Voice over IP has been transitioning the communications industry toward service flexibility and efficiency for almost 15 years now—effectively taking the wind out of the voice minutes business and opening the door for new types of services and revenue streams. While the evolution has not been without its casualties (the long-distance business, for one), ultimately the end user has won, as have forward-thinkers looking to make the best of fresh opportunities.
Now, the VoIP phenomenon is giving way to a new era of IP-enabled cloud communications, which are already having the same disruptive effect on the communications industry that its voice-only, premised-based progenitor has. Moving mission-critical applications to a hosted environment has profound implications for the IT industry as well as the market for IP PBXs and other now-legacy VoIP gear. It also has big ramifications on how enterprise operations are budgeted and staffed—IT functions are now transitioned from a capex to an opex model, which in-house administrator needs decrease significantly.
MarketsandMarkets forecasts the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) market alone to grow from $13.10 billion in 2014 to $23.34 billion in 2019—a CAGR of 12.2 percent from 2014 to 2019. Many small and medium-sized enterprises are using UCaaS services to facilitate personal as well as communication across organization, with the flexibility of paying only for what is used.
Some analysts say that as we move into 2015, it’s time to get ready for disruption on a scale not yet seen. “In 2014, cloud entered the formal IT portfolio, and technology managers stopped treating cloud as competition,” said Dave Bartoletti of Forrester (News - Alert) Research. “In 2015, cloud technologies will mature into the driving force powering the most successful companies.”
Thus to help business owners, IT staff and channel partners get ready for the business model changes, GetVoIP has created a list of the top 10 cloud communications reads of the year. Knowledge is power, after all.
Architecting the Cloud by Michael J. Kavis? has top billing on the list, and GetVoIP calls it a “very approachable guide to choosing which cloud service model makes the most sense for your business.” It’s vendor-neutral and covers the foundational concepts, with an eye towards the specific needs of SMBs.
Cloud Computing and ROI by Sanjay Mohapatra and Laxmikant Lokhande covers the money aspect of the cloud phenomenon, including case studies across a span of industries to offer concrete, real-world examples.
Cloud Hosting Explained for Normal People by Joanie Mann is a “zippy, super-affordable little eBook” that requires zero IT knowhow to digest. It’s a “primer on what the cloud is, what it does, and how your business can benefit. “
In a similar vein, the Little Book of Cloud Computing, 2014 Edition by Lars Nielsen is another eBook that covers cloud 101, including the latest developments and newest releases for a state of the industry approach.
eCommerce in the Cloud by Kelly Goetsch? meanwhile delves into the applications realm, and discusses how to leverage cloud approaches for selling online, including a discussion of the specific challenges and risks facing cloud-based businesses. GetVoIP calls it “approachable.”
The Cloud Computing Bible by Denise Gonzales, another eBook, does just what its name implies: it lays out the basics. It also offers tips for avoiding common pitfalls.
To the Cloud by Vincent Mosco takes a more novelistic approach, examining the “past, present and future of cloud technology” through the lens of its scholarly author, a Harvard-educated professor of communications, media and technology.
The Cloud and You by Michael Rees lives up to its self-help sounding title by speaking to individuals and small businesses “looking for their place in the cloud.” It includes specific, practical guides to managing cloud approaches.
Meanwhile, the Guide to Cloud Computing for Business and Technology Managers by Vivek Kale covers real-world implementation topics, including architecture, integration, performance, monitoring, management, measurement, and security are all covered.
And finally, the CSA Guide to Cloud Computing by Raj Samani, Brian Honan and Jim Reavis of the Cloud Security Alliance is focused specifically on IT security, including two biggie topics, privacy and compliance. GetVoIP’s assessment is that it’s a “practical, powerful and readable book that deserves a place in your library.”