Productivity@Work Series

COMPUTINGCLOUD

IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?

CLOUD COMPUTING — IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 2

Most businesses are already familiar with one aspect of cloud computing: software

delivered over the Internet. Think of it as renting vs. buying your software.

Many small businesses simply use the “cloud” to host productivity applications, such

as e-mail, document creation and sharing, and calendars, relieving them of the time

and expense needed to run and maintain the software on their own computers.

In this paper we will focus on how specific applications for file sharing and unified

communications can be delivered from the cloud with the Software as a Service

(SaaS) model, in which services are housed and maintained by a service provider,

freeing the business to focus on its business instead of its infrastructure.

According to analyst firm SMB Group, use of cloud applications among small and

medium-sized businesses is poised to grow from 33 percent to 44 percent in 2014.

And many small business CEOs are anxious to learn more.

What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is a term that refers to centralized storage, shared data processing tasks and online access to computer services through remote servers hosted on the Internet.

Only 30% of small businesses are using cloud technology.Source: 2014 Ipsos Survey Conducted on Behalf of Microsoft

...use of cloud applications among small and medium-sized businesses is poised to grow...to 44 percent in 2014.

CLOUD COMPUTING — IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 3

The surge in adoption of cloud computing by small businesses is outpacing that of larger enterprises. This isn’t surprising, considering that having access to sophisticated software and enterprise-level applications without the expense of buying and maintaining them gives the smaller, smarter players an opportunity to level the playing field with their bigger competitors.

The benefits of leveraging this type of computing environment are numerous,

beginning with cost savings. The primary savings come from the lack of capital

expenditure to buy a program or equipment. Servers, for instance, run between

$2,000 and $6,000, and companies might need to add multiple machines as

demands on their IT system grow. This capital can now be funneled to other

vital projects.

Additional benefits include:

• Lower administrative costs. IT solutions can be deployed extremely quickly and

managed, maintained and upgraded remotely by your service provider — without

the need for an in-house IT staff. Plus, as cloud storage has taken hold, prices have

been dropping regularly.

• Improved utilization of resources. Moving more and more applications,

infrastructure, and even support into the cloud can free up precious time, effort and

budgets to concentrate on the real job of leveraging technology to improve the

mission of the company. It really comes down to making better use of your time —

focusing on your business and allowing cloud providers to manage the resources

to get you to where you need to go.

• Pay for what you use. Scalability and flexibility are valuable advantages offered by

cloud computing, allowing customers to react quickly to changing IT needs, adding

or subtracting capacity and users as and when required and responding to real

rather than projected requirements. And, because cloud computing follows a utility

model in which service costs are based on actual consumption, you only pay for

what you use.

• Quick and easy implementation. Without the need to purchase hardware, software

licenses or implementation services, a company can get its cloud computing

arrangement launched very quickly.

IS CLOUD COMPUTING RIGHT FOR YOU?

It really comes down to making better use of your time — focusing on your business and allowing cloud providers to manage the resources to get you to where you need to go.

CLOUD COMPUTING — IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 4

• Quality of service. Typically, vendors offer 24/7 customer support and an

immediate response to emergency situations. Be sure to ask about guaranteed

service levels, ensuring your applications and/or services are always online and

accessible.

• Access from anywhere and better collaboration. Access your applications and

data securely from any location via an Internet connection. It’s easier to collaborate

too; with both the application and the data stored in the cloud, with some

applications multiple users can work together on the same project, share calendars

and contacts, etc.

Better data security. According to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek, “an

estimated 800,000 laptops are lost or stolen every year in airports alone.” If

you store all of your data on a laptop or mobile device, this information can be

easily stolen and accessed on your computer device. However, if you use cloud

computing instead, your laptop is merely a device through which you access and

work on your applications. The data itself will not be stolen with the laptop.

• Disaster recovery/backup. Recent research has indicated that nearly 90 percent

of businesses do not have adequate disaster recovery or business continuity plans,

leaving them vulnerable to any disruptions that might occur. Cloud computing

enables you to store important files and information in the event your business is

hit by a disaster – whether manmade like a terrorist attack or natural like a storm

that takes out your electricity. Files stored in the cloud ensure that there’s always a

copy available 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Businesses using the cloud consume 30% less energy and produce considerably less carbon emissions than those using on-site servers.Source: Sales Force

DID YOU KNOW?

CLOUD COMPUTING — IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 5

VOICE FROM THE CLOUDHosted voice solutions let companies focus on their future instead of their infrastructure. They replace large, upfront capital outlays with predictable monthly charges, and they offer specific advantages for business in which mobility and availability are crucial. No longer do employees need to be hardwired into an on-premises infrastructure to use their communication tools. Phone calls, voicemail and contacts can be accessed from your office phone, smart phone or laptop, enabling you to do your job wherever your work takes you.

With hosted voice, employees can be reached via a single phone number, no matter

where they are or what device they are using. Advanced features such as voicemail-

to-email and click-to-call within PC applications are possible. And new offices and

users can quickly be added to the system.

Hosted voice solutions eliminate many of the hidden costs of traditional on-premises

phone systems. Since service providers are responsible for upgrades, maintenance,

and even the electricity, users don’t have to factor them into their cost calculations.

Service costs are entirely predictable and transparent, coming in the form of monthly

subscription fees.

Cloud-based voice services are location-independent. They work with the most

far-flung of organizations and are perfect for virtual organizations and companies

that have a large number of mobile workers or anticipate opening new offices

or branches in the future. But even smaller businesses can benefit and get the

advantages of high-quality voice service that was previously beyond their reach –

at an affordable price tag.

Hosted Voice —Easy to use, easy to scale, and easy to afford. Hosted voice gives businesses a sophisticated phone system without the complexity – or the headaches.

CLOUD COMPUTING — IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? 6

If the benefits of cloud computing and hosted voice have caught your attention, it’s time to take this to the next step. But before you do, be sure to heed the advice of those who have gone before you. Probably one of the best pieces of advice is to start small. Cloud computing is a different way of working and building familiarity and trust takes time. One potential way to start if you’re a Comcast Business Class Internet customer is to begin using the Microsoft Communication Services already included in your Comcast Internet package.

Using Windows Sharepoint, for instance, you can set up a site to store and share

files where co-workers can access them from anywhere they have Internet access

(office, client site, home, hotel, airport, soccer game...). Because cloud-based apps

are designed to work across desktops, tablets and smart phones, users can stop

working on one device and pick up right where they left off on a different device in a

new location. It can even automatically notify users when a file is added or updated —

no more wondering if that email attachment is the latest version of the file. You don’t

need to worry about having to maintain expensive in-house servers and your files are

automatically backed up offsite.

When evaluating hosted voice service providers, look for one that includes network

access in the cost of a hosted voice service. When both the network and the voice

service are monitored and managed by the same provider, it allows for improved

service quality and a single point of contact for customer support. This is the

approach Comcast Business has taken with its Business VoiceEdge™ service, a

hosted solution with high-definition voice that comes with a dedicated network so

your voice traffic doesn’t have to fight for bandwidth with everything else traveling

over your data network.

Once your company grows more comfortable with the new work environment, you

can start adding more cloud services to the mix.

GETTING STARTED

…users can stop working on one device and pick up right where they left off on a different device in a new location.