Google App Engine For Cloud Computing Adoption

Cloud computing is like a madness that surrounds all of us in the ICT industries. Makes no mistake, it has been around for many years though.

In fact, it is one of the top 3 ICT adoption trends for the enterprise market in Malaysia; I mean big enterprises.

The top 3 trends are:
  1. Cyber Security
  2. Virtualization
  3. Cloud-computing
And everybody is thinking what to do with it. In the Malaysia context we have such initiatives like:
Microsoft during the launching of Visual Studio 2010 announced the Windows Azure platform, which in my opinion is the best way for windows developers to get started and leverage on cloud computing.

Windows Azure offers developer a platform to plug and play application for cloud computing, by offering simulation platform. Hence, whenever you are ready for business, it's not too late to subscribe to a real cloud computing platform.

Google App Engine offers similar take.

It's a platform for you to build and host your application in Google Environment with hosting included. It is not free all the way.

It supports Java and Python.

The sandbox concept is the enabler for cloud-computing, which is also the limitation for the App Engine. For instance, remote access is available only through.
  • HTTPs
  • Fetch URL
  • Emails services.
And there is no multi-thread ability. Application code only runs in response to a web request, a queued task, or a scheduled task. SDKs are provided for free.

You can start right away for free; create and publish application.

The quota for free account are
  • Use up to 500MB of storage a month.
  • Use up to 5 million page views a month.
  • 10 applications for free account.
To have more resources, check out here.

Most of the units are measured in gigabytes. For stored data, 1 GB per month is an additional of USD 0.15. So, assuming that you have a 10 GB of data that is without growth, you have to pay USD 10 * 0.15 = USD 1.5 per month.

This is really affordable.

Imagine trying upload your whole hard disk of 80GB into such environment, one only needs to pay 80 * 0.15 = USD 12 per month. (that is about RM 42).

So, imagine there are about 15 million internet users in Malaysia since 2008, Google will earn (15 x RM 42) RM 630 million per month.

That is huge even though it's affordable.

Now finally, check out what others have developed using Google Apps Engine for the 'enterprise' category.

This is a good opportunity for cloud computing adopters.

In fact, Window Azure platform is just about the same, with the plan called 'Introductory Special' where Microsoft technologies based developers can start to leverage on cloud computing platform right away, for free!

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