Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Cloud Issue: Elements Magazine - Issue 003

Flocks of Seagulls and the New World of Cloud Computing

Walking through a shopping mall this past weekend, I realized something—the past has returned with a vengeance. Kids in their teens and early twenties sport clothing resembling a bad 1980s new wave band. Our generation, like other generations before us, is dealing with classic vs. retro as the next generation places their own spin on what we thought we invented.

Oddly enough, it seems that the world of IT is now experiencing the same reinvention. After 30+ years in the mainstream, IT is moving back to what we invented years ago. The “kids these days” have lovingly called this retro approach to a grouping of computing technologies—“The Cloud.” Our generation merely referred to it as networking.

Far beyond that, weʼre now seeing this approach in all aspects of IT. Weʼre seeing terms that stir up a multitude of emotions ranging from optimism to fear. For example, Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS, as the new generation refers to it, is a service provider who owns, houses and operates computing resources for the customer. Perhaps Iʼm dating myself, but does anyone remember mainframes? Simply put, this new cloud technology is something weʼve used for decades—but the new name is more catchy, isnʼt it?

Another interesting situation arises from the Hosted Business Phone Services offered by a strategic partner of ours. Many have questioned moving PBX equipment away from the office environment, even though every day we pick up our phones at home and they work just fine––a “hosted service” that Bell has offered in North America since the late 1800s. The concept of having an actual PBX in our offices is actually a left over from the past few decades when companies moved away from the traditional telephone operator.

Thus, if you have any fears of moving to “The Cloud,” I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. Like anything, take the time to find and work with a company who will address all your needs and concerns. Youʼll save money, youʼll have increased productivity, and youʼll have trained professionals who can help you 24/7. And with any luck, that trained professional wonʼt have a hair style reminiscent of “A Flock of Seagulls”––that hair style wasnʼt good then—and itʼs not any better now.

+Read Elements Magazine

Sincerely,
Larry Poirier
Chief Executive Officer
Nitro IT Business Solutions