Cloud Computing benefits businesses, here’s how…

If you’re one of the many individuals that’s wondering exactly how the emergence of cloud computing will impact you and your trade, fear not. Cloud computing can offer virtually any size business a number of astounding benefits, regardless of their industry (or area of focus in the market). So, without further ado, let’s look at what’s hidden in the clouds …

A smaller, but more powerful IT department
This might cause quite a number of IT workers to groan in disapproval or downright disgust, but cloud computing promises to help most organizations to “trim down” their IT budgets. Since most cloud computing setups are essentially remotely positioned services, there isn’t much of a need for extensive IT assets to be located on site. Along with this hardware downsizing, there comes the option of cutting back on the IT workforce. But before all of you IT professionals start screaming bloody murder, please keep in mind that Cloud computing is projected to create an extraordinary amount of growth in the technological sector. So, the concept is that most of the positions with smaller to medium sized businesses that are lost, will likely be picked up by larger organizations.

Becoming more “Green” oriented
If you’ve examined how cloud computing works (in any depth at all) you’ve probably stumbled across the great potential it presents to those who are part of the Green movement. (The Green movement, or initiative, being one that is preoccupied with the concept of creating better energy consumption initiatives for the environment, etc…). Through cloud computing, an organization can basically do more work and achieve more productive results while consuming less energy, that’s it in a nutshell. Because computing services are deployed according to demand, you don’t have multiple self-contained systems needlessly sucking power 24/7. The bottom line is, cloud computing is more efficient, cheaper for annual budgets, and better for the environment; definitely a winning combination.

Far fewer glitches or hardware issues to contend with
Aside from the higher levels of cross-communication and integration that cloud computing allows between users, applications, and services, there are usually not too many “issues” that need dealing with. This is to say that cloud providers or data center management are responsible for ensuring operation in a cloud computing scheme / setup. At the same time, various incompatibility issues and upgrade routines are more easily dealt with in a scenario where cloud computing is involved.

Cloud computing is a big time saver
Part of the problem with running an advanced business model which is heavily reliant on computer systems is that the systems themselves take quite a while to setup, and can be an absolute chore to maintain. Given that most businesses have an “ASAP attitude” concerning nearly every facet of their operation, every lost second means a potential loss of profit(s). For example, if all the big decisions hinge upon the ability of IT to deliver complex services inside and outside the business, you have to build an incredible and virtually indestructible IT department. Needless to say, this isn’t always possible; luckily however, cloud computing offers a better than suitable alternative which can also be extremely affordable at the same time.

Up-to-date technology with more potential for customization
How is your business supposed to stay competitive if all new technological implementations are a hassle? With the release of every new nifty business-angled application comes the inevitable (and required) learning curve, and we’re not just talking about the users here, we’re also talking about the IT professionals implementing them. It’s pretty simple actually; you buy a new service or app with the goal of using it to directly boost sales, for instance. Aside from the difficulty of actually deploying this application over a traditional IT infrastructure, you have issue of customization. Often times, stock software gets the job done, but lacks the style, flair, and even function that a business requires to really service their customers. Through cloud computing, virtually any piece of software can be deployed as a service and more easily customized.

What does it take to bring cloud computing to your business, you ask?  
First off, implementing a cloud computing infrastructure in place of your current IT construct isn’t as complex or impossible as it might sound. Often times, the best solution for most businesses is to take things slowly and attempt hybrid cloud integration, first. What this essentially entails is bringing individual cloud services to your current IT setup via a cloud provider. Then, over time, you can begin migrating your legacy software and applications over to the cloud with the goal of fully transitioning at some point in the future. In this way, you get to access the cloud computing benefits almost immediately, but without the risk, expenditure or hassle of a full-on cloud transition. Likewise, with a slower transition, you have much less risk that a significant event will halt your operations.

But before you can even begin contemplating a move to cloud computing or integrating these types of a la carte services, you’ll need to get your current IT employees trained and certified (in cloud computing). This is actually a very simple, quick and inexpensive process as there are some dynamite online (e-learning) programs out there for cloud computing which are very effective. In addition to the effectiveness of these programs, they are also often presented at discounted rates for groups, so the more the merrier. By having your entire IT department attain their cloud computing certification you will not only be investing in the future of your business and its technologies, but also helping them to further their own individual career objectives (definitely a “win-win” situation).

Cloud computing being used to ensure continuity of operations in midst of disaster recovery cloud computing disaster recovery

A growing percentage of businesses are leveraging cloud computing as a sort of operational “safety net”

It doesn’t matter how well prepared you think your business or IT resources are, at some point you will likely face an inevitable crisis situation. Often times disasters and issues creep up where we least expect them too. Does this mean that you should live in constant fear of an event or anticipate a breakdown every time you perform a routine addition or upgrade? Of course not, although some individuals and businesses seem to be better prepared (and forward thinking) than others.  cloud computing disaster recovery

One of the simplest and most effective methods for dealing with disaster recovery issues is to explore and adopt cloud computing. In other words, transition your business over to cloud computing entirely or elect to incorporate individual services into your current IT setup. You might be wondering “What sets cloud computing apart from traditional IT when it comes to disaster recovery?” Well, unlike traditional IT, fully managed cloud computing services are provided remotely (off-site) by large organizations with very extensive resources at their disposal. A great number of major cloud providers also utilize a system whereby data is cached, copied or spread across multiple clouds and servers (also called co-location). This is done in order to facilitate access and data migration, but also serves the useful purpose of acting as a functional copy or blueprint backup for your cloud infrastructure.

Cloud computing also allows for routine scheduling of complete or partial system backups. Or to put it another way; through cloud computing, you can schedule daily, weekly, monthly, etc…backups for your entire IT infrastructure if you like. Some organizations that receive and process a large amount of data on a daily basis might even elect to perform more than one type of cloud backup operation per day.

Why is continuity such a major concern?
Aside from the actual work performed, products and/or services sold, the most important thing any business has going for it is its continuity or stability.  For example, a large number of businesses today either distribute technology or are dependent upon it, if an organization isn’t available immediately when the customer / consumer reaches for it, a potential sale is lost.

Then of course you have office-related situations where IT isn’t necessarily interacting with customers, it’s facilitating the daily work that’s being performed by employees. Downtime for IT in the office means big losses as there are often tens to hundreds of salaried employees who are getting paid despite the fact that they are able to do no work. Moreover, any lost time will have to be made up later, which further compounds the cost-to-profit ratios concerning whatever work is being done.

Assured continuity is also a major concern for the accounting departments of most businesses; which often factor in every detail of an operation down to the annual cost of energy, supplies, and IT maintenance and upgrade expenditures. In many cases, accounting might not have even considered the prospect of IT-related downtime.

Disasters and lost time due to IT breakdown(s) also present great opportunities for competitors to swoop in and steal your business / clientele. Your customers might really value your service and even depend on it themselves, but they’re not going to wait around for you to get things straightened out, they’re going to jump straight into the arms of your closest competitor.

How can cloud computing ensure continuity?
There are basically 3 ways that cloud computing can be leveraged to ensure continuity of operations:

1. A fully managed cloud service provider – Your organization has transitioned over to cloud computing and your broker / provider manages your cloud infrastructure and has a backup / resiliency / recovery plan in place.
2. An individually deployed cloud-based backup solution – This would be services like those offered by IBM under the heading of business continuity.
3. An integrated (hybrid) solution that automates backups – Your on-site IT model incorporates an integrated cloud solution which your organization configures to provide automated backups.

Whatever type of cloud computing service you elect to use for disaster recovery or to ensure continuity, you might want (at the very least) have dedicated full system, settings and storage backups performed on a weekly or daily basis. If, for example, your entire IT operation were to go down, having a complete copy of your system and data on hand would allow you to very quickly migrate to a backup cloud solution. In other words, you should probably have an affordable and fully managed cloud service solution set up and ready to go (with up-to-date backup data) in the event of the unforeseen. A great way to protect your organization from disasters and expedite recoveries is to have your IT personnel receive some form of comprehensive cloud computing certification. This will allow you to further leverage cloud-based technologies and solutions and make it much easier when you finally decide to move the entire IT operation to the cloud.

