Outlining Cloud Computing for

the Channel
A clarification, extension, and expansion of cloud
computing definitions for practical application
in the IT reseller channel community

A C o m p TI A C l o u d /S a a S C o m m u n i t y R e s o u r c e

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 White Paper: Outlining Cloud Computing for the Channel

Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

SITUATION ASSESSMENT 3

FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF CLOUD COMPUTING 5

WHAT CLOUD COMPUTING ISN’T 6

WHO’S WHO IN THE CLOUD CHANNEL 7

VENDORS 7

SERVICE PROVIDERS 7

DISTRIBUTORS AND CLOUD AGGREGATORS 8

SYSTEMS INTEGRATORS 8

VALUE ADDED RESELLERS AND MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDERS 7

CHANNELIZING THE CLOUD 8

DEPLOYMENT MODELS 8

SERVICE MODELS 9

ESSENTIAL CLOUD CHARACTERISTICS 10

ADDITIONAL CHANNEL CONSIDERATIONS 11

CONCLUSION 12

ABOUT US 12

CompTIA CLOUD/SAAS COMMUNITY 14

CompTIA 15

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS 15

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Executive Summary
Cloud computing is a transformative delivery model that is changing the way technology
vendors, distributors, resellers, and consumers think about, approach, and implement IT
systems. What exactly “the cloud” is remains a matter of debate, as there are more than two
dozen definitions for cloud computing. Further, how the cloud is applied to the conventional
IT channel is relatively uncharted. In this paper, the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community
will provide basic definitions and core characteristics for cloud computing, and put those
definitions into a channel context. The paper is a foundational document designed to give the
channel community a baseline reference for describing cloud computing and how it fits with
the various constituencies that comprise the channel.

Situation Assessment
Escaping the cloud is almost impossible. Cloud computing—or the delivery of application,
platform, and infrastructure via the Internet1 as a service—is transforming the way
technology vendors produce and distribute their products, as well as the way enterprises
and SMB organizations consume technology. The cloud revolution is more than just
“webifying” applications. It is a fundamental shift to a new IT architecture grounded
in broad availability, multi-tenancy, shared resources, and dynamic capacity. It’s about
changing the entire cost structure of technology from a capital expense to a recurring
operational expense. And it’s making technology more accessible, productive, and
affordable. And that is driving its rapid adoption.

Cloud computing has morphed from a relatively limited set of Web-based services to a
full gamut of business products and models. According to analyst firm Gartner, the cloud
computing marketplace will grow from $46.4 billion in 2008 to more than $150 billion by
2013. Gartner predicts that 20 percent of all businesses will own no IT infrastructure by 20122
as they will have been completely transformed into near-total cloud consumers. The hype
around cloud computing continues to escalate, making it increasingly difficult to separate the
marketing buzz from the true implementations of technology and services via the Internet.
Nearly any application or service remotely attached to the Internet is now taking on the
cloud as both a descriptor and value proposition. No wonder that 59 percent of end users
and 64 percent of the channel say that cloud computing needs clearer definitions, according
to a new CompTIA study.3

1 In private clouds, applications, platforms, and infrastructures can be accessible over a private network via Web browsers
2 Gartner Top Predictions for 2010, press release, January 2010 (http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1278413)

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Defining cloud computing is more than an academic exercise; it’s a matter of drafting
parameters of understanding among marketplace constituents that produce, support, and
consume cloud-based services. Creating this shared business and technical vocabulary
helps promote effective commerce among all entities in the cloud computing supply chain.
Through clear and concise definitions, producers and consumers of services can develop
business strategies, implementation plans, business models, and performance metrics for
maximizing the potential of a revolutionary delivery system.

Numerous, often competing definitions for cloud computing exist. Most do a fine job of
framing what many consider the core tenants of cloud computing, yet only 24 percent of end
users and 29 percent of the channel believe the existing definitions are sufficient.

