GE picks Amazon Web Services as 'preferred' cloud provider: An interesting press release came over the wire this week from Amazon Web Services, stating that GE has chosen it as its "preferred" cloud provider. One might think that label was already stuck, given that GE has been migrating thousands of its internal IT applications to AWS since 2014.
GE has also been a featured speaker at AWS's re:Invent conference in past years, discussing how it is using the vendor's cloud infrastructure in place of nearly all of its own datacenters. A GE executive offered this statement in AWS's release:
“Adopting a cloud-first strategy with AWS is helping our IT teams get out of the business of building and running data centers and refocus our resources on innovation as we undergo one of the largest and most important transformations in GE’s history,” said Chris Drumgoole, Chief Technology Officer and Corporate Vice President at General Electric. “We chose AWS as the preferred cloud provider for GE because AWS’s industry leading cloud services have allowed us to push the boundaries, think big, and deliver better outcomes for GE.”
POV: Preferred is the key word, as it does not mean only. Earlier this year, GE and Microsoft announced plans to work together, and GE's Predix industrial IoT software platform will be available on Azure as well as AWS. While GE's investment in AWS for its internal IT needs is certainly massive, it's only natural for the company to hedge its bets by spreading workloads to Azure and potentially other clouds as well.
Constellation has long held that for the vast majority of enterprises, a multi-cloud approach is the proper path forward, both to minimize technology lock-in as well as to gain contractual leverage. GE will likely discuss its cloud strategy in greater depth later this month at its Minds + Machines conference.
AOL Instant Messenger says goodbye: After 20 years, AOL Instant Messenger's once-ubiquitous chime will sound no more. AIM is being shut down as of December 15, according to a FAQ document:
We know there are so many loyal fans who have used AIM for decades; and we loved working and building the first chat app of its kind since 1997. Our focus will always be on providing the kind of innovative experiences consumers want. We’re more excited than ever to focus on building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products.
POV: The FAQ doesn't give a specific reason for the shutdown, but the writing has been in the chat window for some years now. In 2012, AOL laid off many members of the AIM group and the underlying code base has been essentially stagnant since then. Earlier this year, Ars Technica quoted an anonymous former AOL employee who said AIM's user count had fallen into "single digit millions"—a pittance compared to the likes of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, which claim more than a billion users each.
Still, AIM's legacy is undeniable and its soon-to-be passing marks the end of an era. The fact it lasted this long is commendable, given how many other consumer-oriented chat services have come and gone.
"The matriarch of consumer IM is sunsetting while enterprise IM is rising," says Constellation VP and principal analyst Alan Lepofsku. "I guess the key is that the success of any chat platform is not the features, but the members. AOL’s IM has been supplanted by Facebook Messenger, Apple Chat, SnapChat and others. People go where their friends are."
Walmart buys Parcel for same-day delivery: The world's largest retailer is stepping up its game against Amazon with the acquisition of Parcel, a Brooklyn-based startup that has a technology platform and truck fleet for same-day delivery.
Parcel will deliver fresh, frozen and perishable food, as well as general merchandise, from both Walmart.com and its Jet.com division. The company has already delivered more than a million meals to customers in the New York City area over the past two years, and initially the plan is to grow that customer base before expanding Parcel's footprint, Walmart supply chain SVP Nate Faust said in an interview on the company's website.
POV: Terms of the acquisition weren't disclosed, but it's safe to say Parcel is a small operation. But it also has experience and success in a logistically difficult market, which along with its technology platform is a big reason Walmart made the investment. Companies like Parcel have something to teach mega-retailers like Walmart about same-day, local delivery. Moreover, New York City provides a healthy test bed for Walmart to scale up Parcel's operations, given the population density.