Cloud computing isn't just about hardware, it's also a programming revolution. Agile, easy-to-access, lightweight Web protocols—coupled with pervasive, horizontally scaled architecture—can accelerate development cycles and time-to-market with new applications and services. But closed APIs can hamper development flexibility. Cloud computing can usher in a new era of productivity if developers build on platforms designed to be federated rather than centralized.
That's why the Sun Cloud APIs are open for public review and comment.
Sun is leveraging the flexibility and accessibility of the cloud to improve the developer experience. Get started today with Sun's onramp for the developer experience of tomorrow with Project Kenai and NetBeans. Host projects and code, collaborate with like-minded developers and access or initiate projects directly from the NetBeans 6.7 Beta release.
There's much more to cloud computing than just a few infrastructure providers and a proliferation of Xen image stacks. An emerging ecosystem of complementary services is providing a wide range of computing resources:
On-ramps for cloud abstraction
Professional deployment services
Specialized application components, such as distributed databases
Virtual private datacenters for IT providers and consumers
Many large enterprises understand the economic benefits of cloud computing but want to ensure strict enforcement of security policies, so they're experimenting with private clouds first. Other companies build private clouds to standardize their development processes. Sun can help.
Service providers who want to "be the cloud" can provide new routes to market for startups and Web 2.0 application developers. Derive a competitive edge through service-level agreements, or help enterprise customers develop their own clouds.