Illustration 1: A Cloudy Definition of Cloud Computing

Respondents to a 2010 CompTIA research study said a uniform definition of cloud computing and its
ecosystem would clear up market confusion and better explain and simplify the value proposition for buying
and selling cloud services.

End Users 59% 24% 17% Needs Clearer

Definition

Channel 63% 29% 8%

9% of end-users use a formal third-party definition of cloud computing; 11% use a definition developed
internally. The remaining 80% use no formal definition or are unsure of what their company uses.

In comparison, 18% of channel partners use a third-party definition, while 20% use an internally
developed definition. The remaining 62% don’t use a formal definition.

And even these constituents say that the existing definitions are not consistent, according to
the CompTIA study. The leading and most generally accepted definition is the one developed
by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which provides for the
essential elements and characteristics of the medium. However, many vendors and solution
providers believe there is an opportunity to extend the NIST definition by incorporating the
unique needs of the IT reseller and services channel into the model.

Illustration 2: The Layers Within A Cloud

In this paper, the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community will affirm the NIST cloud computing
definition and extend it to include
Cloud critical considerations
‘Stack’ for the channel community. Through
Target Customer
these contextualized definitions, we aim to provide the entire channel with a common
SaaS End Users
foundation for framing cloud computing discussions and messaging, business planning and
PaaS Developers
modeling, and sales and marketing execution.
IaaS Operators/IT

Reference: www.thecloudcomputingresource.com

3 CompTIA Research Study, “Cloud Computing: Opportunities and Challenges”, August 2010

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Foundational Understanding of Cloud Computing

Near universal agreement exists that cloud computing is the Web-based delivery of a
service that provides extensible, elastic, and multi-tenant access to computing resources.
The definition gets fuzzy from there. What does it mean to be “elastic” or “extensible”?
Some groups include “ease of use” or “ease of deployment” in their definitions, but these
are subjective measures. And, of course, simple definitions tend to breakdown when actual
services are tied to them. A Web-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution
such as Salesforce.com is generally considered a staple in the cloud computing portfolio, but
is a search engine such as Google or Microsoft’s Bing? Web-based email services such as
Hotmail and Yahoo are part of cloud computing, but are emails delivered to a remote client
over an SSL or HTTPS connection from an on-premise Microsoft Exchange server also a part
of the cloud computing universe?

A good starting point for defining cloud computing is the definition crafted by NIST. The
government research and standard setting agency admits that its definition is fluid and
subject to change. However, the NIST definition4, now in its fifteenth iteration, provides
clear tenets for what constitutes the basics of cloud computing as a technology and
delivery mechanism. The NIST definition is:

 Cloud Computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to

a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage,
applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal
management effort or service provider interaction. This cloud model promotes
availability and is composed of five essential characteristics (on-demand self-service,
broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service), three
service models (software as a service, platform as a service, and infrastructure as a
service), and four deployment models (private cloud, community cloud, public cloud,
and hybrid cloud).

As an addendum, NIST makes the following note about the nature of cloud computing:

Cloud software takes full advantage of the cloud paradigm by being service oriented
with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability.

In other words, cloud computing isn’t necessarily proprietary and should have near
universal interoperability and communications channels to ensure access to and usability
of data.

The CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community concurs with NIST’s definition, adding that cloud
computing applications, platforms, and infrastructures should guarantee interoperability of
solutions, openness in standards, accessibility to resources and data, and portability to different
service providers. In our opinion, this openness is necessary for ensuring the sustained adoption
and growth of cloud computing by assuring optimal business value to customers.

4 http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/

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Computing use the
a formal third-party definition of cloud computing; 11% use a definition developed
Channel
internally. The remaining 80% use no formal definition or are unsure of what their company uses.

In comparison, 18% of channel partners use a third-party definition, while 20% use an internally
developed definition. The remaining 62% don’t use a formal definition.