Since most full-service cloud providers will often charge you on a metered or “pay for what you use” basis, the idea of having another IT solution you can simply “turn on” is a very real possibility. You might be able to use a cloud computing setup as a sort of backup IT system until adjustments / repairs to the main infrastructure are finished and operations can resume. However, it’s worth mentioning that cloud computing offers many real benefits over traditional IT, and you and/or your business should strongly consider simply moving to the cloud permanently.

How does an OLA (operation level agreement) function with regards to ITIL ?

When you think about business it’s hard not to factor in the importance of efficiently designed systems and schedules. It is through the application of some form of infrastructure that deadlines are able to be met and products / services delivered. The point is, without some form of controlling mechanism in place, missed opportunities and chaos will likely ensue (not to mention lost profits).

This is why an OLA, or operation level agreement, is often times a necessity. Through the use of an OLA, organizations are able to clearly define roles, regulations and objectives for all team members. When it comes to ITIL, and instituting its practices / methodologies, an operation level agreement is not always an easy thing to institute. However, once one (an OLA) is established, even greater, not to mention more predictable, levels of service is possible.

One of the main hindrances of instituting an OLA policy in tandem with an IT department utilizing ITIL is designing the agreement itself. The roles and duties inherent in IT are multifaceted to say the least. Likewise, if there are “grey areas” surrounding the level(s) of service provided (on a case by case basis), or the speed in which services are delivered, it may be unclear who’s not carrying out their duties. The fact is, no one wants to “own up” to falling short in their duties. This is why the best approach for designing an OLA for an IT group is probably going to be via the formation of a joint committee (comprising members of the IT group itself).

OLA Design
Since your organization is already utilizing ITIL, use of it should be factored into the various stages of the OLA design phase.

Designing an operation level agreement requires the use of an IT service catalog, for defining management of services as well as what entails each independent service. Once you have that on hand, the first step is going to be to outline how the entire IT group will handle the services listed (in the IT service catalog). Next, you should construct outlines for each service described / delivered; detailing what is required for smooth delivery and operation of each. Afterwards, an overseer or manager must be assigned the job of instating and monitoring some form of OLA tracking system. It is this tracking system that will provide real time feedback which will allow for the resolution of issues and of course, fine tuning. The next step is arguably the most complex because it entails actually drafting the OLA document itself; here are the areas to consider:

• Primary priorities
• Crisis management
• Detailed listing and examination of all involved parties
• Services which are to be delivered
• Crisis / issue response scheduling
• Glossary and additional clarifications (as needed)
• Ongoing collection and review of performance data
• Signatures and authorization(s)
• Primary goals and range of operation(s)
• Duties, responsibilities and functions

Creating an OLA draft is going to be the most time-consuming aspect of the entire process, and it should not be lightly undertaken. Once a suitable draft has been created by the committee it’s time to officially publish it for your entire department. After everyone has had time to look it over, agree to the terms and subsequently sign the document, you should send an additional memo detailing when the OLA is going to take effect. If there are any discrepancies they should be addressed during this time as well. The final step in the OLA process is to test the system for effectiveness. You might find it beneficial to institute some type of “game-based” environment whereby opposite team “silos” propose scenarios aimed at disrupting services, or conversely, slowing down general production. However, keep in mind that the purpose of this exercise is to improve upon the system / infrastructure, not to foster competition among the IT department itself. The ultimate purpose of an OLA is to establish a more cohesive and functional IT group, not to create additional strife and needless opposition.

As previously mentioned, those IT departments who are already ITIL methods as part of their daily operations are going to find it somewhat easier to institute OLA policies. This is because ITIL is nothing more than a collection of the best solutions available for addressing service-related issues as they correspond with specific elements of IT infrastructure. ITIL is also useful as an inter-office organizational tool in that it has the ability to significantly cut down on response times for crisis management, service delivery, as well as the total number of potential mishaps/missteps in general. These are just a few of the many reasons why it is extremely important for IT organizations seeking to institute an OLA policy to be well-versed in ITIL practices. Team members who understand and use the practices contained in the ITIL are much better equipped to work inside of an operation level agreement.

