CLOUD COMPUTING Fact, Fiction and Fantasy

Many were slow to realize just how big this revolution could be. But now, as 2017 hits the midway point, everyone gets cloud computing. The technology is no longer novel: it's becoming the dominant paradigm in Information Technology.

The idea of an "intergalactic computer network" was introduced in the sixties by J.C.R. Licklider, who was responsible for enabling the development of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) in 1969. His vision was for everyone on the globe to be interconnected and accessing programs and data at any site, from anywhere, we now understand this to be cloud computing. 

If you are a small business owner, I hope you will find this article helpful. The word "cloud" seems to conjure up the thinking that "cloud providers" are the technical equivalents of faith healers. All one needs to do is "believe" and pay a monthly fee to a "cloud provider" and suddenly our concerns are cared for. What's all the fuss is about with cloud computing?

THE invention of printing, centuries ago, changed the way in which people communicate with one another. The invention of the Internet in modern times has been compared to that. This tool has been called a global tool of communication, and rightly so. Years ago, only large corporations had the resources to fully leverage the internet. They could sink their resources into expensive e-commerce sites, cutting edge websites and a plethora of other uses that easily gave them a competitive advantage over small business. The playing field was leveled with cloud computing. Small businesses could now do the same at affordable pricing. There is no need for small businesses to purchase hardware and hire IT staff to care and feed for the equipment. The need for building out closets with power and cooling requirements have been all but eliminated. In short, cloud providers care for all of your data storage and computing needs at their home, not yours. In a bit more technically explained, Cloud computing is an act of using an interconnected network of internet-hosted remote servers to manage, store and process data. In cloud computing, the data is stored, accessed and shared over the Internet through Internet-connected devices from the one central location, rather than from any equipment on premise.

Fact: 1) The Cloud is reasonably Safe. Cloud enables redundancy (data is stored in multiple places), simple data transfer and backups, so you’ll never lose your information while using this technology.

Fact: 2) Banking produces the most activity within the cloud.

Fact: 3) Cloud Computing is up to 40 times more cost-effective for a small business compared to running its own IT (information technology) system or department.

Fact: 4) You’re reading this on the cloud right now. Since this article is not on the server in your building means you are reading this using the Cloud!

Fiction: 1) Cloud computing is safer than providing my own computing gear

Fiction: 2) I really don't need technical staff once I'm up and running

Fiction: 3) My data is automatically backed up and restoring from a backup is a snap

Fiction: 4) I'll save quite a bit of money moving to the cloud

Fantasy: 1) The cloud never goes down

Fantasy: 2) The cloud can't be hacked

Fantasy: 3) I can set everything up in the cloud myself.

Fantasy: 4) Everything will run faster in the cloud

For you, SMB's (small and medium sized businesses) why not start your journey to the cloud by attending a webinar about cloud networking from Cisco Meraki. Quite a few of my other customers rely on Meraki solutions with easy centralized cloud management of their entire wired and wireless networks.

Cisco Meraki webinars include a live demo of this cloud management platform and you get a free Meraki access point for attending. I think you'll enjoy the webinar and it only requires a modest investment of your time You can sign up for a webinar here:

Let me know what you think!

I'll see you in the cloud.

– Guy Fuller