Google ramps up cloud computing efforts

Google ramps up cloud computing efforts

Tech giant Google is going head-to-head with rivals Microsoft and Amazon by pushing forward to enhance its cloud computing services.

Google has announced that it will double the size of its office space in Seattle - which is also where Amazon and Microsoft have bases - and take on more engineers and specialists with cloud-related skills. It will also take on more staff and office space at its Washington headquarters.

As things stand, Amazon Web Services is the leader in the cloud arena and Amazon has indicated that it expects this area of its business to eventually be as successful as its web shopping arm.

James Staten, an analyst at Forrester, is quoted by the New York Times as saying, “Almost every major consultancy supports Amazon; almost every advertising agency runs on Amazon; if I need to hire 10 people tomorrow to help me build my application, it’s super easy to find people who have Amazon experience.”

However, this could be set to change. Google has obviously spotted cloud’s potential to boost its profits and extend the reach of its internet services. Experts say the search giant is trying to ensure that the maximum number of developers and businesses choose Google services over those of its rivals. The market for Google is potentially huge as cloud services are now essential, thanks to the explosion in technology such as mobile apps, online video and music streaming.

Brian Goldfarb, Google’s leader of cloud platform marketing, told The New York Times, “We’re not the first in this rodeo, but we have the history of Google.”

He added, “We have the best data centres on the planet. You can’t really give engineers a bigger, badder thing to work on.”

Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.