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Be More Creative With The Cloud


We get up and go to work in the morning in the hope that the work we put in will make a difference. There’s no one sitting at their desk and saying “I wish there was more red tape”. What we want is to know that our ideas and the work we do for ourselves and our clients will have an impact sooner, rather than later. There’s a growing realisation that the Cloud can help with that.

Collaboration is what drives our ideas and fuels the creative process. What we want is to be able to get our work from the drawing board to the shelf or into our client’s hands as fast as possible.

What holds us up?

Well, imagine we are making a new piece of technology, a smartphone or tablet.

It starts with the focus groups, looking at what consumers want. It moves to designers who start coming up with concepts.

While this is happening the financiers start talking about budgets. If the budget changes the finished design might come through and then have to be changed. The designers need to go back to the drawing board and start again. A second design comes through. Each team feeds back individually. We go back for a third design. Once that is signed off we start moving into manufacturer and production. Say a manufacturer says there is a problem with the design, or that they could do the same thing, but cheaper with a different material, but now it’s too late.

Think of the delays, the headaches, the infrastructure to get feedback from everyone. That’s before we start talking about getting everyone into the same room for a meeting.

What does this lead to? Well you might get your new product on the shelves but the whole team will be exhausted, uninspired and disheartened.

Imagine if every voice could be heard from the drawing board to the production line? Imagine if changes could be made remotely throughout the process giving everyone their say on an equal platform?

This is what the Cloud can do.

With Hosted Exchange 2010 you can share files as well as content.

Every member of the team can communicate effectively and see the same information, which can speed up development and the creative process.

Reviews can be done while each team is working. Travel time becomes unimportant as staff can feed-in no matter where they are using either a smartphone or an iPad.

Each department can have their voice heard and all you need is a Project Manager to action everyone’s feed-in. Even video chat can be used, sharing content to help illustrate a point, making sure every member of the team has the same access to the same files, the same information they need to make it as smooth a development process as possible.

A smoother process makes it a faster process. The team can even work on multiple projects at once. Suddenly, your productivity has increased.

Another major impact will be that which it has on morale. If every specialism, every team along the production line is given an equal voice, they realise their skills are being recognised and valued.  Your staff are using new technology, keeping up to date with new developments  as it becomes easier for them to adopt tools to share their ideas. A happy team means a more productive team.

The time from drawing board to shelf has been cut and the staff is more enthused.

It can all happen with as simple and cost-effective a change as making collaboration easier. The Cloud can make you more creative.

 

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 1:50 pm and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

As Safe As Money in the Bank


What do you think of when someone says the word ‘security’?  Security guards, guard dogs, a padlock, a safety blanket?

Security means different things to different people but at its heart it means protecting against danger, be that accidents, loss or even crime. It isn’t just a one-off thing, either. When we think of security we think of something on-going, reliable and trustworthy.

When I think of security I think of a safe at a bank. Not the little one you get in an office or play with as a child. No, one of those big structures with a door as thick as a staircase, whirring lock mechanism that has a combination code that only two members of staff have access to and only Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible could unlock.

Perhaps this stems from an enthusiasm for far-fetched action plots but you would like to think a bank is the safest place you could find on earth.

This month, one of the biggest deals related to cloud-computing ever related to a bank, and it is being seen as one of the key moments in the history and development of the technology.

The Spanish bank BBVA has signed a deal with Google to change how they work. The bank will use Google applications like email, calendar, Google Docs, Chat and video conferencing. Although customer data and key banking systems will stay in the bank’s own data centres and won’t venture into the cloud, the bank says the move isn’t about cost but pushing boundaries.

Carmen Herranz is BBVA’s Director of Innovation. She says, “the main goal is to promote innovation and making decisions and increase productivity. We are in a challenging market and need to make faster and more accurate decisions … and eliminate duplication”.

The move is a response to how working practices are changing, that there is an increased reliance on smartphones, tablets, laptops and even working from home. The staff needs to be more mobile, want to be more mobile, so they need a working culture and technology that will make this cultural shift more achievable.

This is interesting because it reflects how technology can affect a business, not just from the workforce but also from the consumer side. The push for a flexible working pattern comes from both sides. Consumers want to have their questions answered quickly, efficiently and wherever they are. Banks need to keep up with that. Similarly as staff are working perhaps more on site with clients, are working on the go then push notifications to keep them up to date or the ability to access key documents and information for customers is vital.