If you are an IT manager and your team has yet to become ITIL certified, you’re in luck. There are some excellent ITIL e-learning packages out there which are not only of a very high quality, but also offer discounted rates for bulk-purchased licenses. When you consider that the base prices for most of these ITIL e-learning certification courses are already fairly low, you’re talking about a truly great investment for your entire department, not to mention, company.

Click here for a top ITIL 2011 certification / training program.

So there’s a shortage of cloud computing professionals ?

How to capitalize on the current cloud computing skills drought

As cloud computing continues to move forward in leaps and bounds, it would seem that (according to various news reports) there might not be enough personnel out there with the adequate cloud training to “handle the load”. While this is not really good news for companies, it is certainly a boon for those willing to get certified in cloud computing.

If you think back to your days in the classroom; remember the lecture about how supply and demand works? Simply put, the less there is of something, the more inherent value it generally has; and if that item / resource is in high demand, well, it is obviously going to be worth even more. This more or less illustrates the current state of the cloud computing service / IT / specialist industry. The demand for larger numbers of highly skilled and qualified personnel with the ability to service cloud infrastructure(s) is on the rise, big time. If you’re involved in IT, as a certified professional, you can’t afford to pass up this awesome opportunity.

One of the things that make cloud computing such an important area of emergent technology is its ability to create better internal and external systems for doing business. Through the power of the cloud it is possible to essentially do more, with less; in other words, it’s much more efficient than its predecessor (grid computing). Aside from stemming energy costs (which we’ll cover in just a bit), cloud computing allows an organization to establish much better systems for internal communications, as well as the rapid deployment of services (multiple instances) with nearly unlimited computing power. This is because a “cloud” is more or less just a giant super computer, with a special type of infrastructure which allows it to run a multitude of parallel operating systems. Of course this is an oversimplification, but the fact remains that cloud computing is as much a computing solution as it is a networking solution.

Arguably, it is usually the idea of saving a bundle on annual energy costs which entrances most organizations into exploring the concept of adopting cloud-based technologies. Grid computing, which is still the industry standard model, is completely reliant on a power / energy delivery system which is continuous. This is to say that regardless of what “work” or processes are being carried out on the hundreds, if not thousands of machines which an organization owns, they must (and will) be supplied with a constant stream of electricity. Given the fact that a majority of these machines are usually not active or even regularly used most of the time, this is a huge drain on income for any business and is basically money being spent that achieves nothing and offers nothing in return for its expense.

Needless to say, cloud computing is the ultimate solution for this problem / situation. A cloud infrastructure allows virtual machines and operating systems (including the files, settings, and preferences of individual users) to be instantly culled up on demand. So, there’s no need for hundreds of machines to be constantly running all the time. Additionally, because you aren’t having to feed inactive machines with power or bandwidth, those computing resources and processing power which aren’t being used can be devoted toward those users / machines which actually require it (now that’s what I call “killing two birds with one stone”).

In order to capitalize on these benefits however, an institution must have the qualified personnel on hand who can effectively establish, maintain, and improve upon cloud computing technologies and its related components. This brings us back to the original point, which is, there’s never been a better time to get your cloud certification than right now. Everyone is jumping into cloud technology; universities, the US armed forces, various US governmental offices / branches, international governments, businesses, corporations, and of course, individuals.

This all points to the very strong possibility that scores of new jobs and career opportunities with increasingly higher potential salaries are going to begin popping up around cloud computing for many years to come. In fact, this is already the case with many companies. Right now, IT managers (and even those strictly involved on the business end of operations) are creating their own cloud technicians / specialists. How are they achieving this task you might ask?

It is through companies which supply e-learning materials angled at professional development in the IT field that these organizations are able to effectively train their own cloud computing personnel. Top programs, like these, which allow for not only complete comprehension of everything “cloud”, but also put you on a pathway toward quick and efficient certification. What’s more, some kits also bundle the price of the cert test itself (in addition to other bits which add value like the online-based interactive components). Likewise, the actual course materials can be viewed / deployed on virtually any device, including tablets and smartphones; now, you can literally take your course with you wherever you go.

