This blog post explains what that term means, and what’s in it for you. 

What’s all this buzz about Cloud Computing, anyway?  Basically it’s economics.  Cloud computing means your Information Technology infrastructure, and all of its associated costs, are removed from your physical control, and moved to … well, let’s just say moved somewhere else.  Instead of having servers, databases, backups, and archives physically located in your office, where you have to pay for square footage, utilities, repairs, configuration, and possibly staff, all of those things will be housed and managed remotely.

Isn’t that just the same thing as the Internet?  Not exactly.  The Internet serves many functions, including broadcasting information (and advertisements), providing communications and entertainment, and supporting a wide variety of commercial applications.  When it comes to Cloud Computing, it’s using the Internet as a mechanism to run your own business applications, in a way that can be more flexible, more reliable, and cheaper. 

You’ve probably already started the move to Cloud Computing without realizing it.  Does your company have a website?  Do you host it yourself?  If the answers are “yes” and “no”, you’ve already started the transition.  Your web hosting company is providing the platform for your website, along with whatever applications it serves up to your customers.  They might also handle your email accounts, and at least some of your company’s data.  If you use Google Docs, Facebook, Constant Contact, or any online backup service, you’ve already started pushing your company’s vital  information into the Cloud.

What about security?  OK so maybe your email and some customer information already lives “offsite”.  But do you really want to move all your company’s data and primary internal applications?  The cost calculation is easy – just look at the price of buying a server, maintaining an internal network, dealing with upgrades, power failures, disk crashes, and so on.  Compare that to the monthly fee for cloud services – and also consider that cloud technology is being continuously upgraded, improved, and expanded.  The decision ought to be obvious, and inevitable.  Still, people often are reluctant to give up control, and they are nervous about a possible security breach.

Well let’s just turn the question around.  What makes you think your company’s data is safe now?  Are your business servers in a hardened computing facility, with 24-hour staff whose only job is to monitor and safeguard your data? 

Like anything else, you get what you pay for.  With Cloud Computing, there are lots of options, and security can be ramped up as needed.  According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “… basic security tasks that often don't get done at a small enterprise … are usually part of the plain-vanilla package in the cloud.  The more you pay, the more you get: firewalls around your data, high-end encryption, ‘private clouds’ that let you isolate critical information and still access extra processing muscle when you need it, hacker-attack notification and mitigation, and 24-hour tech support.”

OK, so what’s my next move?  Look at your current business processes.  Take a survey or audit of everything you are currently doing with your company’s computers and servers.  Depending on the complexity of your needs, you may be able to migrate to the cloud on your own.  Start by reviewing the web hosting package that you are already paying for.  It probably includes more capacity and features than you are using, such as databases and customer service applications.  Look at what else is available:  free options, like Google Docs, and low-end ones, such as Amazon Web Services.  See if they meet your needs.  Finally, consult with us, your computer networking professional.  We can provide you a more comprehensive solution and level of service, at a competitive price, and also help with whatever migration and integration issues you might have.

Good luck, be brave, and head for the Cloud!

Andrew Nevens
InnerTag
407-949-0106
andrew@innertag.com
www.innertag.com