The idea of reducing supplication suggests coordinating all information over the cloud makes it easier to keep everyone on the team up to date, to include every member of staff in the conversation and makes operations more streamlined.

Jose Olalla, chief information officer at BBVA, said because workers now had “access [to] the information they need at any time from any internet-connected device, anywhere in the world, [they] will be able to be more flexible and mobile”.

It is also important in terms of the cloud and security. Security is a by-word in banking. Scrutiny and responsibility is so high that any suggestion that their information as not private and secure would make it impossible. The fact that BBVA understands cloud computing is as safe and secure as their safes.

BBVA has been testing the cloud computing to make sure there will be a smooth handover. The security systems checks spam and junk as well as any potential viruses, whether they appear via email or browsing. Hosted Exchange 2010 means email accounts are protected and kept private. Instead of having all work backed up on one onsite server instead it is backed up on several remote servers, meaning all data is triple-protected.

This Spanish bank is bringing in training to make sure all their staff understand the culture change and agree with it. As a move towards innovative working it illustrates the way cloud computing can make work practice more efficient, streamlined and effective; good for both the workforce and the customer.

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 4:09 pm and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Jargon Aside, How Can Hosted Exchange Shape Your Business?


Have you ever sat in a presentation or read an article and realised you haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about?

It’s nothing to feel guilty about. Often the jargon and terminology that’s used can sound impressive but in fact it doesn’t represent any great shift from the way you’re already working and how your business operates.

Cutting through the technical language is important to understand how the technology works and also whether it can make your business practice either smoother or more efficient.

The Cloud is actually incredibly simple. It sounds like something that’s been invented by a boffin and is as new as Twitter but in fact it has been around for a lot longer. Essentially, it’s the internet. What has made it increase in popularity is how easy it is to use and the ability it has to make it much easier for small and medium sized businesses to get up and running. Adapting and personalising different services, like Hosted Exchange 2010, can make businesses more flexible and cut their running costs. Forrester Research says the Cloud industry (people that provide it for businesses) is worth around $40 billion, but in less than ten years’ time, by 2020, it could be worth as much as $241 billion.

Chances are your company is online. That means whenever you use online email accounts like Hotmail or Google you’re already using the Cloud. It stores information in servers all over the world. Any piece of hardware linked to the system can access the data so multiple people at multiple sites can access the same thing. Security systems like logins and passwords provide a safety net and restrict access for a number of different accounts but, at its heart, that’s how it works.

The benefits for this way of working are that it is cheaper as it means all the information gets stored in one pot that is managed remotely; it reduces office costs as you don’t need the space for a server on-site; you don’t need dedicated IT staff on site to manage the server and fix it if it breaks down; you and your team can access information whenever and wherever you want.

Remove the need for an on-site server and you suddenly begin to realise how much more streamlined and cost-effective your business can be.

Add into that the potential for Hosted Exchange and you realise you can start to develop a technology model that suits your business and your business alone.

Outsourcing IT work to a Cloud Service provider has already cut costs. Depending on the work your company does it also means you can use their services as and when you need it, instead of being constrained by a server that powers up at 9am and powers down at 5pm. If you work in the creative sector and have a quiet period, you could scale the Cloud services back. Similarly if you have a busy period when deadlines are approaching and you need to work around the clock, you can make sure you have support 24/7.

The same applies for Hosted Exchange 2010. Although you pay a small monthly fee, when you use the Cloud and Hosted Exchange you only pay for the features you use. So instead of receiving an off-the-rack range of features that meet some of your needs, you can in fact design a package that meets all of them. Whether it is email on the move, enhanced security features, push notifications for both email and calendar for your staff to aid remote working, or whether you want support late into the night or early in the morning – you can pay for what you need and use.

The benefits of this are clear; it means you are developing a technology solution that meets your business model, not someone else’s. Increased flexibility makes your business more agile and able to respond to the current climate or a client’s needs more efficiently and effectively. It doesn’t take a lot of jargon to point out it could help any business stay one step ahead of the competition.

 

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 10:24 am and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Baby Steps to Working in the Cloud


When you work in business, it’s often against your nature to jump in with both feet. Cautious, measuring up the pros and cons. Yes, you go with your instincts but you want all the facts before you make a firm decision.

It’s the same when we are embracing anything new or making a big decision, particularly if it is to do with technology. If it affects income and working culture, we want to make sure it’s right before we commit. It’s all about taking baby steps.

In India there has been significant movement towards the cloud in recent years. Some of the country’s biggest firms are starting to move their information and data across. They recognise the benefits; it’s cheaper and needs a smaller outlay and in the long term it will help with storing even greater amounts of data meaning fewer upgrades and will make it easier to integrate new products.

Yet there is still a caution. And that’s no bad thing. Some businesses in India can see the potential of the Cloud, but they want to try out an element of it first, like Hosted Exchange 2010.

Through pilot projects and testing the water using email and data backup, they are getting the feel of this new technology and seeing how it suits them.

Isn’t this exactly how we all behave in business? You would never welcome in a new client, hand them the keys to the office, share the secrets of your success right at the start of your business relationship. No, you agree, professionally on a deal, you decide what services you are offering, what the contract is and what both sides can expect. Even though you’ve agreed to work together you’re still getting to know each other. Only when you have built a relationship based on trust, understand each other’s demands and requirements can you really start to do great business together.

It’s the same with a new member of the team. You might have interviewed them, handpicked them from a host of candidates, understood they have the exact skill set you need for your business. But you’ll still insist on a probation period.

You never know if the fit is right until you’ve tried it on.

A new technology like the Cloud is exactly the same. If you have any worries or concerns about how it works, but you can see its potential, why would you jump in with both feet? It is much more sensible to test an element of it first, like Hosted Exchange, see how it suits you, analyse what angles you like and what practices you might like to adopt, what you think of your service provider and how their technology might help drive your business forward. That’s probably the right approach.

What’s wrong is those that look at a new technology and just ignore it. The smallest concern and instead of investigating to see whether this is one rogue company or practice, they close their minds to it. Five years later, when all their competitors have taken baby steps to see what they think and modified that new technology to suit them, they’re left behind.

As more and more companies embrace the Cloud it will develop and evolve. Business practice will change, technology will improve and get even better. More will see its potential, will see an opportunity to develop the Cloud and make it even more accessible. Understand how it works and trying it on for size before you sign up.  Much better to be in at the first floor, than try to join the party when it’s already underway.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 9:44 am and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

How Mobile Web is Blurring the Lines of Technology


Identifying trends and how technology will change in a new year is as much a tradition as promising to lose a few pounds. But how’s this for a resolution? Why don’t you aim to make your business IT as streamlined as hopefully your silhouette will be by December?

Over the past twelve months one trend we have seen, which will only grow in 2012, is the relationship between mobile devices and cloud computing.

Smartphones have done as much to change work practice as the introduction of the PC, and over the next year the impact could be even greater.

It is expected that this will be the year when the ownership of mobile devices reaches tipping point and over half of the UK adult population will own a smartphone. Last August, figures from Ofcom showed a quarter of adults had a smartphone. Month on month, let alone year on year, more and more of us are moving over to the new technology.

And this affects how we work.

The rise in popularity of smartphones is largely down to the improvement in technology. 2011 was the year of the dual-core processor. Devices like Samsung’s SII (for many the phone of the year), the iPhone 4S from Apple and the rebooted Motorola RAZR are faster, offer improved web browsing and no lag time.

For the first time in 2011 all the talk about the mobile being a device filling the gap between laptop and PC became real. The SII was a watershed moment  but also the launch of the iCloud with the iOS5 update by Apple which coincided with the release of the iPhone 4S. Working device to device became easier; working in “the cloud” starting one document on a PC and picking it up on a mobile or tablet suddenly entered the mainstream and was demystified. The iPhone 4S is powered by the same chip first seen in the iPad2, the A5. Look at the Nokia Lumia 800, the first device released after the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft was announced. Working on Office documents online and offline was a strong selling point for the business market.

The smartphone is as powerful as a netbook. It’s now as easy to work on a mobile; not just email but office documents, Google documents, sending links, presentations and multiple files. We can actually work on the move, it’s not just a marketing line anymore.

There is the power for this to increase in 2012. This will be the year of the quad-core. Expect a faster browsing time, images becoming easier to upload  quickly and much less delay and lag.

So, to embrace this brave new world how can you make sure your business is prepared?

Cloud Computing and Hosted Exchange 2010 will be at the heart of this as sharing information becomes easier. Businesses will have to embrace it as flexibility and the opportunity to work without being in front of a PC will have a huge impact on how we work, not just when we work. With that change comes responsibility. Hands up if checking your email is the last thing you do at night and the first thing you do in the morning? On the whole most bosses might encourage a 24/7 working practice but it’s hardly fair on staff. As the way we work changes perhaps business needs to realise the traditional 9-5 is an archaic working model. Developing a cloud solution that fits what we want from business, in a two way discussion between staff and management will be key.

The benefits of cloud computing far outweigh the drawbacks but security remains a principal concern. When finding the right supplier for Cloud Computing think about what their security offer is. Read through Giacom’s How-To Guide for finding the right Hosted Exchange 2010 supplier.

Filtering spam, backing up servers this is as important as ensuring you and your business has a deal that shares mobile devices along with email and Hosted Exchange.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Small but Beautifully Formed – Why SMEs Prosper with Hosted Exchange


Small businesses represent a growth market in the UK business landscape. Almost a fifth of all firms in the country are SMEs. They work so well because they are built on drive, passion and determination. In a difficult financial climate a SME is streamlined and flexible enough to weather the storm. Their size is a strength, but with a baggy and ill-fitting IT system it can be more of a hindrance than a help.

Why do it? Sometimes a SME will model their set-up on a larger firm, instead of playing to their strengths. Alongside their colleagues and team they will employ an IT expert to work in-house. Expensive and representing an on-going increasing investment this could represent a drain on resources, rather than providing the technology or service you need. An IT member of staff needs regular training and investment to keep up to date on new technology. Chances are they specialise in one area or have particular preference for one particular set-up, whether this suits how you work or not.

This is a drain a big company can absorb, for the time being, but a small one can’t.

Hosted Exchange 2010 offers the opportunity to pick and choose the services that suit your company and staff. You have a bank of knowledge on tap when and where you need it so you rely on your provider to have the answer. Technology updates are cheaper as the upgrade will be delivered as soon as it arrives and if it matches your needs by a dedicated account manager.

It is the bespoke service that makes the biggest difference, and to be honest, doesn’t this reflect how you do business as well? Hosted Exchange can be cut to fit your needs. Up to ten email aliases for a team, push technology for mobiles so you can work on the go and work stored in public folders and subfolders if your staff work from home. It is efficient, generates better communication and is cost-effective; from £2.95 a month with Giacom it won’t break the bank.

Small businesses represent an important part of the UK jobs market. Flexible and working in an entirely different way from big, multi-national firms their strength lies in their ability to be efficient, to give the client what they need while keeping their own costs down. Using an IT solution that doesn’t help a small business achieve this seems a lot like shooting yourself in the foot. IT is a core operation for a small firm. If it doesn’t work properly it can hinder the whole operation of the company. Opting for a streamlined and bespoke IT solution that matches your SME could be the best business decision you make this year.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 16th, 2012 at 10:45 am and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

A Quick History of the Cloud…


If there is one industry that seems to enjoy jargon it is the IT industry. ASP and SaaS along with intergalactic computers, networks and plugins. It can make it difficult for you, as a customer, to understand what you’re signing up for and what you might need.

One of the biggest hurdles between the industry and its customers over the past few years has been Cloud Computing. Companies providing the service can see why it can make a huge different to the way companies are run, yet the fact that many businesses turn round and say they don’t understand it means there is a breakdown in communication.

So we thought this might be a little useful: a short, whistle stop tour of the history of the cloud. That should help you know how it works, and most importantly why it works.

1960s
We’re mods and we’re rockers, music is heavier and four lads from Liverpool are making a splash. It is also the birth of the cloud. Well, kind of. A chap called J.C.R Licklider comes up with an idea for networked computers, computers that are linked. His vision is simple; every computer in the world should be connected and people can access programmes and information for anywhere at anytime. It’s 1969. Sound familiar?

This is the decade we got the mainframe, which delivers IT in a way we understand it today.

1970s
Use your own computer at work? Got one at home that sits happily on your desktop?

The minicomputer which is the grandfather of today’s PCs and MACs might have originated in the 60s but it was during the 70s that we started to see them everywhere. A mainframe would have filled a room but these had an integrated circuit and core memory. The first popular one was 12-bit and cost $16,000. That launched in the mid sixties. By the seventies they were low-powered but with a high capacity. Running basic operating systems like CP/M and MS-DOS (hi kids!) they were largely single-user. Why is this important? It’s the start of the personal computer, the device that comes to house all your work and activity in IT terms.

1980s
The minis didn’t last long and developments started to get quicker and faster, revolutionising the industry. After 1985 companies start to be in networked workstations, linking their staff together along with servers to back up work. Firms start providing these same services for clients. This is the real practical birth of cloud computing. PCs start to appear thanks to the adorable BBC Micro and we start to see local area networks. The landscape is changing.

1990s
Yes, our mobile phones are still bricks, but we’re starting to see a real shift towards modern cloud computing. PCs are reducing in price meaning more and more people can afford them. PC networks are boosted by Unix software that runs on the Intel microprocessor. Windows starts with NT, meaning we can start multi-tasking and don’t have to remember the MS-DOS code for Ping. The Internet starts to blossom into life with the first full text web search engines and commercial ISPs. We also see the birth of wireless networking and the dot com bubble.

2000s
That dot com bubble? Yeah, it burst. Yet it is the consumer that will drive the next phase of cloud computing. As more of us get better as using the internet we start to define how we want to use it. It’s no coincidence that this personal control starts to develop and then we get Wikipedia in 2001. Social networking sites start to emerge and the Internet becomes more ‘us’ focussed. The technology for the Cloud might have been there – but not the culture. This sense of power over the internet gives us all a sense that we can modify it to suit our needs and practices. And we do just that. By the end of the decade we have smartphones, carrying the power of the world wide web in our hands.

Our workplace has changed beyond recognition in the last fifty years. We work on the go and we work 24/7, if we want to. Technology can be chopped and changed to fit our needs, which is at the core of Cloud Computing, providing a service that helps you stay connected but also providing added security for your work and activity online.

What’s the plan for the next fifty?

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 9th, 2012 at 11:32 am and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Put a Padlock On Your IT


The work you do as part of your business is one of its most important assets. Every presentation, piece of research, each client portfolio, you name it it’s at the very heart of your company. Why? Well because it is proof of your knowledge, expertise and experience. Your intellectual property is proof that you can do what you say you can do, so you want to make sure it’s safe.

Not only is your portfolio proof of your experience it also helps make you better at what you do. You learn from each project, whether it’s a new skill or a new way of working. Look back at your work from a year ago – even at this stage in your career it probably looks different from how you would produce it if the same task came up this week. That is part of the on-going development in the workplace. If that is just your own portfolio, think of that of the whole firm. That would be a valuable asset, to anyone. Like your valuables at home, you might be tempted to lock them in a safe that is secure and you know they are protected.

Hosted Exchange and Cloud computing can provide this veil of security over your intellectual property, protecting and archiving it to make sure you can access it when you need to and also that it remains safe.

Backing up on servers across three data centres in the UK means that your work is more secure. It is like saving work in several different places. Similarly for information that is archived – it’s like putting your belongings into storage while ensuring they are protected from the elements so they don’t get damaged.

Often, protecting your intellectual property is about making sure you are safe from outside threats. One of the biggest risks in IT is an outside attack, usually launched via email. This is why it is so important to make sure email is secure. One Trojan programme and it can impact not just one computer but, if you are networked, the whole system. Without a backup this could lead to the wipe-out of all your data.

Email security protects your email when it comes in and when it goes out. Giacom has an award winning anti-virus and anti-spam programme which performs over 90 tests on every single email. Like a funnel, all the information goes in at the top. It is filtered and purified until it comes out at the bottom. The rest of your IT system and information is protected.

However, some have still raised concerns about the Cloud as they worry that because it is remote, it isn’t secure. This isn’t the case. Hosted Exchange 2010 providers and Cloud computing managers work hard to make sure there can be no outside access that could pose a threat, hence the thrice back-up. Having IT backed up remotely means you remove the risk of damage in your workplace or office. Imagine if your server breaks or is damaged. Do you back up anywhere else? Putting the service into someone else’s hands means you can be safe in the knowledge work will be kept protected and secure. Just imagine a giant padlock being placed around your intellectual property.

Safety and security are two of the most important issues in business. Placing your trust in professionals allow you to keep your work archived and protected, as well as removing the threat of any outside source puts your mind at ease when it comes to looking after your business.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 2nd, 2012 at 1:15 pm and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Can You Be an Entrepreneur Without Hosted Exchange?


