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• Holiday Recipe Contest

There are multiple factors that play into what is true SaaS. The software must be subscribed to, the software and data must be hosted, operated, and managed by the vendor, and the software architecture must be multi-tenant with a single code base that is shared by all customers. Customers, though, should care about SaaS because of the benefits it could potentially provide. Benefits such as cost savings, faster time-to-market, frequent software upgrades, and sharing capabilities, to name just a few. Certain SaaS applications are more suited for your needs than others, and this is where the buyer must come in and map out their needs before making a SaaS purchasing decision.

• What’s True SaaS and Why the Hell Should Customers Care?

What’s next for the cloud in 2012? Hurwitz maps out a few of her ideas for where the cloud is heading. Questions such as “what is the cloud?” are on their way out, and now companies are looking to expand their current cloud solutions. “2012 will be the year when companies need to tackle operational issues of cloud computing,” therefore companies will start to plan and implement a cloud management strategy, expand on the security and privacy of their data, and companies will start to take a closer look at their service provider’s SLAs and demand terms based on their customer requirements. What do you predict for the cloud in 2012?

• 5 Big Cloud Trends for 2012

Now with mobile and cloud development on the rise, developers have to “juggle more technologies than ever before.” With this has come a rise in developer platforms. These platforms reduce the time developers have to focus on non-application specific code, which means that, “apps can be developed faster at higher quality with a tighter focus on the core product.” As more focus spreads to cloud computing and applications, cloud platforms will only accelerate.

• The Case for Developer Platforms

We here at Delivered Innovation are firm believers that cloud computing can cut down costs with greater benefits. This article tightly sums up those cost advantages and benefits: “Cloud providers have greater economies of scale than IT organizations, run extremely efficient due to automation, and achieve the kinds of cost advantages that adhere to specialists in every field.” Controversy surrounding the cost of the cloud will surely continue in 2012, but cloud advantages are different depending on what your needs are, and the beauty of the cloud is that there are a variety of SaaS solutions, you are guaranteed to find one that fits your needs.

• The Great Cloud Computing Pricing Debate

Oracle acquired RightNow, a cloud computing customer service company, on Monday to the tune of $1.5 billion. Thomas Kurian, Executive Vice President of Oracle Development, stated that Oracle is “moving aggressively to offer customers a full range of Cloud Solutions inculding sales force automation, human resources, talent management, social networking, databases and Java as part of the Oracle Public Cloud.” I suppose this acquisition isn’t a shocker, seeing as they announced the Oracle Public Cloud not too long ago. I wonder what other acquisitions Oracle has up their sleeves?

• Oracle Acquires RightNow for 1.5 Billion, Aims Turrets at Salesforce.com

There are many possible reasons as to why Oracle bought RightNow. Being new to the cloud, this acquisition might bring some credibility to Oracle since it has taken them awhile to jump on the cloud computing bandwagon. Also, it may bring them more customers in small and medium sized businesses and reach more markets. Moreover, it allows Oracle to compete better with salesforce.com’s Service Cloud 3, which is their cloud computing customer service. Oracle purchased RightNow at $43 a share, making out to $1.5 billion.

• Why Oracle Paid $1.5B for RightNow

The technology and concept of paying to access resources on a remote system through a network connection is not new, companies have been doing it since the days of renting mainframe time. However, “the cloud” is being featured as a bold new concept, why? There are many factors that play in to this; this article lists 11. For starters, millennials are entering the workforce, and they are very computer literate who hardly remember a time without the Internet. Moreover, international outsourcing is easier and more accessible, software products are being launched faster now than ever before, new advances in mobile computing creates opportunities for employees to work from multiple locations, offices are becoming more fragmented, IT budgets are shrinking, and people trust and rely on the internet a lot more than they used to. All of these factors, and more, create the need for cloud computing.

• 11 Reasons Why SaaS and the Cloud are Taking Over

Sencha announced the public beta launch of Sencha.io this week, their new HTML5 mobile cloud service. Sencha.io provides various cloud services, “including Sencha.io Data, Sencha.io Messages, Sencha.io Login and Sencha.io Development.” These new services allow developers to use just a few lines of Javascript code to store data, send and listen to messages from users, deploy apps or login through Facebook and Twitter. In beta now, so check it out here. Cool!

• Sencha Launched Mobile HTML5 Cloud, Sencha.io

ebizQ always posts great question to ponder, this week it is regarding moving enterprise architecture to the cloud. Is it possible? To sum up our point of view, “definitely.” However, the cloud needs to mature a little more before it is ready for enterprise adoption. There are a few patterns emerging though that need to be taken into account as the cloud becomes a component of enterprise architecture, such as consumerization of IT, the importance of mobile access, and the idea of everything-as-a-service. These are just our opinions though, feel free to input yours in the link below.

• Is it Possible to Move Enterprise Architecture to the Cloud?

Chicago is giving Silicon Valley a run for its money, becoming the number 1 in technology companies in the Midwest. As a result, tech hiring is growing in Chicago. According to Naperville’s TechAmerica, a predicted 1,500 job openings in tech, including software engineers and network and system administrators, will open up annually until 2018. Moreover, as Alter points out, “these aren’t just jobs, these are good jobs.” Tech companies pay top dollar for talented employees, an average $82k a year. So, if you’re looking for a tech position, consider the Chicago tech scene.

• Chicago Leads Tech Hiring

Many myths have developed to combat all the hype surrounding cloud computing. A large one I hear about consistently is cloud security. However, cloud security and vulnerabilities are not at all greater than traditional enterprise infrastructures. In fact, they are quite similar; “security, performance, scalability, and reliability are the vendors’ areas of business focus, so each is clearly a high priority.” Other myths this article touches on are hidden costs that make it more expensive over time, the loss of ownership and control over systems (just because you are in the cloud does not mean you lose control over your information and software), inaccessibility to your data if you switch vendors, and the “one size fits all” idea (the cloud is very customizable and can fit a variety of needs).

• Five Evaporating Myths About Cloud Computing

According to a recent study by Ovam, the global public cloud services market will grow from £11.4bn ($17.8 billion in US) to £42bn ($65.6 billion) by 2016. North America will most likely continue to dominate the market, but see a dip from 54.6% to 50% in 2016. However, the Western European public cloud market is expected to grow 31.2% from 2011 to 2016.

• Ovum Says Public Cloud Services Market is About to Explode

McKendrick outlines nine questions to ask yourself before making the final switch to the cloud: Is your business vertical? Do you have a competitive differentiation in your processes? Is this differentiation IT based? Are there any impediments to outsourcing business? Are there impediments to cloud adoption? Is the primary business driver compatible to the cloud? Is the business logic separated from the underlying technology? Will the cloud solution be a platform? Lastly, are the hardware, operating system and application custom-made or specialized? Answering these questions may allow you to uncover aspects of your business you have not yet considered, and possibly re-evaulate and align your objectives for moving to the cloud.

• Cloud Computing: Nine Questions to Ask Before Casting Your Servers Aside

Blaisdell argues that cloud computing is a safe bet for the future, but nevertheless, there are challenges associated with switching to the cloud. A major challenge revolves around lack of knowledge and understanding. “There are many misunderstandings about what the cloud can and cannot do,” and seeking out cloud case studies and networking with people who have adapted the cloud would be helpful to clear up any misconceptions. Moreover, the fear of trying something new, issues surrounding security, and reliability are all common worries about moving to the cloud. However, as Blaisdell states, “nothing worth doing is not without challenges,” and the benefits of the cloud are “definitely worth it.”

• 5 Challenges in the Journey to the Cloud

According to the US first Chief Information Officer, Vivek Kundra, the government has outsourced over 4,700 systems. Kundra proclaimed that the government’s reluctancy towards cloud computing because of privacy issues is “ridiculous.” “Millions of dollars are spent each year on projects which never quite take off because an old IT model is being utilized rather than cloud computing.” He predicts, however, that the US government will make a major shift over to cloud computing in the next few years.

• Cloud Computing Security Concerns ‘Ridiculous’ Says Expert

Rick Blaisdell argues that cloud computing allows for small businesses to compete against larger enterprises with the use of cloud computing. In the cloud, companies often only pay for what they use, cutting down costs for SMBs. Moreover, SMBs do not need to pay for the infrastructure, management, or IT department to keep the system running smoothly. With the cloud, the size of the company does not necessarily matter anymore, instead, “the main differences between a companies offerings will be marketing and execution.”

• Cloud Computing Will Allow the Smallest Companies to Compete Against the Largest

Many cloud computing enthusiasts keep proclaiming that cloud computing will be as big as the internet, but is it all just wishful thinking? It is certainly growing rapidly for personal and business use. The cloud can save businesses 10-60% on IT costs and allow businesses to accelerate their business vision at a faster rate. There is also a lot of discussion around the government utilizing cloud computing, with savings estimated around $20 billion. Experts have actually collaborated to form US CLOUD2 Commission and drew a roadmap for the government’s cloud adoption. The roadmap outlines a phased cloud implementation that takes place between 12 to 18 months. A large U.S. Senate briefing with CLOUD2 is scheduled for later this month.

• Will Cloud Computing Really be as Big as the Internet?

During the “Great Recession,” many (if not most) companies had to make cutbacks and sacrifices to make up for lost revenue. Unfortunately, this came at the price of laying employees off. During this time, though, SaaS companies managed to grow 30% year-over-year. This was because many companies made the switch over to SaaS solutions, saving them significant money on software and technology. SaaS solutions required them “to get smarter about their businesses, markets and competitors, and solutions,” and offered them a flexibility and affordability they had not previously experienced.
There are a variety of SaaS services for different enterprise needs. This includes CRM, Marketing, Human Resources, and Financials, just to name a few. If you have a need for an SaaS solution, there is certainly one out there that can fulfill your requirements.

