This post was originally on Wired’s Cloudline website, but they felt it was too “HP Oriented” so it was deleted. I am guessing that is because the site is sponsored by IBM. I think that solution providers need to be aware of what is going on with some of the big players in cloud computing. The article is pasted below with a few edits to make it current.

The “Cloud Big 5″ as I like to call them — Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, HP, Dell — are engaging in an all-out war to determine cloud supremacy. With a projected market to hit $241 billion by 2020, it’s no wonder. I recently wrote about IBM’s massive push into the cloud , and each of the Big 5 are likewise making huge cloud announcements.

In May, I spoke with Christian Verstraete, HP’s chief technologist/cloud strategy, and he explained to me HP’s four areas of focus, and that despite layoffs and trouble in other segments in the company, the cloud is moving forward in big ways and is at the top of the company’s priorities.

To support this statement, big cloud announcements emerged from the HP Discover event in Las Vegas in June. First, HP announced that by using its Operations Orchestration Manager software, its private and hybrid cloud offerings can be configured to burst into public clouds, including the HP Public Cloud, Savvis, and Amazon Web Services.

That is a pretty big and complicated feat that has been greatly simplified and packaged. When it comes to cloud, says Verstraete: “One size does not fit all.” HP’s holistic and encompassing strategy to offer a public cloud offering, private cloud deployments, hybrid cloud devices, and being able to integrate and burst to other cloud companies brings everything into play in this “one size does not fit all”-cloud world.

Verstraete lays it out, noting HP:

• Has about 650 private cloud deployments in enterprises throughout the world.
• Has more than 2,000 implementations of its Operations Orchestration Manager software worldwide.
• Has more than 650 private and public cloud deployments.
• Has more than 180 managed cloud companies.
• Has more than 90 million Snapfish users supported on an HP Cloud.
• Is managing the world’s largest private cloud with 50PB of data.

HP’s acquisitions of TippingPoint and ArcSight as well as other acquisitions add improved security, automation, and management of cloud computing. HP is making significant investments in its partner channel to help in further deploying HP Cloud solutions globally, and is one few organizations that I have spoken to of the Big 5 that seem to care and have a comprehensive plan for the channel.

HP additionally announced:

• Cloud Print Solutions
• Cloud Services for the airline industry
• Enhanced solutions for building hybrid cloud solutions
• Enhanced solutions for managing cloud applications

When it comes to cloud, don’t count HP out of the mix. It’s now playing in the big leagues. (See the full press release from Discover .)