CIOs Get More Options as Cloud Computing Goes Open Source

CIOs, CEOs and other executives must have a lot of questions about cloud computing, and I’m not sure there are actually good answers right now when it comes to portability and integration. For instance, I recently talked to a CEO who expressed deep distrust of storing anything personal in the cloud, including pictures and a rough draft of his dissertation for his third degree...

He didn’t trust that a cloud-based storage would keep his stuff private and secure, particularly if they encountered problems. And I didn't know what to tell him, since we were talking about free offerings for personal use. When you're dealing with cloud solutions for organizations, some of these questions could be worked out in contracts, although that might not address the question of trust that a company would do the right thing if it went out of business. It made me wonder: How many executives have the same questions — and how well can the emerging cloud market answer them?...