Era of the Cloud Video

Main Takeaways:

• Business technology and processes are always shifting no matter then industry or time period. Even in a completely different industry, the concept of constantly changing technology is relevant. Compared to old processes in the metals industry, many large plants exist today. As with the cloud, it is a new technology and way of doing business that has evolved from many standard large IT infrastructures

• The shift in technology is often first rejected, but then quickly seen as better way which promotes change. As seen with the music industry, mediums have changed. At first, many people didn't see the need to have an MP3 player because their CD player worked just fine. The same kind of view applies to the cloud as many don't see the need at first but will eventually accept it

• Cloud offers a consolidated IT infrastructure that is easier for a company to maintain and keeps costs lower. Because software and data can be accessed  from the cloud it reduces the need for a company to have to maintain a bunch of individual IT components - just maintain the cloud and the rest will be set

• Cloud computing promotes collaboration which can promote innovation and higher efficiency. The best example of this we have seen is with the use of Google Docs for group projects. Many of us on a project team can collaborate on a single document which increases innovation because ideas are able to be shared in a single place

• Many cloud models have been developed so the cloud can be very applicable to various business cases. For instance Software as a service (SAAS) offers a lower cost solution for small and large companies to purchase and access key software and systems. Because the cloud has been around for awhile, models have been developed and proven to work.