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Expert view from the clouds ; CLOUD COMPUTING & TECHNOLOGY [Newcastle Journal (England)](Newcastle Journal (England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) CLOUD COMPUTING is one of the major technology disrupters of our time and the next stage in the internet's progress. Everyone seems to be talking about it in some form or another, but what exactly is the cloud and what does it do? Dramatic changes in the way we use computing has revolutionised the way we process and share increasing amounts of information. The new ways we are using information technology has resulted in new demands on our computing set-ups. The Cloud is the answer to these needs. In simple terms, Cloud computing is the idea of using a network of remote secure servers held in secure data centres, to process and manage data, rather than locally hosted infrastructure. The servers are accessed via the internet, therefore moving your IT demands from a local environment to an external source. Many are now switching to Cloud IT as an answer to a number of the technology headaches they face; the traditional set ups we have come to know are costly and require constant maintenance to ensure they work consistently. In a cloud-based set up, the management of that system is handed over to the service provider. This boosts security, productivity and reduces valuable time and money wasted on unnecessary IT. Most importantly, it is giving businesses the freedom to concentrate on their own product or service to maximise their success. For a small and medium sized enterprises (SME), there is often a lack of time, money and expertise in IT, however, by leveraging cloud technologies, they can access everything over the internet and expand/shrink the services they require as and when needs fit. By removing much of the initial costs and difficulties, the cloud allows SMEs to compete with larger rivals, and in some cases outdo them. Peter Watson, CEO of Atlas Cloud, specialists in providing cloud solutions to businesses, said: "Over the past two years, we have really started to see businesses actively wanting to move to the cloud. "The initial difficulty with any disruptive technology is educating potential users about the clear, measureable benefits such as cost savings, increased security and improved productivity. "The cloud industry is set to take over offices around the country, with more and more organisations starting to consider how far the cloud might be able to take them". In fact, a lot of people have been using public cloud systems for significant amount of time; online email accounts such as Gmail and Hotmail run 'in the cloud', as do media accounts like Spotify or Netflix. However, there is a lack of awareness that these are only made possible by the cloud. The global recession has aided the overall appreciation of the cloud; budgets of organisations in all sectors are so squeezed there is a real reluctance to invest in costly computing kit. Many firms are seeing the benefits of removing CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) and replacing with OPEX (Operational Costs) with a monthly pay-as-you- go plan. The cloud is the perfect answer to the increase in working away from your desk and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Employers around the country are facing increasing demands by employees to provide working conditions that suit their busy, on- the-go lifestyles; the cloud supports these ideas whilst still allowing employees to work to the same standard as if they were on their desktops in the office. Schemes such as the Go Digital Initiative in Newcastle city centre are helping; access to super-fast broadband has allowed companies who have considered the cloud in the past but didn't think it was a realistic possibility to now have the opportunity to benefit. The cloud represents a fundamental change in the way we use computers. For people, access to a level of computing not previously possible. For businesses, a game changer that gives those who have embraced it a clear advantage over their rivals. Watson summed it up by saying; "The popularity of cloud solutions in the business world is proof of the benefits on offer, from increased security to greater flexibility and remote working. "Most customers we speak to have got better things to do than deal with the headaches computing causes". (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |