Online bank ING Direct has shifted its entire infrastructure to a private cloud. That's an impressive move (and the first time a local bank has done it), but the real measure of its usefulness won't be apparent until new applications start being deployed on it.

One of the often-hyped advantages of the cloud is the speed with which you can deploy a new service. In theory, you can whack down your credit card details and instantly have something working. But in reality, any full-scale shift to the cloud is going to require a planning process that takes months, if not years.

We're often told that cloud computing is the future, but making that assertion seems premature when arguments over what "the cloud" actually is continue to rage. Once that becomes clear, everything falls into place.

Getting non-technical types to understand the function and value of a hosted data centre can be tricky. If you're struggling to get management to comprehend the potential usefulness of data centre technology, consider the airport analogy.

What's the price differential between implementing a private cloud using technology from Microsoft or VMware? One analysis suggests that one costs more than six times the other.

Planning a Windows-centred private cloud infrastructure but getting bogged down in the details? The Cloud Infrastructure Solution For Enterprise IT offers a reference implementation for setting up an environment you can use as the basis for an infrastructure-as-a-service offering.

Considering a move to the cloud and not sure whether to go private or public? A key issue is identifying the 'tipping point' -- that stage where the ongoing costs of a public cloud solution outstrip those of setting up your own equipment.

It seems obvious that virtualisation should offer the potential to save on licensing costs, but how does that actually work out in practice? The example of ING Bank provides some answers, and also demonstrates how private cloud deployments, virtualisation and improved disaster recovery often operate hand in hand.

Want to catch up with our Lifehacker Live private cloud video series? Here are all five episodes in one convenient post.

Our fifth and final Lifehacker Live private cloud video looks to the future. How will private cloud evolve and how can you be best prepared for those changes?

How can you justify the budget for a private cloud deployment, and what are the best ROI metrics in place? Our fourth Lifehacker Live private cloud video examines how to properly identify cost of ownership and how to get management on board.

Cloud computing can deliver considerable savings, but working out just what those savings are isn't always straightforward. Our third Lifehacker Live private cloud video looks at how to budget for and manage private cloud infrastructure.

Private cloud technology offers security and privacy, but which workloads is it best suited for? Our Lifehacker Live video series continues with a discussion of how to choose and deploy applications within private cloud environments.

Cloud computing is everywhere, but when does is make sense to use the private cloud approach rather than a public cloud option? We're exploring the answer in the first episode of a new video series, Lifehacker Live.

I'm spending most of this week at Microsoft's Tech Ed 2011 conference, dosing up on all sorts of information on Windows, Azure, Windows Phone 7 and other Redmond tech. One of the overriding themes at this year's event is something that pops up more and more these days in work environments: private cloud.