Cloud Strategies a Focus at Intel Developer Forum 2011

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No lie, Intel still has its roots in hardware, and a major component of the company’s presentation is going to revolve around the new super-slim Intel Ultrabook line. To be more specific, the keynotes over the course of the three days revolve around CEO Paul Otellini presenting his vision for Intel’s future, GM Mooly Eden expounding on the evolution of the PC and Intel’s Ultrabook strategy, and VP Justin Rattner discussing large-scale computing challenges in the days ahead.

I’m definitely expecting details on how Intel’s data center and cloud strategies to fit into that vision — when I flew to Intel’s Portland campus for its Day in the Cloud event back in March 2011, Intel promised updates, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to deliver them.

And in the mean time, I’m going to have my hands full talking to Intel cloud specialists including Intel Chief Cloud Engineer Billy Cox and Intel Director of Cloud Computing Marketing Raejeanne Skillern (and if there’s anything specific that TalkinCloud readers want me to ask either, now’s the time to say so). I intend to drill deep into how Intel’s cloud strategy fits in with its channel play, so expect reports back.

In addition, there’s some stuff coming down Intel’s pipeline that I can’t talk about just yet. Make sure to stay tuned all this week — by the time you read this, I’ll probably already be jotting down my first impressions from Otellini’s keynote.

Oh, and on a final note: as The VAR Guy himself has already noted, the timing of the Intel Developer Forum indicates a parting of ways with Microsoft, which is hosting its Windows BUILD event over the same few days. Microsoft and Intel are still close allies, but they’re no longer connected at the hip. I’m wondering whether that’s going to be reflected at all during Intel’s event this week.