How to build a private cloud? Do you run one?

I got email the other day asking for advice about building a private cloud. There are plenty of vendors out there that want to help you. There are also a lot of open source solutions.

I'm not an expert in all of them, so I can't really give a lot of advice. However there is an impressive number of presentations about building and/or running private and public clouds at Usenix LISA this year. You should consider attending this conference.

But here's a little secret about Usenix LISA. The presentations are great, but by just hanging out in the hallway chatting with people (the unofficial "hallway track") you'll get the "inside scoop" that most presentations won't tell you.

So, while many of the LISA presentations are live-streamed, you really should go to the conference. This year it is in Washington D.C., Nov 3-8.