The Cloud

Is this a fad or should all businesses be planning their strategies on how to take their infrastructure to the cloud?  I just recently read that Microsoft is allocating 90% of their R & D budget this year to the cloud. That is over 8 billion dollars. Apple will likely be rolling out the iCloud sometime before the end of the year.
I do not think this is a fad but a reality that all business must be developing strategies on how they are going to move to the cloud and how they can benefit from such a move. One of the biggest advantages is the “anywhere/anytime” access the cloud provides. It allows for a lower cost of internal infrastructure and greater life of your equipment. The high-end equipment (servers) is maintained by the service provider and actually gives you access to a better line of equipment than most of us would purchase on our own.
It is easy to think of reasons as to why it will not work for our organization instead of trying to see the advantages of using it for our organizations. Once you logon, you really do not see any differences in how you use your programs. An organization should be researching the benefits of being in the cloud and working on a strategy on how to move to the cloud. Based upon what we are seeing developed, it is here to stay and the question is do you want your organization to be on the caboose or the locomotive?
Richard Hooker, a British clergyman and author once said, “Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better.”
If you are interested in exploring how your organization can benefit from the cloud, please contact us for assistance.
/posted by G. Alan Long, CPA, CITP