We’ve been speaking to local businesses in February about what they love – and what they don’t love – about the Cloud. The responses so far:

I love the Cloud:

• “Both Directors work from home, so everything that needs to be shared – notably e-mail, calendar and CRM has been in the Cloud for many years”.

• “We have used hosting on remote servers for the last two years.  We have no servers in house.  We use Microsoft Exchange for email which links to our CRM system which is hosted remotely and therefore available via mobile devices.  It means we don’t have to deal with tech issues, just lean on the supplier when there is a problem, which isn’t often.  Upgrades and other changes like adding more licences are seamless.  We also use remote servers for file sharing in our sister company”

• “I love the fact that someone else handles the geeky details of hosting/data/uptime/backup etc” (@GeorgeAdamson)

• “No need for the dreaded ‘synch’!” (@ie-Matt)

• “Cloud has enabled me to upload images and content to be used in real time by the office in India” (@YourMajesty)

I love it not:

• “It adds cost, but not major value or benefit to us”

• “The main issue I believe is to do with Data Protection legislation and the passing of data outside Europe.”

• “Whilst it’s naturally an agenda item the advice we’ve had to date is to maintain a local server based approach – a decision borne out of recognition that we don’t require extensive web based access all the time (occasional connection to our terminal server hasn’t yet  presented any issues)”

Cloud Computing clearly works for some businesses but won’t be embraced or needed by everyone. I still don’t think we’re seeing the peak of the Cloud, although when we do, I’m sure we’ll still find people who do not love it. It’s virtually impossible to please everyone, just look at the popularity of Apple and yet I still don’t have a single product.

What do you Love or Not Love about the Cloud? Or are you still a Cloud Virgin?

Start-ups are definitely among those businesses who are flying towards the clouds, and with good reasons… At least five of them!

1. No major set up

When a start-up reaches a certain size (usually 5 team members), traditionally they may have considered investing in a server, but today they look to a more economical alternative: One server can cost between £500 and £2,500 . By using the Cloud, the server is managed by a supplier which eliminates the initial outlay.

2. Predictable costs

Another cost benefit for start-ups is that there are no surprises, new software can be added when you need it, new users added instantly – and although the monthly payment will rise to reflect the additions, there are no lump sums, it works just like your mobile phone bill.

3. Scalability

Cloud Computing allows expansion with your business. Many start-ups grow quite quickly and can sadly shrink with as much haste. With the Cloud, software and users can be removed as quickly and easily as they can be added and so the bill is reduced accordingly. As soon as you grow, you don’t need to invest in further servers or software, you simply let your provider know and they’ll expand your Cloud

4. Flexibitliy

In the early stages of business, owners tend to work from home.

Collaborating with partners, associates, even employees can be done very easily with the Cloud. There is no need to be working from the same office, or house. Documents can be shared, computers remotely backed up, and your software can be accessed anywhere.

5. It’s green.

Not all of course, but many start-ups are advocates of sustainability. Clouds have been proven to be green and so this provides not a major, but another incentive for Start-ups to seriously consider the Cloud.

Are you a Start-up business? Are you using the Cloud?

(picture by TungPhoto)

Amazing cost savings are not the only reason why businesses are looking up to the Cloud.

More and more companies are using the service to promote innovation and cultural changes across their business, leading them to become more efficient, dynamic and attract more business.

With collaboration applications like email, calendars, document portals, chat, VCs and many more being accessed on more devices such as tablets, phones and laptops – the need for centralised storage and data integrity is in more demand than ever.

An example of companies exploiting this trend is the big news that BBVA (Spain’s banking giant) is switching 110,000 staff to use Google’s Cloud communication software. The aim of the project was to get the whole company working together, with the need to make “faster and more accurate decisions… and eliminate duplication,” said Ms Herranz, BBVA’s director of innovation.

The deal between Google and BBVA is a historic one as it shows the Cloud can satisfy even the bank’s security regulations and data protection officials.

“To move to the future, you have to leave the past in a box,” said Ms Herranz.

We work in IT… Therefore we must amuse ourselves. We amuse ourselves by insults, office banter, and Justin Bieber.

I’m not saying Justin Bieber doesn’t have talent, let’s just say that once you breach the age of 14 it becomes extremely un-cool to admit it.

And so Justin Bieber has become our most favourite office game: If you leave your computer unlocked when you leave the office, you will be Biebered. This means when you log-in on your return you may have a photo of him as your desktop or his website as your home page.

It’s fair to say that the girls in the office are slightly less technical than the boys in… ‘Technical Support’ so Chloe (tired of being Biebered) retaliated with an attack on Bryan’s computer:

Bieber war continues.

(Photograph by Scottchan)

So businesses understand the Cloud… Great! But what’s the difference between a Public, Private or Hybrid Cloud?!

Each is very different; each has its pros and cons; here is my attempt at an explanation:

Public Cloud

Most of us are already using the Public Cloud if we access our e-mails via Google or Hotmail for example. Services are provided solely over the Internet, making it highly efficient and cost effective. This is usually a good solution for sole traders and freelancers.

Advantages of Public Cloud

• It is usually low cost
• You can access IT software over the Internet to save purchasing it yourself or paying for licenses
• There is minimal, if any set up cost
• It saves time: Software can be installed quickly and if something goes wrong, it can be fixed very fast
• It’s the quickest and easiest way to ‘trial’ the Cloud

Disadvantages of Public Cloud

• You don’t physically have a server in your office, which some people like to see
• You don’t have quite as much control of your IT
• It relies on your Internet connection – if you have a weak or unreliable one, you may have trouble accessing your work

Private Cloud

A Private Cloud limits access to the service to a specific group of people for example. Your work is stored in a data center owned by your cloud provider, or can be stored on a server in your office. This is usually a good solution for small and medium businesses, or those who have strict security issues to adhere to.

Advantages of Private Cloud

• You can still access your work remotely
• It is more secure than the Public Cloud
• Because it ran on hardware, you can have more control of your data
• There is usually more storage on a Private Cloud

Disadvantages of Private Cloud

• It usually costs more money than the Public Cloud
• Risk of hardware damage whether your server is stored on-site or at a data centre

Hybrid Cloud

The dictionary definition of Hybrid = Something having two kinds of components that produce the same or similar results. How this applies to Cloud Computing is that businesses get use of a Private Cloud with access to the cloud for odd times of high usage. This solution is great for larger businesses who might expect a sudden influx of web traffic or enquiries.

Advantages of Hybrid Cloud

• Gives you the best of both Clouds
• Highly scalable

Disadvantages of Hybrid Cloud

• Slightly more complex
• Often the more expensive option

I hope this has helped to demystify some of the Cloud terminology. I’m certain we’ll see more emerge over the coming months and years.

As I said in my last post, I believe that 2012 is going to be the year of the Cloud and here’s why:

• The Cloud is getting serious! People are actually starting to understand it (supported by statistics in my last post), and businesses can see what it can do for them; and so adoption will increase.
• Major companies like Apple are incorporating their Cloud services into their advertisements for the new iPhone which will help raise awareness and deepen understanding.
• The Cloud is already becoming more social, making it ever more appealing. The Cloud currently makes sharing and collaborating much easier. Companies like Salesforce are taking this even further with the introduction of Chatter: A private social network for employees; making communication easier and faster.
• Despite initial speculation over Cloud Computing decreasing the number of jobs available to IT professionals; 2012 will see new IT job titles emerging. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s Technology Sector Group recently announced that its members expect demand for staff with IT skills to increase in 2012 and recruitment has started to see the appearance of job roles such as cloud transformation officer.
• Trust will increase as the Cloud evolves and security becomes even tighter.

People have been claiming the last few years as ‘the year of the cloud’, but only recently have businesses started to understand it and make that transition. We are already seeing an increase in popularity and believe that this year, 2012, is without doubt the year of the cloud (and we promise not to say the same this time next year!).

The beginning

We’ve been an IT company since 2004, we embraced the Cloud in 2007  and we’ve been actively promoting the Cloud since March of 2011. Back in March we ran a quick Twitter poll, which found that 36% of respondents had not heard of Cloud Computing and upon speaking with some of the respondents, we understand that the majority of those who had heard of it, didn’t understand what it actually was.

In the middle

Cloud Computing has exploded into the news, and the workplace throughout 2011. We’ve heard good news about the number of businesses adopting and benefiting; exciting news when big companies like Amazon & Apple created their own Cloud and of course the bad news, such as Amazon’s EC2 going down in April.

We like to think that we’ve done our bit locally: we’ve had 3 events, posted over 30 blog articles and this year we’ve grown our team to support the education on the Cloud in Bristol.

Today

A Twitter poll this morning revealed that 91% of respondents had heard of the Cloud, and although only 27% were using it, a massive 75% said they would be considering it for 2012. Quite a difference in under a year!

