Gaining MSP Business Momentum!
So are you making any money or are you just playing with your business?
Many businesses spend an inordinate amount of time playing with the technology (after all, most of us were technicians at one point or Continue reading “Tired of minuscule profits?”
Imagine going back in time to the late 1980’s and trying to explain to some larger businesses what the internet is and how it will revolutionize the way they will come to run their operations. It’s extremely likely that they’re not going to understand how this technology (the internet) will allow them to streamline their internal operations and interface with consumers.
While comparing the emergence of cloud computing to that of the internet isn’t really a perfect illustration, it does convey the current level of understanding (of cloud computing) possessed by most businesspersons with regards to it. This is to say that most businesspeople simply don’t understand how cloud computing works, or how it might be able to add value to their operation(s).
Aside from the fact that (for all intents and purposes) cloud computing is really just an evolution of the networking – computing model, the real disparity is that business-minded individuals simply aren’t grasping the big picture. On its face, cloud computing is basically computing facilitated through networking. In other words, a more economical approach is adopted whereby all computing assets are centralized, then accessed / requisitioned by individuals via networking. This is of course, a gross oversimplification of how cloud computing works, but the principle is still applicable.
There are a number of clear benefits that are open to businesses that are intrepid enough to adopt a cloud computing infrastructure / model. For instance, most organizations become interested in cloud computing because of the energy-related savings it is able to offer. When you examine the current model for IT infrastructure (also called grid computing / networking), you’ll notice right away that it requires a constant and heavy stream of power to be fed into dozens if not hundreds of individual computers. An overwhelming majority of these machines are vastly overpowered for the work they perform; additionally, they are self contained (their own processors, storage, software, etc…). The problem is that every single one of these machines consumes a substantial amount of electricity on a regular basis, yet does not necessarily produce anything to cover its own costs of operation, so to speak.
To put it simply, most computers operating on an extended corporate network are merely wasting energy and yielding virtually nothing in return. In a cloud computing setup, all “individual” computing is virtualized (more or less simulated), users access their computing resources via terminals or nodes (perhaps via a tablet, for example). This allows users to instantly access their personal “machine” wherever they might be, and eliminates the need for hundreds of machines to be constantly running / idling (cloud computing is often deployed as an “on-demand” service).
In addition to helping trim energy consumption costs, cloud computing is also poised to revolutionize the way that businesses utilize and run their IT assets. These days, technology is being used to not only facilitate profit generation; it’s also directly producing revenue. For instance, many organizations which have successfully established their own cloud infrastructures might in turn begin packaging their own services and marketing them to their own clients. Since virtually anything can be deployed as a service via cloud architecture, the possibilities for future growth in this area is nearly unlimited.
Competition (in terms of the implementation and use of technology) is also a big area of concern for most businesses, or at least it should be. Cloud computing has already been adopted by most big time corporations (as well as governmental branches, the armed forces, universities, hospitals, and others), and they’re using it to effectively “raise the bar” in terms of competitive standards. This is yet another of the many reasons why today’s business owners need to get into cloud computing as soon as possible.
Before you, as a business owner or manager can begin utilizing cloud computing however, you’re going to need a technical team that’s familiar with its finer points. This is of course where cloud computing training and certification comes into play. Getting your entire IT department certified in one or more cloud-related disciplines has never been easier and more affordable. Now, you can buy group rate discounted e-learning courses for cloud computing which your IT group can use to gain the knowledge and experience they will require to manage and maintain a cloud infrastructure. These programs are state-of-the-art and have been designed by cloud computing experts. Likewise, the manner in which the materials for many of these programs are presented really reinforces learning and retention of information, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth.
Regardless of how you might feel about cloud computing as a whole, the fact of the matter is that it is going to be around for a while (and will likely revolutionize many facets of computing, networking, and business). These are just a few of the many reasons why you need to begin preparing your organization for a transition to cloud computing; you know what they say, “the early bird gets the worm” or “you snooze, you lose”. Those individuals and businesses who are savvy enough to jump into cloud technology early stand to make substantial gains. To learn more visit our website.
Why is cloud computing the newest buzz term? What value does it bring to organizations? “It’s become the phrase du jour. The problem is that (as with Web 2.0) everyone seems to have a different definition. The “cloud” is obviously a metaphor for the internet but when you add in the term “computing” the whole phrase gets muddy. However, when you think of the needs of an organizations IT structure it starts to become clearer.
The concept of cloud computing is a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software. Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends IT’s existing capabilities. Cloud computing is location-independent computing, whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. Cloud computing describes a new supplement, consumption, and delivery model for IT services based on the Internet, and it typically involves over-the-Internet provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources. It is a by product and consequence of the ease-of-access to remote computing sites provided by the Internet. This frequently takes the form of web-based tools or applications that users can access and use through a web browser as if it were a program installed locally on their own computer. Most cloud computing infrastructures consist of services delivered through common centers and built on servers. Clouds often appear as single points of access for consumers’ computing needs. Commercial offerings are generally expected to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements of customers, and typically include service level agreements (SLAs).
There’s a good chance you’ve already used some form of cloud computing. If you have an e-mail account with a Web-based e-mail service like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail, then you’ve had some experience with cloud computing. Instead of running an e-mail program on your computer, you log in to a Web e-mail account remotely. The software and storage for your account doesn’t exist on your computer — it’s on the service’s computer cloud. The applications of cloud computing are practically limitless. With the right middle-ware, a cloud computing system could execute all the programs a normal computer could run. Potentially, everything from generic word processing software to customized computer programs designed for a specific company could work on a cloud computing system. Why would anyone want to rely on another computer system to run programs and store data? Here are just a few reasons: