Cloud computing

25th January 2012

Are there dangers to having information infrastructure, software and services hosted on the internet rather than on our own personal computers?

Are there dangers to having information infrastructure, software and services hosted on the internet rather than on our own personal computers?

"Cloud computing" is the latest buzzword used to describe the direction in which information infrastructure seems to be moving. The concept, quite simply, is that vast computing resources will reside somewhere out there in the ether (rather than in your computer room) and we'll connect to them and use them as needed.

Google, naturally, is a big promoter of this idea, as its business is already based on owning a massive computer infrastructure (or cloud) that people tap into from their homes or offices. Recently Google even joined with IBM to promote cloud computing – and for anyone familiar with the history of information technology, that should be a bright red flag.

There's nothing wrong with the idea of cloud computing. In fact, it's sufficiently compelling that in large measure it already exists. Companies now do not need to own vast numbers of servers, and for the most part only basic productivity software is required on our personal computers now, with everything else off in a cloud.

The chances are your website already lives on a server at your hosting company. And yes, we bet you use Google, for search and for analytics and for document sharing, among other things. We could go on.

This is all good; particularly if you have no desire to buy and maintain lots of computers and software. Thanks to cloud computing, you can let someone like Aquarium Software worry about the basic technology, while focusing on what your business does best. More and more business people are coming to see and appreciate the logic of in that.

The flip side, though, is that you're too dependent on someone else for your technology, that can limit your flexibility and even your creativity. In fact, the personal computer itself arose because the old model of business computing, in which companies had big mainframes (aka clouds) and everyone connected to them via "dumb" terminals, was enormously frustrating for the people sitting at those dumb terminals.

They could only do what they were authorised to do. They were dependent on the computer administrators to give them permission or fix problems. They had no way of staying up on the latest innovations. The personal computer was a rebellion against the tyranny of centralised computing operations – and of the IBM mainframe world in particular.

With cloud computing, on the face of it we have come full circle: the efficiencies of a centralised computing infrastructure that can be easily accessed via the internet are just too compelling to ignore.

But Aquarium Software would argue that it is different this time. Rather than limiting choice and creativity, the Cloud has now been designed to give you the exact opposite – taking care of the basics so you and your business are free to ‘go create’ without having to waste your creative time on the tasks that while important, are not and should not be your primary focus.

Indeed, what's best for the customer in the end is having plenty of choices. Cloud computing can be a great thing, so give Aquarium Software a call now and see how getting your head in the clouds can help your business grow.

Founded in 2006, Aquarium Software is dedicated to providing innovative web-based business solutions using the latest technologies to provide innovative flexible software tools designed to have an immediate impact on customer working practices, allowing them to concentrate on their business and grow their bottom line. Aquarium services a broad number of industries but has a particular focus on the insurance claims management sector.

Aquarium Software Sales and Marketing Director Mark Colonnese said: “Our web-based, access anywhere architecture makes for easier collaboration and the cost effective availability of information – wherever and whenever it is needed. One area of concern has always been the cost of deploying new systems; but modern software from Aquarium is flexible and powerful enough to be easily modified without the need for expert IT involvement, while “cloud computing” eliminates the problem of buying and maintaining expensive computer hardware and software, freeing customers from the need to make additional capital expenditure.”

For further information contact Aquarium Software, free of charge, on 0800 781 7570 or visit www.aquarium-software.com

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