(Editor's Note: This article refers to a video interview shot at Interop (News - Alert)2010. To view TMCnet's entire library of videos from Interop and other industry shows, demonstrations and interviews in our in-house studio, visit our Video News home page.)

TMCnet had the opportunity to speak with a number of key industry players at Interop this year, including John Matthews, VP, IT & CTO F5 Networks (News - Alert). Matthews visited the TMCnet media booth for an interview captured in this video.

F5 made some big announcements at this year's Interop, including a new version of Big IP Software, which covers a number of different things, including new technology capabilities that extend the value of the solution to end users.

The impact of this solution on existing products is clear. As Matthews describes it, IT is slow, expensive and difficult to manage; the goal for F5 is to simplify as much of that capability as possible, provide cheaper tools, ability to leverage current implementations and new capabilities within their environment.

Cloud computing and putting things in the Cloud is the big focus right now - even though it is not new - but moving to the cloud requires a number of different things that have to happen to make that possible.

"Big IP is putting a lot of different a host of services that allow guys like me to move to the cloud slowly," said Matthews. "To take on a different piece of technology to move a little bit at a time and learn what goes and remove all the risk from that."

So what is drawing people to cloud? Savings in terms of cost, although Matthews highlights that we don't know what all those savings are just yet. If he were to start a new company now, he would do much of the processes in the cloud.

The problem that arises is the ability to manage process control. You have to be able to report and repeat activities. Everyone wants to see the proof on how things operate and Matthews is not completely certain the hype surrounding the cloud is truly accurate as there are still challenges to overcome. He firmly believes companies must have a strategy for moving to cloud.

There are a number of server apps running and a number of different access points and being able to be secure and comfortable with this process is a challenge. The control pieces will be difficult in the cloud.

The trick about the cloud - it is actually fast now and we have network capabilities that are fast, but you can't have your architecture slow you down. Big IP technology allows customers to use gear they already own to streamline to the cloud while also moving fast and secure.

 

For more information on F5 and its Big IP Software, check out this video in full. (Editor's Note: Apple (News - Alert) users can find the video here, in TMCnet's video library.)

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Patrick Barnard