• SaaS Makes Good Sense, Even in a Recession

Model Metrics identifies the top five cloud computing priorities for 2011. “The cloud has taken a new shape in 2011. It’s no longer just moving business processes to the cloud; it’s about deploying cutting edge mobile and social apps that enable businesses to change the way their employees work.” Their priorities include designing cloud apps that are more mobile, take advantage of social enterprise technologies, transition your business process to the cloud, design cloud apps that drive adoption, and deploy globally, customize locally.

• Model Metrics Identifies Top Five Enterprise Cloud Computing Priorities

The cloud has allowed companies to grow rapidly without major expenses. It is now easier than ever before to start your own business and do what used to be impossible. It is now easier for companies to be self sufficient with less vendor intervention. “The advent of cloud solutions is allowing companies to maximize their operations by having the software available as SaaS.” They can use this to modify their existing suppliers, carriers, distances, routes, etc, which was otherwise performed by a third party.

• SaaS and Cloud Computing Enables Customer Self Service

Salesforce.com is more than just CRM, it is the basis for which companies run their business on. With Force.com, companies can customize their salesforce.com to do more than just CRM. For example, companies can manage their budgets with apps such as Marketing Budget Management, can connect to colleagues over the world with Chatter, and manage their schedules with CalenderAnything. Those are just three apps available on the AppExchange, with hundreds added every month, and even more when you count private applications that companies such as ourselves design. Don’t call salesforce.com “overhyped” just because you hear about it frequently- there is a reason why salesforce.com is frequently talked about and praised.

• Why Do You Still Doubt Salesforce.com?

This article has a similar point as the previous one. Instead of calling cloud talk “hype,” this author refers to cloud computing talk as “fog.” “Fog” refers to both hype and discussion about the hype (much like what this article is providing). You cannot really know if the cloud hype is built up too much or genuine; however, if the cloud was not useful, the hype would have faded away by now.

• Don’t Dismiss Cloud Computing Hype; Creative Fog is What Makes Cloud Work

I’ll admit it, what attracted me to this article was the title. Fortunately, it has some good points in it as well. A lot of people get simple cloud computing and SaaS confused. The “cloud” is the broader term, whereas SaaS is specific to the service being offered. SaaS is a business application that runs on the cloud, usually with a price. This article names iTunes as an example of a non-cloud SaaS, but that’s really not the the best example seeing as anything that is not in the cloud is in no way SaaS. Stronger examples include Google Docs, Dropbox.com, or Spotify (the priced, cloud version). The best example though will always be salesforce.com.

• Are You on Cloud Nine, or Just Sitting on Your SaaS?

The five aspects Schmidt suggests considering before embracing cloud computing are outages, speed, privacy/security, compatibility, and switching platforms. The one that I would like to focus on is outages. Outages happen, it’s undeniable, so businesses should be prepared. “If there isn’t an alternative to a cloud feature, that should sound some alarms.” Earlier in the year, when Amazon’s EC2 went out, the companies that survived the short outage were ones that had backup servers in place. A main fear that I hear continually brought up about moving to the cloud is the possibility of outages, and from what we have all learned from the past is that the cloud will work smoothly as long as you plan accordingly.

• 5 Things to Consider Before Embracing Cloud Computing

To piggyback off of last week’s Cloudup in which we touched on the predicted growth of SaaS and IaaS, this article states that “enterprise spending on the public cloud is due to grow by 139 per cent between 2010 and 2011.” This was calculated by studying the positive trends recorded in IT expenditure such as “cloud computing, wireless, wireline voice, IP communications and wireline data.”

• Cloud Computing Spending Predicted to Rise

The idea that cloud computing is a new way of going green is not new; we’ve posted a lot of articles about this in the past. This article, unlike the ones in the past, puts a number to this idea. Verdantix’s report “estimates that cloud computing could enable companies to save $12.3 billion off their energy bills.” $12.3 billion also means 85.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions will be saved as well by 2020. If 12 billion dollars isn’t enough to persuade your company to make the swift, I don’t know what will.

• Cloud Computing Could Lead to Billions in Energy Savings

Cloud computing could be very beneficial for SMBs, but unfortunately, a recent Zoomerang survey found that many small and medium-sized business owners are confused on what “the cloud” means and what the technology could mean to them. 47% of the SMBs studied said they were not familiar with the technology, and 25% said they don’t know what it means. To set the record straight, cloud computing for SMBs means not having to deal with physical infrastructures like file and email servers, storage systems, or actual, physical software. “This means less time and money is spent on managing the technology,” as well as provides SMBs with “anywhere, anytime” accessibility to these solutions. Cloud computing means less hassle, less spending, and frees up their time so it can be spent on what really matters to their business.

• The Growing Cloud Computing Market for SMBs

Make sure to check out this ebiz forum on how cloud computing should evolve. Some responses so far claim that the cloud should become more user-friendly and easier to understand, while others say that the cloud does not necessarily need to evolve, per-se, but that it will just by default evolve. What are your takes on this discussion? Add your input through the link below.

• How Should Cloud Computing Evolve?