Cloud Computing – Is the Big Issue “Control” or “Trust”?

What is the big issue in using cloud computing? “Control” or “Trust”?

At the ICAEW IT Faculty’s seminar on Cloud Computing last Friday, several questions were voted on at the end by the delegates. Having listened to various presentations, their main concern about using cloud computing was “loss of control”.

The industry itself, through the “Cloud Industry Forum” (CIF) is launching a Code of Practice on 18th October. This seeks to provide advice to buyers so they can make an informed choice on what they call “Cloud Service Providers”. This includes certification of specific providers against agreed criteria and information. CIF says it’s about “trust”.

Trust and control go hand in hand. If you cannot control the systems directly, who can you trust to do it?  [...read more...]

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Cloud Computing - Business Models and How They Affect You

Whether you are an end-user, reseller or software provider, the rise of cloud computing will affect you. Probably significantly. But how? What can be done?

Once upon a time the internet promised “disintermediation” - the demise of the middleman. Now this is happening increasingly in the IT software industry as a result of SaaS cloud solutions (Software as a Service).

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Cloud Computing - BIGGER BENEFITS, BIGGER ....

…OPPORTUNITIES. You probably already know that the cloud SaaS (Software as a Service) can provide tremendous benefits to your business. But as Intellect the computing trade body says “While the SaaS model offers significant advantages over on-premise, it does carry potential risks that must also be considered”

Realistically you’ll only be able to reap the benefits of SaaS on an ongoing basis if the risks are managed down to an acceptable level. Otherwise Sod’s Law says something will go dramatically wrong sooner or later. The consequences are grave embarrassment or major business problems.  Or both.   [...read more...]

Cloud Computing - Implementation Process for SaaS - How Different from On-Premise?

A week ago we looked at how the selection process needs to be tweaked to choose a cloud SaaS (Software as a Service) solution, compared to traditional on-premise software.

Here is a quick summary of a typical on-premise implementation process ...

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Cloud Computing - Selection Process for SaaS - How Different from On-Premise?

Much has been written about the pros and cons of cloud SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) compared to traditional “on-premise” computing. SaaS covers the likes of accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), Facebook and a multitude of other business and consumer applications.

Here’s our own summary of the benefits and risks of SaaS. This is for anyone who wants to understand whether SaaS is something they should be using in their business; or for anyone selling SaaS who wants to understand potential customers' anxieties

But relatively little has been written about how the process for selection of business software has changed with the availability of SAAS. How much has the process changed? [...read more...]

Cloud Computing - On The Rocks?

Having just found a place in the UK which has neither broadband nor cable nor 3G connections to the internet, it set me thinking about the issues around reliance on fast data telecomms...

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Cloud Computing - MiFi as Internet Access Contingency Option

Last week we looked at "Cloud Computing – Internet Access is Everything". As IT Consultant Andy Scott has said “Loss of Internet = loss of information systems. PERIOD.” Not a comfortable or useful position to be in if your business is reliant on email and the internet to function, especially using cloud applications.

You will have reviewed each cloud provider, before using them, for their backup, recovery and contingency plans. You realise you have to take the internet as it is, and so far so good. But what can you do at your end?

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Cloud Computing – Internet Access is Everything

A short while ago I wrote an article entitled “Cloud Computing – Hot Air or Business Reality?“. This looked at the pros and cons of cloud computing – BIG BENEFITS, BIG RISKS.

Risk number 1 was summed up by IT specialist Andy Scott “Loss of Internet = loss of information systems. PERIOD.” At each place of use, it is a must to have at least two totally independent reasonably high-speed internet connections, This is often landline + 3G.

Being one of the few areas of the country that hasn’t have Virgin cable, the new Virgin boxes have reminded me ...

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Cloud Computing – Hot Air or Business Reality?

Cloud computing is BIG BENEFITS, BIG RISKS.

For a summary of the key pros and cons, see the recent article:
Hot Air or Business Reality?