TechTuck

Saturday, October 13, 2007

IBM, Google, Universities Combine Cloud Forces

By WILLIAM M. BULKELEY - October 8, 2007

International Business Machines Corp. and Google Inc. said they are starting a program on college campuses to promote computer-programming techniques for clusters of processors known as "clouds."

In a joint telephone interview, IBM Chief Executive Samuel Palmisano and Google CEO Eric Schmidt said each company will spend between $20 million and $25 million for hardware, software and services that can be used by computer-science professors and students.

So-called cloud computing -- which lately has attracted the attention of many tech giants, including Microsoft Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. -- allows computers in remote data centers to run parallel, increasing their processing power.

The cloud can run many software applications and can be accessed by many users. It promises to allow companies and universities to share resources and not have to expand their own costly data centers. However, the concept poses daunting questions about security, reliability and ease of use.

In this case, IBM and Google will start by providing some 400 computers, with plans to expand to 4,000, at a number of locations. The computers will be accessible from six universities, led by University of Washington in Seattle, where some of the programming techniques were developed. The other pilot universities are Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley and University of Maryland.

Mr. Palmisano said the idea for collaboration between the two companies developed when he and Mr. Schmidt met at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., last December. They realized they held similar views on the future of cloud computing, which forms the basis of the computer architecture Google uses for its popular search service.

Mr. Palmisano said scientists from each company have expertise that will aid the project. He pointed to IBM's skills at running data centers and managing computer security. Google provides "complementary expertise in Web computing and massively scaled clusters," he said.

The two men said they also shared concerns that computer-science schools were focused on teaching students how to program a single server and not giving them opportunities to learn about parallel programming.

Frank Gens, an analyst with market-research concern IDC in Framingham, Mass., said the companies also are united by a rivalry with Microsoft, and "they'd like to influence the future of online business before Microsoft extends its influence." IBM and Google stressed that much of the infrastructure will be open-source programs that are freely available, rather than proprietary software programs such as those sold by Microsoft.

Microsoft is developing its own approach to cloud computing, as is Hewlett-Packard Co., said executives at the companies. Microsoft hopes to use its expertise in operating systems to develop ways to manage the large numbers of computers used in cloud computing, executives at the software maker said.

Mervyn Adrian, an analyst with Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass., said, "This is the next generation of computer architecture, and IBM wants to get in front of it." He noted that many students use Google applications and said that "IBM wants to leverage that."

Google's Mr. Schmidt said "IBM doesn't get credit for their architecture because they're held back by the image of the mainframe." But he said IBM's expertise in running data centers and developing software that many companies use to run their computer infrastructures makes it "the logical leader in cloud computing."

Mr. Palmisano said the firms are trying to "take these two sets of skills -- IBM's understanding of how enterprises use computing and Google's understanding of massive data flows and high-speed connections -- and we believe we can create something significant." He jokingly characterized the project as combining Google's young engineers and "the old fat guys" at IBM.

Write to William M. Bulkeley at bill.bulkeley@wsj.com

With Some Structure, Retreat to Thai Beach Is a Productive Venture

By PHRED DVORAK October 8, 2007

In April 2006, all four employees of San Francisco software developer Red Swoosh Inc. decamped to a beach in Thailand -- for six weeks. They hoped to rejuvenate a team, and product, that had fallen into a rut.

The Red Swoosh team battled bugs, a pesky monkey and tropical squalls while writing code on laptops at a seaside café. And that, says founder Travis Kalanick, was exactly what they needed. By the time the engineers returned in June, they had not only rewritten the software and reworked an Internet-sales site, but boosted morale and bonded as a team, he says.

"It definitely helps you think out of the box," says Mr. Kalanick. He arranged a three-week trip to Mexico for the team this year and hopes to do it again next year.

Red Swoosh founder Travis Kalanick, center, works with his team at a retreat in Thailand.

Red Swoosh's overseas stints are an extreme solution to a common challenge: How to energize employees and spur creativity. Experts say one key is exposing workers to new stimuli that can create fresh perspectives and spark ideas. That can mean bringing in new people, changing the environment or tapping exercises designed to broaden thought patterns, says Barry Staw, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business.

Design consultant Ideo Inc. often starts brainstorming sessions by casting a jumble of seemingly unrelated objects on the table, to encourage designers to seek inspiration in unusual places. Toy maker Mattel Inc. has employees work in a room shaped like a tree house to help stimulate creativity.

"The main thing with creativity is trying to introduce variety," Mr. Staw says.

Skeptics say there is no proof these tactics work. William Duggan, who teaches strategic intuition at Columbia Business School, says companies should collect flashes of insight that occur naturally to employees at odd times, like while showering or right after waking. He says that is likely to be more effective than forcing creativity at work.

Techniques suited to some groups may not work for others. Red Swoosh's Mr. Kalanick warns that extended trips to remote locales won't be effective for sales staff and others who need to be in touch with customers or headquarters in different time zones. They are also hard for workers with families or those who need a lot of equipment. Red Swoosh's employees are all single men under age 32; for work, they carry only their laptops, an Internet router and a power strip.

When Red Swoosh did its first trip in 2006, the company was five years old and badly in need of regeneration, Mr. Kalanick says. Revenue was sagging and programmers were tired. Red Swoosh's software, which delivers online video and other content, was "a mess," says head engineer David Barrett. When one engineer suggested moving headquarters to a beach for a while, Mr. Kalanick agreed -- with some strict terms.

Tempted to take the team to a remote beach for a change of pace? Here are some things to remember:

" Set measurable project goals

" Find an inspiring location, but ensure there's reliable power and Internet service

" Monitor costs and employee productivity

" Remember that contacting headquarters and customers back home will be tough

" Keep equipment to the minimum needed to do the job

" Ensure there's time for fun

Source: Red Swoosh

To appease Red Swoosh's investors, Mr. Kalanick guaranteed the trip wouldn't add to expenses. The company moved out of its office, and used the rent savings to help employees cover airfare, food and lodging.

To remind employees they weren't on vacation, Mr. Kalanick set concrete project goals, like rewriting the server software, and asked each to keep track of his hours. He held a daily 10 a.m. meeting to discuss each day's work. He set aside one day a week for fun.

Some problems arose. After arriving in Thailand, the group spent several days finding a beach that was sufficiently isolated but offered electricity and Internet access. Staying in touch with U.S. customers across an 11- to 14-hour time difference proved exhausting. One client emergency kept the team up all night. Mr. Kalanick limited himself to 10 sales calls per day, at 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. local time, in order to get enough sleep.

The programmers faced language and cultural differences as well as torrential rains. But the challenges stimulated their creativity, says Mr. Barrett. Inspired by packing light, they streamlined their software. Shedding distractions like commuting meant they could concentrate more intensely on work. The motivation and camaraderie continued after the return home, he says.

The Red Swoosh team -- now six people -- in March spent three weeks writing a new application at a beach in Tulum, Mexico. Next year they may find out whether a getaway will work at a bigger company: in April, Red Swoosh was bought by Akamai Technologies Inc.

Write to Phred Dvorak at phred.dvorak@wsj.com