Bearing the NIST definition in mind, it is helpful to think of cloud computing broadly in
two layers: (1) applications and services that encompass packaged cloud apps (SaaS—
Software as a Service) and custom cloud apps (developed on PaaS—Platform as a Service),
and, (2) the shared network, server, storage, and security resources that constitute IaaS
(Infrastructure as a Service).

Illustration 2: The Layers Within A Cloud

Cloud ‘Stack’ Target Customer

SaaS End Users
PaaS Developers
IaaS Operators/IT

Reference: www.thecloudcomputingresource.com

What Cloud Computing Isn’t

Given the hype, anticipated exponential growth, and ambiguous definitions, many technology
companies are claiming to be cloud-computing providers. Nevertheless, the fact that some
technologies and services share many of the characteristics found in the NIST definition does
not make them a part of the cloud computing universe.

Before getting into the channel specifics, CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community believes it is
necessary to define exclusions. The following technologies and computing delivery models
are explicitly not considered cloud computing.
• Fat clients/devices
• Proprietary browser access
• Virtualization independent of cloud implementations
• Grid computing
• Mainframes
• Online backup
• Client/server computing infrastructures
• Proprietary appliances
• Dedicated hosting services
• Systems that leverage Internet connectivity, but are not Web based

These systems and models fall outside the core definition because they only share certain
characteristics of cloud computing or are components and/or mechanisms for accessing cloud
computing resources. For instance, a personal computer with network access is an absolute
necessity for accessing cloud resources, but a PC is not cloud computing. Similarly, private clouds
can be closed, private networks, but that does not make a mainframe cloud computing.

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There is also debate as to whether managed services—the remote monitoring and

management of on-premise hardware and software—is part of cloud computing. Under
the strictest definition, managed services are not, even though they share virtually the
same business structure and revenue model. The difference is the on-premise perquisites
associated with managed services, which are really an evolution of conventional break/fix
services. By the NIST definition, cloud computing is not bound by the scale and performance
limitations of conventional infrastructure and break/fix services. Nevertheless, it is possible to
deliver cloud computing as a service managed by a third-party provider—hence the debate.

Who’s Who in the Cloud Channel

The channel is a vast amalgamation of diverse technology businesses that play different and
overlapping roles in the delivery of products and services to end-user organizations. The
types of companies that exist in the conventional channel won’t change all that much in the
cloud era. However, their roles will vary depending on their capabilities. In this section, we’ll
identify the various companies in the cloud channel and the roles they perform.

Vendors
Includes all conventional hardware manufacturers, software publishers, independent
software vendors (ISVs), and pure-play cloud computing companies that act as a
source—the underlying provider—of applications, platforms, and infrastructure. Some
vendors may only provide the technology (products) for building clouds.

Service Providers
Typically includes telecommunications carriers, global systems integrators, business
process outsourcing firms, and Internet service providers that provide the bridging
infrastructures between cloud computing service providers, vendors, and end customers.
Increasingly, service providers are the companies building private and hybrid clouds for
large enterprises.

Distributors and Cloud Aggregators

Increasingly, distributors act as cloud sources, consolidating resources and applications
for resale through the channel. Aggregators are essentially distributors of cloud
resources without the legacy hardware and software distribution business. These entities
will often integrate resources to build holistic cloud services sold through the channel.

Systems Integrators
The reseller integrates complex technologies into holistic systems. The traditional role
of systems integrators isn’t changing much in the cloud, except that they, like service
providers, are building private and hybrid clouds. Many systems integrators are also
building systems for delivering cloud computing independent of their OEM vendor
partners, and are implementing cloud application/SaaS solutions for clients.

