How will network jobs be affected after the cloud takes over?

[jennyadela]

Microsoft is hoping to use the cloud to automate 1 in 7 IT jobs in the coming years. Even if their vision isn't fully fulfilled there in no denying that the cloud will change networking forever.

Where do you believe that networking jobs will be lost and gained in the future after the cloud takes over?

 

[baddos]

When the cloud turns into a rain storm, there will be more IT work.

 

[VinceWhirlwind]

What's the "cloud"?
A bunch of datacentres full of servers, connected with switches, routers, LAN, MAN and WAN links. In other words nothing changes, except we'll have increased security risks to sign off on and reduced performance to explain to our users.

 

[dgrizzard]

It won't change the networking sector very much in the sense that these companies/people/etc will still need connections to "the cloud". Where it will change is that more people will be needed in these data center environments.

 

[iolair]

There is some discussion where I work of eliminating all IT jobs in each branch office and outsource the work to "the cloud". That means having someone like Northrup Grumman or IBM or EDS run all the networks and servers.

Although this plan has been implemented in several businesses that I know of, and failed, it is still being considered. Why? The same reason that Novell lost networking servers to Microsoft. The outsourcers put a lot of sales pressure on the CEO's, etc. to buy in, and the outsourcers totally bypass the common sense and knowledge of the technical people. No, I'm not bitter, but this is the way it's going right now. At least here, it is.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[baddos]

I'm not following you there. I'll admit NT 3.5 and 4 weren't amazing, Novell was terrible. It had cool features but it was a beast of it's own.

 

[iolair]

I have to disagree. Novell ran like a top, was secure, and reliable. My point was this, marketing people sold Windows Server to the CEO. Novell sold Netware to technical people in charge of networks. In most businesses, the CEO trumps the technical people. That's why Novell lost the server wars to Microsoft.

I was saying, at least in our case, that the Cloud Vendors are selling to the CEO types, and leaving the technical people out of the decision, thereby circumventing any hope of common sense and reason in these decisions. I'm not saying that some companies should keep thier IT in place, I'm just saying that each and every situation is different, and CEO's shouldn't go for a "blanket" fix for their problems. I think not having some kind of technical person at my business would be a disaster. Our users are good, but not that good.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer