Cloud Computing

What is CLOUD Computing?

With cloud computing, you basically rent capacity in a provider’s data centre, and connect over the internet. The provider’s staff install, maintain and upgrade hardware and software as required. Typically you’ll rent a service, such as data storage or email or accounting, rather than ‘a server’ as such, and pay $X per user or $Y per business per month

What can we put in the CLOUD?

• PBX (Switchboard)
• Exchange (Email)
• Security such as mail virus scanning, internet filtering etc.
• File replication for Disaster Recovery.
• Backups
• SQL
• Applications such as Google Docs
• Data access for Ipads
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What is the downside of CLOUD computing?

• Still yet to be seen cost comparisons between conventional and CLOUD for SMB’s.
• Extra Bandwidth maybe required, depending on application, there will also be extra data download costs.
• If internet is down, no services at all, this could mean phones, email, and accounting etc.
• You loose independence and control, and problems with extracting data from cloud.
• Company data maybe be housed overseas. Very unknown.
• Possible hidden costs when changes need to be made.
• May not work for some required solutions (ie production which has high data needs)
• Service guarantees not much help, just think of new Microsoft CLOUD solution down for days + Amazon, Google Gmail, VirginBlue,  & National Aust Banks recent problems (to name a few)
• An analysis of Cloud Computing contracts described them as ‘a veritable minefield of legal risks’

What are some of the issues with CLOUD computing?

• Privacy
• Compliance
• Unilateral variation of the contract
• Law & jurisdiction
• Security, encryption & backup
• Availability and Performance
• Service level agreements
• Sustainability
• Transition out if move to another provider
• Consequential losses & collateral damage
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Quick Cloud vs. onsite Exchange – 2011 Total Cost Comparisons over 3 years (50 mailboxes and does include retention of staff mailboxes who leave the organisation)