Cloud computing in a nutshell

Where, exactly, is the cloud?

Back when the Internet was perceived as nothing short of witchcraft, it was often shown on charts as a cloud: a sort of giant ether in the sky, way beyond your home or office.

It’s actually a very good metaphor: nowadays data and even programs don’t have to live on your PC; but can instead be 'hosted' (or stored) on the internet – or 'in the cloud'.

Cloud computing therefore simply means handling major computing tasks externally online rather than within your four walls, and it brings a whole bunch of benefits.

Firstly, a ‘hosted services provider’ with their own computing expertise looks after all the technology for you, which means all you have to do is access your documents and programs when you need them over the internet. If, like many small businesses today, funding pressures mean you don't fancy spending more capital on IT, hosted services can therefore give you access to the quality services enjoyed by larger companies without the upfront technology costs.

There are already ‘cloud’ (or ‘hosted’) versions of many popular programs - like CRM to handle your customer relations, Exchange for email, or a whole suite of office services (many of which are free) at Office Online. Whichever you choose, you'll get…

Although the technology is still relatively new, as hosted solutions become more mature and prevalent, they’ll eliminate the need to buy and maintain much of the IT we take for granted. The future most likely holds that only basic productivity software will live on your PC - with everything else online. Your data may be up there in the cloud, but hosted solutions will keep your financial feet firmly on the ground.