What are the major issues facing enterprise IT as they help propel cloud computing forward? I'll make the assumption that cloud is not going to collapse in a heap some day as everyone returns to non-virtualized silo applications attached to dedicated resources. I'll also assume that the uniform Big Switch to a third-party grid is not going to happen for 50 years.

With that in mind, I'm looking over the upcoming Cloud Expo program, and see a few things jump out at me: APIs, Big Data, security, and scaling, for starters. I'll examine all these topics in the remaining weeks before the show. For now, here are three looks at the API issue:

* Adam DuVander of ProgrammableWeb.com says, "APIs are no longer a technical nice-to-have. Now APIs are a necessary business tool for startups to scale, much as Twitter and Facebook used theirs reach more users. With an API, business relationships become easier, because there's a defined process waiting for a connection."

* Alistair Farquharson, CTO of SOA Software, says, "We are in the midst of an API revolution. Countless major enterprises are opening up access to their core information systems, allowing innovative third party developers to build new business opportunities through collaboration and community. However, this remarkable movement puts pressure on IT to manage APIs."

* Corey Scobie, VP Technology of SOA Software, says, "The API Economy is here. Enterprises are making business applications available through APIs to drive business growth and expose new opportunities. APIs are becoming the primary way that businesses interact with their customers, reach new markets, and provide the global app development community with the tools to deliver innovative new business capabilities to customers."

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