Are you upgrading your network system or gaining more information than your physical services have space for? There is a way around having to purchase more servers, hire and train new IT personnel, and getting new software approved. Cloud computing may be the new option your department needs to keep the demands for more space at bay.
Cloud computing is basically servers online. All of the information you would store on a server would instead be stored with cloud computing. Cloud computing is still in its early development stages, but companies are jumping at the idea of having their information stored over the Internet.
Some of the leading companies are taking a step toward building their own version of cloud computing. Many of vendors such as Dell, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard are looking into what cloud computing could mean for their companies. In order for different computer industries to survive, they need to stay caught up or ahead of their competition. IBM already announced in August 2008 that they would be building a cloud computing data center to meet the needs of their customers. Dell seems to be following suit.
Cloud computing has many businesses concerned if it is reliable and safe. With the increase in hacking, business owners want to know that their information will be protected and guaranteed safe. Another major concern is if cloud computing is as reliable as many companies are saying it is. There has to be a level of trust between the company and the service provider. When Amazon’s S3 service was down for six hours on July 20, 2008, many customers and potential cloud computing users began to wonder if cloud computing was worth the trouble. If companies cannot access the virtual servers to get their information not only are the companies going to be affected but so are the service providers. There is still much development in store for cloud computing.