Web 2.0 Cloud Computing

We all know of the days when one computer per household was the goal in the technology sector and now there are more computing devices per capita than cars in the United States.  We are beginning to live in the age of digital media and connectedness.  All this technology needs computing power and delivering that power are huge data centers across the U.S. that deliver the content of the internet to all your connected devices.  We take this power for granted these days as everything is on the internet and all the information is at your finger tips.  With the age of data integration and information gathering everywhere we go our children by age 10 will have learned more than their grandparents at age 65.  This shift in media distribution has become so effective that the market capitalization could reach over a trillion dollars before the end of this decade.  The huge datacenters that power our Web 2.0 society is also available for all business’s to leverage at very low cost.  The infrastructure that a company invested in 13 years ago is replaced by one server unit in these data centers and is constantly being upgraded and expanded to meet the expanse data requirements of companies and their users a-like.  This centralization of media serving allows for faster data requisition and high security for offices that need to span multiple regions or keep employees connected on the go.  The cloud has all the possibilities for data expansion and computing infrastructure that most business’s only dream they could leverage.

Most small to medium sized companies have small servers and lightweight terminals that do all the leg-work required for daily operation.  These servers usually only need to handle minute applications that track inventory and update customer invoices but also handle office suites.  This technology may be suitable for small business’s to operate but does technology limit the work flow of the company’s throughput.  Today the excuse of cost effective technology cannot be the determining factor of expansion or increased market research and customer capitalization.  Companies need to look at the big picture of their business and focus on the core business ideas and models that will build an empire.  The twenty-first century is here and the technology that a company can leverage is unimaginable.  Motivating companies to utilize cloud platforms to drive bottom-line revenue is at the core of a technology revolution that we are entering.  Cloud computing is like renting a building, you only pay for what you need and if you need more space there is always more for rent.  Computing hungry applications can now be operated through the cloud and accessed through the same light-weight terminals.  The entire office operation can now be computed off-site or in partial stored on-site and sent off-site for data crunching.  This off-site hosting also allows for added security and data back-ups that are enterprise class for all users.  The need for on-site computing is coming to an end with high-speed internet connectivity and up-time that will keep every business working around the clock.  Security is also a large concern with private data moving through the cloud but security appliances that were once priced only for huge enterprise class business’s are now affordable and budget friendly.  These appliances will replace your existing on-site server infrastructure that once held the entire companies data.  This centralization of infrastructure also aids in the expansion and increased connectivity with employees and executives on the go.

The cloud also opens more possibilities to applications that require huge computing capacity and data hungry computing horse-power.  These larger web apps can aid even the smallest business’s with product tracking, customer relationship management, and resource planning that centralize business requirements to one place.  For small companies it is not unusual to be operating with 5 or 10 different applications to update accounting spreadsheets, invoicing, and customer tracking.  The collaboration and integration of all this data will decrease user input time required and increase ease of use and data extraction for understanding product life-cycles and customer demand at all scales. This implementation of web applications can be scaled from the smallest companies utilization of just a few integrated sections to large-scale tracking and CRM integrated ERP for quick delivery of raw materials and throughput.  By delivering this type of software to business’s they will begin to realize the capabilities and increased information that was once out of reach.  Compiling and delivering company’s this important data is not the only important factor but also delivering information more accurately to customers will drive bottom-line revenue.  All this tracking and data mining can seem daunting but with the correct software solution delivered from the cloud, companies can effectively focus their time on what they do best their business.

The second most important offering that cloud computing provides is content delivery and access.  By removing the data from small out-dated servers to industry leading enterprise class level solutions companies are effectively speeding up daily operation and delivering the latest updates to not only their employees but their clients as well.  With updated product tracking and customer tracking, companies can effectively offer real-time data for their marketing teams to analyze and refocus as necessary.  This information delivery not only allows for fast reaction times but also market tracking and development as markets begin to change and grow as they do.  The delivery of information is king in the world of business and content delivery is at the core of every cloud application.  A business website can be the largest tool that business’s utilize for their customer engagement and live data updates only drive up customer ratings.  Brand image is the key to a successful business empire and cloud managed IT can keep brand imaging at the core of a business operation.

Leveraging cloud services is not an overnight transition but can be easily implemented and integrated with daily operation.  Migrating current applications to a cloud based system can seem like a daunting task but with today’s migration solutions companies are able to seamlessly move from on-site to off-site IT management.  The development and minimum requirements of a cloud based solution are the most important factors when transitioning.  Understanding all the business needs and requirements is key to the migration process.  Once a transition strategy has been developed the migration process will be painless.  Cloud computing is the future of information technology and every business can utilize a cloud based platform in some way or another.