Cloud computing, at its simplest, is a collection of computing software and services available from a decentralized network of servers. The term “cloud” has long been used as a metaphor for the Internet, and there are many popular services and Web sites which you may already be enjoying, without being aware that they are cloud-based. Social networking sites, Web-based email clients like Yahoo! and Gmail, Wikipedia and YouTube, and even peer-to-peer networks like Skype or BitTorrent are all applications that run in the cloud. In other words, there is no one centralized location or organization that controls them, and nothing is required to utilize them besides a Web browser and an Internet connection.
Enterprise cloud computing is cloud computing for the business world. Instead of purchasing and installing the physical infrastructure necessary to run software programs, a business instead consumes resources on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis. Running individual applications such as Microsoft, SAP, or Oracle will require hardware and an extensive infrastructure to support it: office space, power, networks, servers, storage, cooling, and bandwidth, not to mention the experts needed to install and run them. Cloud computing offers a streamlined, simplified solution to this complexity and the capital expenditure it necessitates.
What are some of the things that enterprise users love about cloud computing?
- Agility: Since it utilizes a shared data center, the cloud is flexible in distributing resources among cloud users.
- Cost: Cloud computing can be relatively inexpensive since purchasing software isn’t required, and is virtually maintenance free. Users typically only pay for the services they actually want, thereby lowering the cost. Overall pricing can be offered either on a utility basis or by predictable monthly subscriptions that many companies find enticing.
- Reliability: Built-in reliability is a hallmark of cloud computing, because of the large numbers of servers that contribute to the cloud’s power. Therefore, it can establish high levels of availability of bandwidth and storage space.
- Scalability: Increasing application loads allows users to tap into on-demand computing resources, whether the company employees only a few people or several thousand. This makes cloud computing especially attractive to seasonal businesses and startups, too.
- Security: The data is centralized, therefore increasing the security focus resources.
- Multi-Tenancy: This is when resources and prices are shared across a large pool of users.
- Device and Location Independence: Access is always available to necessary personnel, because it is Web-based. Cloud apps can be used on a laptop, BlackBerry, or iPhone – as well as on the office desktop PC.
Cloud computing enables a shift from isolated data storage and processing platforms – and the architecture which is necessary to store, maintain, share and upgrade them – to a real-time informational system that can be widely accessed from anywhere, shared with anyone, and automatically updated. Whether the business takes advantage of pre-built applications – which can provide such tools as E-mail templates, scheduling reminders, report formatting, and other simple administrative tasks – or chooses to have a fully customized system of applications developed according to its own unique enterprise needs, its entire computing processes can be moved into the cloud. Another advantage to cloud-based apps is that they are easy to use, so that they can be adopted company-wide without extensive training or troubleshooting. Point-and-click configuration means that each user’s interface can be customized to his or her own preference, enabling widespread adoption of the new system.
Since cloud computing takes place in a real-time basis, additionally, lag time is reduced. Managers are able to quickly and easily view their reps’ performance, give them the tools they need to close deals, and share information with the sales and marketing department. All information is continually updated, so that every piece of data – from sales figures to contact information – is reliable and useful.
Cloud computing applications may seem fuzzy and nebulous, but in reality they provide any business an easy way to increase productivity, increase revenue, and make certain that all departments of your organization are communicating effectively.
