some form of SLA.  This is because the operation level agreement itself is basically a contract between the individual groups (often referred to as “silos”) of an IT department in relation to how their various service level agreements policies have been enacted and established.  Another way of simplifying the concept would be to say that service level agreements help to define larger operational cycles, and operation level agreements help push for more expedient delivery of services.

The ITIL SLA (service level agreement)
The prevailing point of any ITIL SLA is to create both a lasting and mutually advantageous bond between those seeking to provide services and those looking to receive them.  An SLA is really a set of policies which seek to protect both provider and consumer.  While the actual components of any SLA are going to be numerous and complexly designed, the chief goals are relatively simple.  An SLA must be able to:

• Institute and / or design some form of (real-time) monitoring system that works
• Outline its main objective(s) with regards to service delivery to customer
• Create compensatory policies in the event of service shortfalls
• Chart rules for all involved groups / individuals

Additionally there are basically four different types of service level agreements:

• Corporate – Arguably the most complex form of an SLA, comprising many different potential roles and directions.
• Service-specific – All language is focused toward creating policies for specific services which are set up to be delivered.
• Multi-level – A type of SLA which is designed to work on multiple levels simultaneously.
• Customer-specific – The focus is on customer satisfaction and compensation in the event of the unforeseen.

Ultimately, use of an SLA allows an organization to conduct business on a much larger scale.  Likewise, through an SLA, more meaningful long-term business relationships / partnerships can take place, which usually translates into more opportunities across the board.

The OLA (operation level agreement)
The operation level agreement on the other hand, is not directly concerned with customers (although through its processes you could say that it is, but indirectly).  An OLA is, simply put; a set of policies which are established and enacted amongst individuals or groups which comprise an IT department.   Often times an OLA is created in order to better facilitate an ITIL SLA.

Constructing an OLA not only increases overall efficiency from a departmental perspective, it also helps create a more balanced operation overall, with much less potential for emergence of issues or crises.  Additionally, IT managers love operation level agreements because they foster the notion of accountability from all individuals throughout the entire department.   Moreover, an OLA is also often used to help delineate both group goals and individual roles, which eventually translates into increased ability and efficiency.

How do these do concepts (OLA & SLA) relate to ITIL, exactly?
Both operation level agreements and service level agreements are administrative elements / policies which seek to improve the ability of IT to consistently perform its duties (as a whole).  ITIL does the exact same thing, only from the perspective of providing methodologies for maintaining and improving upon IT infrastructure.  While it is certainly possible to run an IT organization without the use of ITIL, it certainly will not improve things in any respect.  This is to say that through the application of ITIL methods and practices an organization can significantly improve on its ability to deliver on current services, meet increasing demand, avoid crises / issues, and of course, create additional value through deflating operational costs.

The simple fact of the matter is that ITIL helps to build a better, stronger IT department through application of knowledge and wisdom.  This is because the ITIL itself is nothing more than a collection of the most meticulously researched and effective methods for servicing IT infrastructure that has ever been devised.  When you take on the task of training or becoming certified in ITIL, you are literally filling your mind with the brilliant concepts of hundreds of IT gurus.

In order to truly capitalize, or rather, maximize one’s ability to enact or carry out an SLA / OLA it is important to have your entire IT team aboard the “ITIL express”, so to speak.  The facts don’t lie, IT departments with higher percentages of individuals certified in ITIL not only provide better, more consistent service(s), they’re also better at facilitating the goals of their entire company (which is crucial given the vital role that IT and technology plays in today’s modern business environment).

If you’re interested in discounted group certifications / licenses for the most recent ITIL build / release, please click here.