The idea is "continually reshaping the " in as automated way as possible to support any private and public cloud that's demanded by circumstances. Vendors supplying fabric-based computing components include Oracle, , HP, , IBM, Del and VMware.

There are a lot of questions to ask before deploying fabric-based computing, such as how much it's possible to mix-and-match vendor products versus selecting a strategic vendor, Clauch said. There are worries about vendor lock-in. But Clauch said Gartner clientele going the fabric route are reporting back that it's working for them. One of the biggest advantages it brings is "time to provision," he said. "People are reporting dramatic improvements" with tasks that used to take months now only taking a few hours or days.

If there's anyone who gets a new job in fabric-based computing, it might be the analyst. That's because fabrics will radically alter more traditional notions about IT security.

Ellen Messmer is senior editor at Network World, an IDG publication and website, where she covers news and technology trends related to information security.

in Network World's Infrastructure Management section.