I recently began work with a new client. An international reputation, proven track record in their industry, consistent branding from their website through to their email signatures; at first glance this seemed like any other firm making a name for itself and growing at a phenomenal rate. Yet this company was a little bit different. Having been established around five years ago they undertook a unique approach to help them grow, expand in a new way. Their staff all worked remotely.

Although they had a registered address there was no one office, no front door. Each member of the team worked from home, meeting up regularly for face to face meetings to develop strategy or meet with clients.

I had heard about this working practice before and have always been drawn to it. There are several PR and creative agencies that work in the same way. It makes sense – if you don’t need an office, why have one? We hear a lot about the importance of entrepreneurship and the impact that will have on economic growth in the UK. But can you be an entrepreneur without Hosted Exchange?

Think about the company I’m working with. Each has a business email, meaning they get email aliases. They can check their email remotely via webmail, on their desktop or on smartphones. Each gets a BlackBerry to facilitate remote working.

They share documents and information relating to clients via Cloud Computing meaning each is up to date on activity and it is a smooth process, with no impact on service or delivery.

It is cost-effective. The reason to run a business remotely like this is to cut initial set up costs. A Hosted Exchange 2010 plan like this comes in at as little as £2.95 a month.

Look around your office and imagine the costs you would reduce if each of your team worked remotely. A one man band? Think about how you could start your own agency without having to find a place to rent and worry about having to meet monthly bills.

It is an efficient way to grow in a downturn and shows a pragmatic approach to business. Looking to Hosted Exchange as a solution is an equally sensible  choice. It helps a business just like this one run flexibly and efficiently, without proving to be a drain on resources.

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 26th, 2011 at 10:49 am and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Why Cloud Computing is Bucking the Trend


It is always the same in the economy, while one sector goes bust, another booms. It’s all part of the cycle of business; we spot difficulty in one area so we adapt and develop another. As our working lives have become more independent and remote, Cloud Computing and Hosted Exchange have reaped the benefit.

It might seem like a fluffy term but while a year ago people might have raised a quizzical eyebrow when you mentioned the ‘Cloud’ – now they are much more savvy. Why? Well the reason is twofold. One, big brands like Microsoft and Apple have finally realised how central cloud computing is to us in work and play alike. The Windows 7 launch made a big play of working in the cloud and being able to connect devices. Similarly the iOS 5 update, that coincided with the launch of the iPhone 4, launched the iCloud, connecting all Apple devices and apps and integrating activity. Cloud computing and Hosted Exchange is something people talk about and understand much more than they did a year ago. The possibilities and potential that can be harnessed for you own business is finally being understood.

Secondly the growth of the global market in cloud computing means it is getting more headlines. Figures from the US suggest that the industry, worth around $41 billion, (around £26 billion) will be worth $241 billion in 2020 – around £150 billion. It’s a huge increase and as the researchers behind the report, compiled by Forrester, suggest it means cloud computing will have a significant impact on the growth of the technology industry in the next decade. The biggest factor for the growth, they say, will be when businesses make the move. Individuals and smaller firms are used to working in the cloud; tools like Google Docs and Google mail make it easier to work on shared documents remotely. Yet when major international firms start offering their services via the cloud, a shift will really take place.

Technology resources, services like providing documents and information; the prediction is all of this will be in the cloud. It’s great for businesses because they won’t need to spend so much on their own hardware and their technology can be updated or changed easily if the economy changes. In these volatile times, this is certainly a good thing. Hosted Exchange 2010 means all that is a click away.

So as consumers get more used to having their services in the cloud, so will business to business, or b2b. it will become part of the fabric of how we work and communicate, growing in the same way email started at zero and has grown into the biggest communication device in business today.

Consumers are becoming much more tech savvy and much more willing to accept advances in technology as the norm. If it’s as easy as downloading over a broadband or wireless connection then people will embrace it. Consumers expect to be more in control now and cloud computing will only facilitate that.

So what should we learn from this? Well, if the last two decades in technology are anything to go by then we know we can’t bury our heads in the sand. Once a development happens you’re never going to put the genie back in the bottle and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes common practice. Secondly you want to get in their early. New developments can engage with clients and consumers like anything else. It shows a company is savvy, modern, up-to-date with new technology and more importantly open to giving their clients the best service they can. There is nothing worse than being the last one to adapt, you run too great a risk of being left behind.

2012 will be the year of cloud, so are you in or are you out?

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 19th, 2011 at 12:12 pm and is filed under Laura Brown. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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