Value Added Resellers and Managed Service Providers
VARs and MSPs are reselling cloud services and adding their own professional and value-
added services to the sale. This model differs little from the conventional hardware and

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software resale model, except that highly complex and extensive value-added services
are sometimes harder to justify and include in the cloud sale. VARs needn’t just resell
services; they can act as brokers and referral agents to cloud computing providers,
collecting commissions for their efforts. And it’s the VARs that are typically providing
the migration and customization services for end users adopting cloud services. This
group also includes hybrid service providers that combine cloud-based applications
and services with legacy, on-premise ones, and “born-in-the-cloud” service providers
(resellers that started solely on cloud services and are unencumbered by legacy
hardware and software products).

It’s important to recognize that cloud computing makes it possible for the aforementioned
entities to deliver end-to-end implementations. That means a vendor often can deliver
cloud-based services direct to consumers without involving a channel partner. Likewise, a
traditional VAR can build a cloud service independent of vendor partners and deliver it to
customers. The key elements for channel delivery are:

• Plan/Design: Crafting scope-of-adoption and deployment plans

• Delivery: Migration of a consumer’s infrastructure and data from legacy, on-premise

systems to cloud-based sets of applications (SaaS, PaaS) and resources (IaaS)

• Implementation: Enabling the use of cloud computing resources

• Management: Ongoing administration of cloud applications and resources

• Support: Training, customization, and adjustments of cloud computing operations

The degree to which each channel entity delivers services is dependent on their technology
specialization, target customers, and ability to service customers. For instance, a large vendor
may want to take cloud services direct to customers, but may not have the resources to scale
end-to-end delivery. A vendor may be capable of performing all the functions in this delivery
paradigm, but cannot reach all market segments with a limited sales force. Conversely,
small VARs may have the ability to independently deliver cloud computing infrastructure or
applications, but cannot scale to meet the needs of mid-market and enterprise customers. In
the end, scale is the limiting factor of cloud delivery in the channel.

Channelizing the Cloud

CompTIA’s Cloud/SaaS Community believes the NIST definition of cloud computing is a
good framing for general interpretation, particularly for enterprise consumers of Web-based
services. What it doesn’t do is take the realities of the conventional channel marketplace into
consideration. In this section, we will put the NIST definition into a channel context, making it
applicable to vendors, solution providers, VARs, systems integrators, distributors, and other
channel constituents.

Deployment Models
Private cloud
Some organizations may choose to build and operate their own private cloud

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infrastructures. NIST says private clouds may be managed and/or hosted by third parties.
The channel plays a critical role in the development of private clouds by providing
consulting, design, deployment, implementation, and ongoing support services to private
cloud operators.

Community cloud
NIST says this cloud type is one “shared by several organizations and supports a specific
community that has shared concerns.” Few examples of this type have emerged to date,
but a shared cloud among a small set of businesses established for secure exchange of
information or transactions would be considered a community cloud. It’s more likely that
a community cloud would be hosted and managed by an independent third party given
that numerous constituents would use it. Here, the channel has the opportunity to build,
manage, resell, and support community clouds.

Public cloud
Owned by private entities for use among general industry groups, a public cloud is a
shared infrastructure (network, compute, storage) accessible over the public Internet for
cloud-based and remotely delivered services. The public cloud is a critical element in the
cloud computing chain that the channel leverages to support its customers.

Hybrid cloud
Known by many different names, hybrid clouds are the combination of two or more
of the other deployment models, such as private and public clouds. Hybrid clouds are
the most common form of cloud computing implementation since they may leverage
public resources, private services, and in many cases, legacy, on-premise infrastructure.
Integrating and enabling hybrid clouds provides a wealth of opportunity for the channel
in consultation, integration, and support services.