If you want to take advantage of the shortage of cloud professionals, you’d better do so ASAP, because as you well know, cloud computing is growing in importance and popularity with each passing day. Opportunities like this don’t last forever. Furthermore, if you are an IT or business manager who is looking for the best e-learning program available for certifying your staff in cloud computing disciplines, please click here (group rate discounts are available as well).

3 types of Cloud Computing technologies which the average person uses on a daily basis

You could say that the true value of any technology is in how useful and versatile it is. Considering that cloud computing is becoming more and more prevalent across all areas of society and business, not to mention our everyday lives, it’s safe to say it is of high value.

#1 – Email
In fact, the average person uses a number of cloud-enable or delivered services on a daily basis. In reality, cloud computing isn’t a new thing at all, if you use email (like Gmail) which features specific online features an storage…guess what, you’re using a form of cloud computing already.

If you think about it, the emergence of cloud-based email has changed the way we approach anything and everything we do online. These integrated cloud technologies help us work harder, faster, and more efficiently than anyone could have every imagined. But of course it’s not all about work is it?  Because of cloud computing, our entire view of what email actually is, has changed. Originally, email was basically set up to function like your typical street corner mailbox; but now, our personal email boxes are taking on lives of their own, almost functioning as if they were “digital residences”. Now, we are using email not only as a base of operations, but also as a portal to enhanced communication, social networking and even entertainment.

#2 – Online storage and file transfer / access
Everywhere you look, people are holding, using and completely reliant on electronic devices. Likewise, all of these laptops, PC’s, Mac’s, iPhones, Tablets, iPads, smartphones, etc…require (sometimes extensive) data storage. What this means is that there is a huge market for cloud-based online storage solutions, including the ability to transfer various types / sizes of files as well.

It could even be argued that many of today’s devices are merely stepping stones toward the cloud-enabled / dependent devices of the future. Already we’re seeing more and more increasingly powerful web-delivered storage and file access solutions hitting the markets. Dropbox and Amazon’s cloud player / drive are great examples of how cloud computing is updating the notions of what is considered “personal storage space”.

#3 – Area / Industry-specific services (and storage)
Name any type of media you can think of…chances are, you can go online and find someone using cloud computing to organize, share, edit, sell, or distribute that type of media. We see this in every area, whether it be images (Flickr), sound / music (Soundcloud), video (YouTube, anyone?), or documents (Google docs). Also, in each area of digital media, there are numerous competitors and imitators. The bottom line is that cloud computing simply cannot be matched when it comes to the delivery of online services and content. This fact is clearly evidenced by the raging popularity of the aforementioned services / sites themselves.

Here also, there is great potential for businesses to cash-in on, or capitalize on the growing demand for specific types of services. In other words, if your business is able to leverage their IT infrastructure (assuming you have some form of private / public cloud setup) to consumers while integrating some aspect of service which your organization specializes in, well you might become the next Flickr, or Dropbox. However, that type of approach or business model would also require a bank of more experienced and certified personnel. Luckily, getting an entire IT department certified in cloud computing has never been more affordable (especially if e-learning, or internet-enabled learning is tapped).

Moreover, you don’t even really have to own the cloud assets which you’re leveraging. For instance, every day there are numerous services popping up which make full use of cloud computing provisions. Often times the businesses offering these services are functioning merely as brokers. In other words, the websites / businesses are connecting the consumer with a specific type of cloud-delivered service (which was their own original concept / idea). If you, your partners, or your organization is interested in learning more about to begin implementing your own unique cloud-based services, cloud computing foundation training is an excellent place to start. Foundation training in this area will familiarize you with all the core concepts of cloud computing, however it is not quite as extensive of a program when compared with that of certification.

Hidden in plain sight
While it might seem like cloud computing is this new force or technology seeking to infiltrate its way into the life of the average person, the truth is that it already has. We’ve all been using cloud computing on a daily basis for quite a while now.

The big question with regards to cloud computing is when is the next phase in its development going to occur? Or perhaps even, where is the next developmental phase of cloud computing going to lead us?