Traditionally, businesses purchase hardware & software to have them available physically onsite, with all software running on company-owned machines.  In the ‘traditional’ model of business, where most business was done ‘onsite,’ this worked fine.  Now, with companies becoming more mobile, and with more employees and executives working out of the office, organizations are reaching toward new technologies to adapt to the more mobile environment.  This is where cloud computing steps in.

So, what is Cloud Computing anyway?  Cloud Computing is where both hardware & software runs on the Internet.

You may not know it, but you could very well already be using Cloud Computing.  What are some ways you could already be using the cloud?

• Online email (Microsoft Live Mail, Microsoft Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.)
• Online documents (Microsoft Live Office, Google Docs)

What Cloud Computing brings to the table:

• Scalability.  Your organization has the ability to expand and contract based on changing needs.
• Cost Effective.  Only pay on the services and utilities that you use.  And remember… the services can expand and contract where needed.  When you use less, you pay less.
• Automatic Backups.  When your information is hosted in the cloud, it is the job of the technology company to back up that information.  You do not have to worry about disaster recovery.  Your plan is already in place.
• Location is no longer specific.  With key applications and data located in the cloud, you are no longer tied to the office.  Information is available from anywhere that you have a connection to the Internet.