The future

It has been said that 2011 has been the year of the Cloud. In our opinion 2011 has been the year of discovering the Cloud; sussing it out; testing the water. 2012 will be the year of adoption of the Cloud.

What does the future hold for the IT in your business?

Despite the 30th November protests, over 60 people turned out to Tech Talks last Wednesday – thank you!

I won’t deny we were nervous – as we get with all of our events, but of course there was no need. The room had a great atmosphere almost instantly; networkers were… well, networking, enjoying the mince pies and a warm coffee, and rather sensibly avoiding the red wine.

The speakers started just five minutes late and throughout their 20 minute talks people were engaged. If the speakers were nervous, they certainly hid it well.

Once the talks were over, the speakers were invited back up as a panel for people’s questions – of which there were many.

The event finished with more networking, which is when people did at last indulge in the wine! Most people stayed around and continued making connections, in fact some were reluctant to leave! Citypoint managers were due to leave at 6pm and were still working at 7pm when the last of us left the building. Legends.

Our verdict:

“We loved it and can’t wait for Tech Talks 2!”

Your verdict:

“I feel bristol needs more meets like these. I’m a meetup groupie and will certainly strive to attend more of these types of sessions. All three talks were delivered well with riveting content. The next session has a lot to live up to and as homage to the speakers from the last session I could certainly hear more of what they have to say. ” @mysqlboy

“Loved techtalksbristol, good speakers, great networking and excellent mince pies!” @BabyCalendars

“Great to see such a strong combination of really interesting speakers and genuinely interested delegates” Thrings.com

“This was both a good networking opportunity and a good way to keep up to date on the development and use of some key technologies. A very productive use of my time! Thank you.” @MrPeterQuintana

Our next event will be in February and we have a top speaker lined up! To be revealed shortly…

It’s officially Moustache Season!

Movember is a global campaign which involves men around the world growing facial hair to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer, among other forms of cancer, that affect men.

There aren’t any other rules, style doesn’t matter as you can see.

With 3 weeks left in Movember, we’re excited about seeing who will grow the longest and best ‘tash.

You can sponsor the team here and we’ll post another photo next week!

Who do you think is winning to far? (from left to right: Andy, Geoff, Chris, Bryan)

The speed of broadband is a common problem for many, including some of our customers; so what can you do about this frustrating problem?

It’s an issue which can really damage your business and lead to significant employee and customer frustration.

Try a different web browser

Not all browsers are equal, using an out of date browser or even some up to date ones can result in poor performance as well as significant security risks. Try one or two of the many alternatives available, you may notice an immediate improvement when browsing websites.

Check your equipment

Are you using an old router or the free one that came with your broadband? It’s possible it needs updating, if it was provided by the company who provided your broadband several years ago give them a call and see if there is a newer model or at the very least a software update.

Alternatively if it’s a cheaper router it might be worth swapping for a better known brand with more features, especially if you’re reliant on Wi-Fi.

Another thing worth checking is the router’s location (ADSL only) in your home/office. The router should be connected to the phone socket closest to where your phone line enters your home, normally the one by your front door. This can make a significant difference to the speed of your connection, especially in older buildings where the internal wiring could be compromised.

An ‘iPlate’ (ADSL only) filters the bell wire which was used to make older analogue phones ring but is not needed for modern phones. The bell wire can cause interference and the iPlate can in some cases make a significant difference to your broadband speed at a cost of only a few pounds.

Talk to your provider

Your provider should be able to carry out a line test to determine if there are any faults on the line. They should be able to offer advice on anything else which can be done to improve performance.

If you currently have an ADSL connection (over your phone line) then it might be worth looking into a cable connection (e.g. Virgin) as this could offer vastly better performance if available in your area.

Usage restrictions

Some broadband providers restrict your usage if you are using your connection heavily, this might be due to the volume of films/music being downloaded over your connection by someone in your household or because you’re using a residential broadband connection for business use. Discuss it with your provider, you may need to pay more for a more appropriate package.

Manage your usage

Many applications launch when you turn on your computer and will be using the Internet without your knowledge, taking up valuable bandwidth. These include things like anti-virus software, Skype, BBC iPlayer, instant messaging applications and backups.

Use Task Manager (or Activity Monitor on a Mac) to see what programs are running in the background and close those that are unnecessary.

For those that you need like anti-virus and backup software, try tweaking the settings so they only update/backup when you’re not using the Internet (e.g. overnight or while you’re on lunch).

Move house/office

If all else fails you can either wait patiently for promised high speed connections we can all expect in the ‘near’ future or move home/office!