Service Models
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Applications running on a cloud infrastructure via a thin client or browser. SaaS includes
such services as managed email (Microsoft Exchange), CRM (Salseforce.com), and office
productivity applications (Google Apps). Vendors providing such services are reselling
their offerings through solution providers who can add deployment, migration, training,
and support services on top of the core offering.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

A platform or environment upon which users can develop and deploy services for
consumption. PaaS providers include Microsoft Azure, Salesforce.com’s Force.com,
and Google’s App Engine. The channel can either use PaaS to develop its own unique
offerings or resell capacity and support to organizations that require PaaS services. For
the channel, PaaS is about exercising expertise to both leverage platforms and support
cloud-based platforms.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Different from conventional hosting services, IaaS comprises the sharing of infrastructure

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resources for running software in the cloud that would ordinarily be deployed and
operated on-premise. IaaS provides consumers with the processing, storage, networks,
and other fundamental computing resources required for running applications. The
channel is both a provider and broker of IaaS by building and delivering cloud-based
infrastructures, reselling infrastructure services, and supporting organizations in their use
and operations of the services.

Essential Cloud Characteristics

The NIST definition covers the essential characteristics that comprise cloud computing.
However, some are potentially disruptive to the channel. In this section, we’ll deviate from
pointing out the channel role and opportunities, and instead show how the cloud can
disintermediate segments of the traditional hardware and software channel and disrupt
conventional vendor business models. It’s imperative that the channel recognizes the
opportunity the cloud creates to prevent disintermediation and to seize relevant new
opportunities.

On-demand self-service
NIST says a consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities as needed
without requiring human interaction with the service’s provider. From a channel
perspective, automatic self-service is problematic since it eliminates the professional
support and maintenance services that solution providers have traditionally delivered.
While the cloud simplifies the delivery of resources and applications, it doesn’t
completely drive out complexity. The channel will find greater degrees of value and
opportunity in more complex cloud offerings where users have the option but not the
expertise to exercise self-service. Additionally, many traditional complex integration/
interoperability, change management, and business process consulting opportunities will
remain open to the channel.

Broad network access

Cloud computing requires ubiquitous and persistent network connectivity accessible by
client devices. The one truism of the cloud is that it will never fully eliminate on-premise
hardware, since both client and network devices are required to connect to the cloud.
The channel will continue to play a vital role in building and maintaining on-premise
infrastructures.

Resource pooling
Cloud computing requires extensive infrastructure and resources that can scale to
support applications potentially accessed by millions of users at any point, from any
place. For many companies, this requirement makes the provisioning of cloud services
the purview of large technology vendors who have the financial and technical resources
to build large, distributed data center networks. This doesn’t mean smaller channel
companies cannot deliver cloud computing, but it does raise the bar.

Rapid elasticity
Cloud computing consumers should be able to expand and scale their technology
consumption at will, or at least with greater speed than conventional, on-premise

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infrastructure. While the channel can act as broker of elastic services, solution providers
stand an equal chance of being disintermediated by the self-service nature of many
simplified cloud computing services.

Measured service
Cloud computing is delivered most often as an operational expense, meaning that it’s
a recurring, predictable payment model similar to electricity and telephone charges.
The end user has metered access to applications and infrastructure by the drink. Many
solution providers are at loggerheads with cloud computing vendors over who should
bill the customer since billing is analogous to account ownership. But measured service
requires the provider to have the ability to measure variable consumption of services,
and performance of that function is often only possible by the cloud vendor. Some
vendors are meeting their channel partners halfway by controlling the billing process,
while providing tools through which the reseller can bill their clients.

The exception to disintermediation are entities that were created specifically to capitalize
on cloud computing. This small but emerging class of channel businesses is free of the
legacy considerations and business constraints of conventional hardware and software sales.
It remains unclear how these businesses will evolve in the cloud computing era. For now,
they’re thriving because they are unencumbered.

Additional Channel Considerations

The NIST definition doesn’t encompass some of the practical and operational necessities
related to cloud computing. These operational necessities are critical to the channel, which
we will outline here. Each of these items is both a deliverable and a role in which the channel
can provide expert service and consultation.

Service level agreements (SLAs)

Cloud computing is delivered and administered by third-party providers. The performance of
service delivery is measured through service-level agreements, which specify expectations of
the cloud consumer. SLAs take on greater significance when cloud computing is delivered as
a managed and monitored set of services by an intermediary channeling multiple offerings.

