Sometimes we, as a nation, that’s right, us, the British people, are whipped up into a countrywide frenzy, caught up in the hype so intense about something or other and become so obsessed with a particular event or news story that it becomes hard to avoid.
Think of the royal wedding last year. I tried, I really did. I didn’t watch it on TV, I didn’t get myself that commemorative mug / tea towel / bunting (delete as applicable) and I certainly didn’t get myself down London to flag wave on the street. I’m not judging! I have no problem with people being royal joiners; it’s just not for me. As a nation rejoiced, I avoided the party. Yet still when I saw photos of Kate Middleton’s dress it was hard not to be blown away by how beautiful it was and to be surprised by how an event, such as a celebrity marriage, can bring unlikely crowds of people to come together and have fun.
Of course the Olympics provided our last injection of hype in a surprising and wonderful way. No one could have hoped or believed that the event would turn out to be as uniting and moving as it did. The hype paid off and then some. There are of course other examples of hype that just didn’t pay off. Barack Obama anyone? Robbie getting back with Take That? Big woop. Gary had it under control.
Undeniably the cloud and cloud computing have been victims of hype. Technology destined to change our lives, provide us with limitless access to our wonderful online worlds and provide security and flexibility from the very sky above us. Chuck in the word ‘cloud’ on your latest software programme and your guaranteed a winner.
And whilst the numerous cloud-computing benefits are clear, some issues continue to lurk behind the hype. Public cloud computing, once the fairytale dream of every local council and now a reality in many districts, is still not delivering as it should be. Lack of integration into existing systems, escalating costs in an economic downturn and the biggie; lack of quality infrastructure, equates to a disappointing outcome for users.
In other realms of the cloud however, the results are justifiably hyped. No more key than for small to medium businesses, looking to grow and scale up quickly and cheaply. In this respect, the cloud is the gift that keeps on giving. Software platforms and servers are easily accessed remotely, advanced security and hosted exchange email programmes all give rise to an improved setup and thriftier balance sheet.
There are unquestionably many, many more benefits to the cloud and of course some teething problems to accompany them. However the hype is more than justified. The cloud gives us the headspace to become future thinkers, seeing beyond the everyday, looking to create an online community that one day we will all be able to access whenever and wherever we are. That’s got to be worth a gold medal hasn’t it? Or perhaps some commemorative bunting…
Tags: Business, Cloud, computing, Email, Exchange, Hosted, Hosting, hype
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Katie Kennedy – Giacom ThinkCloud…