SYS-CON's Cloud Computing Journal announced today that nominations will close on September 4 for its first annual Cloud Computing Readers' Choice Awards. The RCA awards recognize excellence in the software, solutions, or services provided by the industry's top vendors. Voting will begin on September 7 and end October 23, 2009. Winners will be announced the week of November 2-4, 2009. To nominate your favorite products and services today, visit this site.

"The i-Technology and Infrastructure professionals who constitute the dedicated readers of Cloud Computing Journal are personally, professionally, and often passionately involved in the front-line of Cloud Computing," said Jeremy Geelan, Sr. Vice-President of SYS-CON Media. "Their recognition is hard to win. That is why we are so excited to be launching these Readers' Choice awards, an open competition that gives everyone an equal chance, no matter what part of the Cloud ecosystem they inhabit, of giving recognition to the solutions they commend the most."

SYS-CON's Readers' Choice Awards, also known as the "Oscars of the Software Industry," has been one of the most prestigious industry award programs for more than a decade. This year's cloud computing awards will be given in 18 categories and award-winning products and services will be selected by Cloud Computing Journal readers.

Cloud computing is a game changer. The cloud is disrupting traditional software and hardware business models by disrupting how IT services get delivered. Cloud computing is a style of computing in which typically real-time scalable resources are provided "as a service" over the Internet to users who need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure ("in the cloud") that supports them.

Leading financial analysts estimate that by 2011 the volume of Cloud Computing market opportunity will amount to $160BN, including $95N in business and productivity apps (e-mail, office, CRM, etc.) and $65BN in online advertising.

Nominated Products and Services by Category:

• Best Cloud Platform
• Best Cloud Storage Solution
• Best Cloud Management Solution
• Best Enterprise Solution
• Best Cloud Application
• Best Overall Cloud Product
• Best Cloud Hardware
• Best Cloud Infrastructure Solution
• Best Cloud Services
• Best RIA in the Cloud
• Best Public Cloud
• Best Private Cloud
• Best Cloud Database
• Best Cloud-Delivered Testing
• Best In-Cloud Data Encryption
• Best Cloud-Based BI Solution
• Best Government Cloud
• Best Cloud Acceleration Solution