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Utility Computing: Have You Got Religion?: Page 6 of 8

The third view says that if you really want to solve this problem, you must do it at a fundamental level. Applications, client software, operating systems, management software and systems hardware all need to be fully instrumented so they can provide information on their needs rather than forcing management tools and expert staff to take educated guesses.

As you've probably guessed, this is Microsoft's approach, which it now calls its Dynamic Systems Initiative. Under DSI, Microsoft has announced a number of across-the-board initiatives. The company is also signing up partners to participate in its vision. If you trust Microsoft and don't mind waiting the better part of five years, this story is a good one. The problem is, we've learned the hard way not to trust Microsoft to deliver on such sweeping initiatives.

And so here we are. No vendor has a perfect story, but each has something on paper: You don't get to be an HP, IBM or Microsoft without always having a plan.

Yet none of these visions is even close to that ideal of a utility service that's as simple to use and budget for as your electric.

That sort of utility computing is at least the better part of a decade away--if it ever happens. But we understand that many of you want to start on the road, so in the next few pages we delve deeper into the devilish details.