No, we’re not talking about cirrus, stratus, and cumulus clouds. However, just as there are different clouds in the sky, there are different aspects of cloud computing that make up what we say when we refer to the Cloud.
First, the
public cloud.
In this model, the infrastructure is owned by an organization selling cloud space as-a-service, and is widely available on a pay-per-use basis. RackSpace and Amazon Web Services are two of the most commonly used public cloud services. Pursuing this model typically requires considerable front-end technical knowledge. Additionally, it is dependent on a consistent, robust internet connection. If the connection goes down, you will be unable to access your cloud-hosted data or applications.
Technology can help your small businesses grow, add value to your customers, and provide a competitive advantage over your competitors. But how do you choose an information technology (IT) provider that will
best help you? Here are a few suggestions on how to find the best solution, whatever your situation and technology needs may be.
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Network with others in your community
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At the most basic level, start by asking other businesses in your network which solutions they are using. Which IT professionals/firms do they recommend?
Sometimes email isn’t the best way to stay up to date on everything you’ve got going on in your business. That’s where Yammer comes in. Yammer is a Microsoft corporate social networking site intended to bring a Facebook-like feel to business communications. This week, Yammer announced a Google-esque feature called Microsoft Translator that will accompany regular Yammer posts.
This guest post is by Gavin Baker, a tech-minded, digital marketing strategist.
Yammer selling to Microsoft is a wakeup call because they are spending BIG money to acquire key technologies. I've liked Yammer from its start four years ago because it is a communication platform that is Facebook-esque but internal to your own network. Employees prefer to use software that is up to date and easy to use, and Yammer fits the bill. Imagine your Facebook news feed, but replace the posts from your friends about weekend plans, or photos from trips with real-time information as documents are created, and employees update what they are working on. This type of nimble communication and collaboration is what Yammer brings to your company, and its ease of use will bring about employees who are better informed without spending hours in email every day. Social enterprise software makes companies more efficient in their communication and output.
Safety and security within the Cloud have always been hard subjects for some people to grasp, and has been a significant reason why many companies do not utilize a Cloud provider. But, believe it or not, the Cloud has progressed and matured to a point where it is viably considered more secure than the traditional IT set up. An article by
Daniel Saks from Inc.com outlines 5 reasons Cloud technology is the best option for companies of all sizes.