Cloud architects and technology analysts
Comparing cloud vendor strategies for a research paper or industry analysis
Use cases
About
The Cloud Strategy Map mind map, created by Jian Zhen in December 2008, provides a comprehensive overview of the early cloud computing landscape, covering 16 major vendors and technologies including Azure, VMware vCloud, Citrix Cloud Center, and Amazon Web Services. This Cloud mind map template organizes 166 nodes into a strategic comparison of cloud platforms, services, and key people. It includes specific nodes such as 'Layer 2: Services' under Azure (Live Services, .NET Services, SQL Services) and 'Infrastructure vServices' under VMware's VDC-OS (vCompute, vNetworking, vStorage). The template serves as a historical cheat sheet for understanding the foundational strategies of cloud providers like Microsoft, VMware, Citrix, Salesforce, Google, Amazon, and Sun. It also highlights influential figures like Ray Ozzie, Paul Maritz, and Werner Vogels, offering a unique snapshot of cloud computing's evolution.
Terms and ConditionsWhen to use this template
Educators and students in computer science
Teaching a course on cloud computing history and evolution
IT decision-makers and infrastructure planners
Evaluating early cloud platform offerings for a migration strategy review
How to use this template
Step 1
Open and Explore Vendor Branches
Download the .xmind file and open it in Xmind to browse the 16 top-level branches representing major cloud vendor strategies.
Step 2
Expand Nodes for Detailed Components
Click on specific nodes like Azure or vCloud to expand sub-nodes and examine detailed service layers and infrastructure components.
Step 3
Customize and Reference Strategic Data
Update the template with modern cloud providers or use the existing map as a professional reference for reports and presentations.
Frequently asked questions
It is a comprehensive mind map created by Jian Zhen in 2008 that compares cloud computing strategies of major vendors like Microsoft, VMware, Citrix, Amazon, Google, and Salesforce, covering their services, technologies, and key people.
The template is organized into 16 top-level branches, each representing a vendor or technology (e.g., Azure, vCloud, EC2). Each branch includes sub-nodes for services, strategies, and associated people, with a total of 166 nodes.
Yes, you can open the .xmind file in Xmind and edit any node, add new branches, or update the content to reflect current cloud services and strategies.
The template is offered under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0, so it is free to use and share with proper attribution to Jian Zhen and cloudfeed.net.
The template includes cloud computing leaders such as Ray Ozzie (Microsoft), Paul Maritz (VMware), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Werner Vogels (Amazon), and Jonathan Schwartz (Sun).
It provides a historical framework for comparing cloud platforms, understanding service layers (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), and identifying strategic differences among vendors, useful for research or education.
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