What is cloud computing?
In a nutshell, cloud computing is internet-based computing. It lets businesses share computing resources such as software, and access it on-demand via the Internet.
With cloud computing, you don't have to install any particular hardware or software. You simply fire up the Internet, and pay-as-you-go, for whatever computer resources your business needs to access.
Primary cloud computing benefits :
Respond to changes in demand fast
Whether you need more email accounts for extra staff, or more bandwidth for your website, cloud solutions scale up, and down, very easily.
Cut costs dramatically
You don't need to buy expensive servers or software to run our cloud computing applications - everything is hosted centrally on Optus' high-security cloud computing servers. What's more, you never need to pay for idle server capacity, or unused software packages.
Minimize downtime
Hardware or software failures can be catastrophic for your reputation - not to mention your ability to do business. But with cloud computing, the hardware and software are managed centrally, with multiple levels of safety. What's more, whenever you use a cloud computing application, you're making data backup automatically.
Case StudyFocal Attractions Case Study
Heavily reliant on anywhere, anytime access to email and data, publishing company, Focal Attractions, was trapped in a break-fix cycle with ageing, unreliable IT infrastructure. A news item about Optus OfficeApps and Email Collaboration Suite triggered a call to Optus. “It took only a few days to migrate our business to the cloud through Optus OfficeApps," says director Martin Lane. "We are now a truly mobile business plus Optus has taken the worry out of IT for us, so we can concentrate on what we do best.”
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Case StudyThe Freedom to Work from Anywhere
Through research I’ve completed with business owners, I’ve learned that freedom is a key motivation. Cloud computing allows any business, no matter the size, to increase physical and mental freedom.
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Forrester Research on Cost Analysis
source: http://www.forrester.com Forrester recently surveyed 53 IT professionals at North American and European enterprises to find
out where they run their email, calendar, contact, and task list services (what Forrester refers to as
messaging or email services). We spoke directly with IT professionals at 12 of those firms and with
executives at 21 vendors. From that foundation of primary research, we analyze the costs of moving
email to a cloud-based service provider in this report and the barriers and workloads in a companion
report, Should Your Email Live In The Cloud? An Infrastructure And Operations Analysis.1
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Security whitepaper- Google Apps Messaging & Collaboration Products
source: Google
Overview
Googles security vision is formed around a multi-layered security strategy that provides controls at multiple levels of data storage, access, and transfer. The strategy includes the following ten components: Google corporate security policies Organisational security Asset classification and control Personnel security Physical and environmental security Operational security Access control Systems development and maintenance Disaster recovery and business continuity Regulatory compliance
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Overview
Googles security vision is formed around a multi-layered security strategy that provides controls at multiple levels of data storage, access, and transfer. The strategy includes the following ten components: Google corporate security policies Organisational security Asset classification and control Personnel security Physical and environmental security Operational security Access control Systems development and maintenance Disaster recovery and business continuity Regulatory compliance
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Forrester Research on Infrastructure
source: http://www.forrester.com There isnt much that hasnt already been said about the criticality of email in business today but the
cost of hosting and managing your own email infrastructure is probably reaching the breaking point.
Googles $50-per-user annual fee has set a new floor in email pricing and is driving organizations
to look inward at their situation and then outside at the hosted and cloud offerings. Companies are
looking at upcoming email migrations, consolidations, and upgrades as times to potentially make a
change. Before making a service architecture change, you should examine the needs of your different
user constituencies, profile the applications that either integrate or work in concert with email, and
understand the real costs of keeping email in your data center and running it yourself.
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Top 10 ways to use the cloud
source: OfficeApps No doubt there were countless entrepreneurs glued to their computer screens this week when Apple chief executive Steve Jobs took to the stage to announce new software for the iPhone, iPad and Mac platforms.
By far the biggest announcement this week was the new iCloud service, which will allow businesses to back-up and share content across a number of devices, including documents and media.
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By far the biggest announcement this week was the new iCloud service, which will allow businesses to back-up and share content across a number of devices, including documents and media.
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Research firm urges IT managers to investigate new software as local demand rises for cloud computing
source: http://www.smartcompany.com.au/information-technology/ Business IT managers should begin investigating new software options, particularly cloud-based solutions, with new figures tipping the demand for enterprise software in Australia will soar over the next four years.
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Aussie companies lead the way with cloud computing
source: http://www.startupsmart.com.au/planning/2011-05-27/aussie-companies-lead-the-way-with-cloud-computing.html Australia is leading the way in the adoption of cloud computing in the Asia Pacific region, but companies continue to be cautious about the workload of moving to the cloud, according to a new report.
Business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan recently released a report, titled State of Cloud Computing in Australia: 2011, as part of its cloud computing research program.
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Is your Business Digital-ready?
source: Not so long ago, “going digital” was a thing of science-fiction. Today it is an irreplaceable part of most of our lives. Consumers have embraced digital technologies because they’re convenient, fast, and provide a lot more choice for a lot less coin. But that’s only part of the story. As consumers, we’ve changed how we buy, sell and trade because of the online environment and the digital technology which drives it.
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SEO and the Cloud
source: www.smartcompany.com.au/online-sales/20120113-seo-and-the-cloud.html
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With the NBN rolling out we’re all (eventually) going to enjoy much faster internet connection speeds in the not too distant future.
That’s the theory anyway.
With faster internet speeds I think the uptake of cloud-based services will be exponential.
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Teamwork Made Easy
source: www.abn.org.au/site/articles-overview
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Collaboration is one of the big buzzwords of today’s economy. The truth is that all successful businesses are a collaborative effort and have been since the days of cavemen hunting mammoths.
One of the biggest irritants with PC-based systems is how they are designed for one user at a time and how many force you to pay for unreliable multi-user versions.
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Introduction to Cloud Computing
source: www.flyingsolo.com.au/technology/cloud-technology/introduction-to-cloud-computing
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Proponents argue that cloud computing will deliver wonderful productivity gains at low costs. So what is it, and could it be useful for your business?
The cloud is arguably top of the list of seismic shifts in the computing world in recent times. Having grown from the fringes just a few years ago, cloud services were valued at more than $70 billion in 2010, and are projected to grow by almost 20 percent per annum for the next 5 years. It’s anticipated that cloud services will contribute more than $175 billion to the global economy by 2015. That’s a lot of dollars!
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The Freedom to Work from Anywhere
source: www.abn.org.au/site/articles-overview
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Through research I’ve completed with business owners, I’ve learned that freedom is a key motivation. Cloud computing allows any business, no matter the size, to increase physical and mental freedom.
Working from anywhere, doesn’t mean you’re always on call – or that environment reduces productivity and creativity.
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