Regulatory compliance
When an organization contracts or subscribes to a cloud service, it is assigning risk and
liability to the provider. As part of the SLA or other contractual metrics, providers of
cloud services and resources must account for regulatory compliance issues such as
auditing and inspection, data storage and reporting, process and procedure guidance,
and response and remediation services.

Security and privacy

One of the top inhibitors to cloud computing adoption is security and privacy concerns. The
NIST definition mentions nothing of security, yet the core security tenets—confidentiality,
integrity, and availability—are essential for cloud adoption. The channel can serve as an
advisor, assessor, and provider of security and privacy services to those delivering or
adopting cloud services.

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Transparency and operational visibility

Cloud computing provides the channel with a window into the customer’s computing
and technology use that was previously unavailable. Solution providers can use the
intelligence gleaned from cloud consumption to provide monitoring and optimization
services and to make recommendations for application and infrastructure improvements.

Training and support

Cloud computing is changing the delivery mechanism of applications and
infrastructures to the ultimate consumers. Even if the channel is in part
disintermediated from the sales and operations process, it may still play a vital role as
a consultant as many users will require training and customization support to ensure
they get their expected return on investment.

Conclusion
Given that it is a dynamic medium and business model, defining cloud computing may prove
as futile as chasing clouds. As such, current definitions are transient since innovations in
technology and delivery will likely bring even more change.

The intent of the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community—and the NIST effort before it—is
to provide the channel industry with a foundational framework and understanding of
cloud computing. It is our belief that this effort will spawn greater clarity about the forms
and capabilities of cloud computing, the tools that measure its performance, optimized
business models for delivery and support, and, ultimately, its return-on-investment rationale
for consumers. As such, this paper should be seen as a beginning for both defining and
understanding the practical applications of cloud computing.

About Us
CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community
The CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community is a
collaborative group of technology suppliers and
cloud computing vendors, distributors, service
providers, and resellers dedicated to advancing
cloud computing in the global technology marketplace. Our community is dedicated to
defining cloud computing technologies, business models, and best practices; building cloud
tools and resources; creating and administrating professional credentials; and deliberating
and resolving issues related to evolving cloud computing challenges and opportunities.
Our community is resolved to promote industry and regulatory standards that ensure the
openness, performance, and integrity of cloud computing platforms, applications, and
businesses. Our underlying goal is nothing less than ensuring high quality and performance in
cloud computing among all marketplace constituents.

For more information about the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community or to get involved in our
community’s activities, please contact communities@comptia.org.

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CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members
are the companies at the forefront of innovation and the professionals responsible for
maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology.
CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs,
market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy.
For more information visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at
http://www.Twitter.com/comptia.

Contributing Authors
Lawrence M. Walsh, Lead Michael Proper
President CEO
The 2112 Group Clear Center

Brad DeSent , Community Chair Richard Stopa

President Principal
Apex Consulting Group ICC Global Hosting

Chris Chase Shiv Kumar

Solutions Integrator Executive Vice President
Directive ZSL Inc.

Denna Mensch Stephen Cho

Vice President Director Google Apps Channels
Synnex Corporation Google

Frank Hughes Terry Calloway

President President
Cloud Services Depot Data Technique, Inc.

Jim Chow Tricia Wurts

Senior Manager, Google Apps Channels President
Google Wurts & Associates

Kunjal Trivedi Dave Sobel

Managed Services Strategist CEO
Cisco Evolve Technologies

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© 2010 The Computing Technology Industry Association, Inc. All rights reserved. CompTIA is a U.S. registered trademark of CompTIA, Inc. Security Trustmark is a trademark of
CompTIA, Inc. Other products and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. Reproduction or dissemination prohibited without written
consent of CompTIA. Printed in the U.S. 01-1817-Sep10

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