Cloud computing is a familiar cliché. But what does it really mean? What are the benefits and costs? And is it time to jump into the cloud?
An insightful article by InfoWorld brings cloud computing into focus. They define it as “a way to increase capacity or add capabilities” to IT infrastructure, which “encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends IT’s existing capabilities”.
Think online data backups. Think web-based office, customer relationship management (CRM) and emarketing platforms. Think collaborative online workspaces. Think online image editing. Think remote access to computers a hundred times more powerful than yours. All such services are already in the cloud. And that’s just the beginning.
The key benefit… Cloud computing offers access to increased computing capability and capacity, through cost-effective and scalable online services. The key cost… Cloud computing services are remote and thus beyond our direct control. Its remoteness places the cloud far outside internal IT infrastructure; a fact that raises the important issues of service reliability and data security.
The loss of control over reliability and security vs. the cost-effective, continuous expansion of capacity and capability represents, in simple terms, the cost-benefit equation of cloud computing.
So, let’s further illustrate the benefits…
The cloud provides on-demand access to advanced, powerful computing and software platforms. It creates an online workspace, from which you can communicate, collaborate or work remotely. It offers solutions to a multitude of needs, from mail hosting and security to image processing and storage. The list goes on. And this myriad of cloud services holds the potential to reduce software licensing spend, cut hardware and maintenance costs, and make working lives easier.
Consider the ’software-as-a-service’ platform Salesforce as a case in point. In short, it’s an online CRM platform which offers sales management, marketing automation and customer service and support services. And it offers these services to individuals and global businesses alike. Or… not quite alike… Salesforce is scalable to fit different users’ budgets and needs. That means a small business can enjoy the benefits of the same CRM platform used by global companies, but not pay for features it doesn’t need. As that business grows, the platform can grow too, expanding to provide increased features and capacity. For example, if said business employs its first in-the-field salesperson, they can instantly and cheaply begin using the ‘mobile’ version of Salesforce, accessible via smart phones and internet-enabled devices. Some features also pop along for free, such as the recently announced Google Apps integration, which seamlessly links itself and Salesforce into one single web-interface.
The Salesforce and Google Apps combination is reminiscent of another, competing collection of business productivity services, called Zoho. Zoho offers a whole bunch of services - from CRM, project management and invoicing systems, to a word processor, note taker, organiser, collaborative chat and mail services. Again, these services (some of which are free for up to three users) provide capabilities and capacities that can grow alongside users’ needs.
A third, final and wildly different illustration of the scope and potential of cloud computing is Amazon’s EC2 computing platform, which provides “resizable compute capacity in the cloud”. EC2 lets you create your own virtual computing environment right inside Amazon’s cloud. From there, you can run applications that draw on the raw computing power of EC2’s infrastructure. For example, the New York Times used EC2 to convert scanned images of 11 million newspaper articles into PDF files. They did so in 24 hours; a fraction of the time it would have taken on in-house computers. Again, it’s about increasing capacity and capability.
Now to the thorny issues of reliability and security…
First of all: it’s impossible, and unfair, to make generalisations about the reliability and security of the entire cloud computing industry. A cloud service could theoretically be just as reliable and secure as a similar service running onsite and behind a firewall. Individual cloud services must be evaluated case-by-case, within the context of your distinct IT needs.
In an article entitled “The dangers of cloud computing“, Computer World explores the assertion that decisions about whether to use cloud services to perform IT tasks should focus on whether those tasks are “mission-critical” or “non-mission-critical”. If a task is mission-critical, and a cloud service cannot provide the required level of reliability and security, it should not be used.
As grand as the New York Times’ plan of converting its old articles was - it was not mission-critical. In fact, it was much less mission-critical than the computing tasks millions of users conduct every day in the cloud, such as managing sales leads, following up support requests, communicating with customers and issuing invoices.
These users either don’t know the risks, or they have made professional judgements - to first define if a task is mission-critical or otherwise, and then to decide if cloud computing services are, within that context, reliable and secure enough to complete that task.
Is it time to jump in?
Cloud computing is in its infancy, so it’s wise to be wary about jumping in with two feet. With that said - feature-rich, reliable and secure services are emerging that challenge doubts and increase confidence in the cloud.
The challenge for the cloud computing industry is not so much to offset risks with additional benefits, but to strike a balance between features, reliability and security. If the industry does that, the cloud will succeed.
The challenge for you is much more simple… See through the hype. Look past the benefits, and evaluate the risks too. Then, if you still see value in the cloud, maybe it’s time to take the jump.
Cloud applications and services
We’ve compiled a list of cloud computing applications and services:
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