Save Money on IT Infrastructures

Reduce IT Infrastructure Costs

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is less known to the general public since it is usually addresses large companies' needs, rather than individuals'. However, IaaS services have a lot to offer to even small companies and could reduce IT costs significantly. In this post, I'll try to elaborate about this topic to help you save money on unnecessary in-house IT infrastructures.



As I've mentioned in the Cloud-up your business post, IaaS is related to IT infrastructure services that can be bought, or rented, over the Internet. For those who needs it most, this definition means nothing. In order to simplify it, here are some examples of infrastructures that are in use in businesses: storage, network services, security appliances and databases.

But how could you use export your organization storage, or network services, to the cloud?

Imagine that your business required 1TB of storage in 2008 to archive all invoices, customers' data, internal documents, accounting reports and so on. If you want a reliable way to store all this important data, and to allow access to it from every where, you would have to do the following:
(1) Buy at least 2 hard-drives (for redundancy) of 3 TB each (to allow future growth)
(2) Install it in a secure and appropriate place (so nobody would be able to steal it, or just accidentally trip over it)
(3) Connect it to the business network (using another computer or a router)
(4) Configure everything
(5) Define security policy and how to enforce it
(6) Routinely maintain the disks so it won't get fragmented (which affects speed and performance)
(7) Install UPS to the storage and network devices to allow availability in case of a power failure

Having done all this, and you still left with a major problem - if there are more than one physical locations for your office, or you wish to work from home, in every problem that may happen from those HDs to the remote location, you will loose your ability to work. If the UPS is down, if the cleaning lady/guy broke something by mistake, if the router has malfunctioned, if there are too many people accessing the HD at once, if...    All would damage your work in the short run, and make you loose customers and business opportunities in the long run.

Using the alternative cloud-based storage is done as follows:
(1) Select your preferable service provider (such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazone Web Services, etc.)
(2) Sign-up for the service
(3) Configure all devices to work with the selected service
(4) Go to a happy-hour-beer-serving bar and watch a Euro 2012 football match

In this way, you would never have to worry about maintenance, or possible failures. As long as you have an Internet connection, you will always be able to access your business data. The IaaS service provider companies will take care of the rest - matinating the health of their storage device, the security policy, backups, replacing malfunctioned hardware, iron your shirts, and so one. And all for just a few dollars per month. Amazing, isn't it?!

This is also applied for network services, which allows you to set a secured network for your organization, without installing your own modems and routers from point-to-point. ISP are using advanced network technologies such as MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) to set-up Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) according to their customers' needs and specifications. These VPNs acts as private networks for organizations and businesses allowing them to control traffic, ensure quality-of-service to end-users, enforce security policy and more. Before that, companies needed to install their own network appliance to benefit from these services. Nowadays, it is all one phone call  away from being "installed" in your company and starting to save you money and increase your efficiency.

You can use Cloudorado, or alternative comparison websites, to compare between some of the IaaS providers.

The main takeaway is that almost everything can be bought/rented as a cloud service. All that needs to be done is to define the specifications of your needs and find the appropriate provider.


NinjaCloud

Improve Your Customer Relationship Using the Cloud

Use Cloud CRM Services to improve your business

"We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better."

Jeff Bezos, Co-founder and CEO of Amazon

Not so long ago, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) was the enterprises' and large organizations' heritage. SMBs could not afford the costs of developing, purchasing nor maintaining CRM systems. However, this has changed due to the revolution of Cloud Computing. Nowadays, any business, as small as a self-employed plumber with no office space, can provide his customers with better service, and with virtually no additional cost.

CRM systems enables businesses to increase profitability, retain customers,  attract new customers, offer new services and products, improve customer service and more. By using CRM, companies were able to maintain a strong relationship with their customers in an automatic and easy way. Imagine an airline company that uses CRM to track customers' bookings, offer attractive and relevant flights, identy preferences and customize service offered, alert when a customer is unhappy and even provide an easy way to complain or send suggestions for improvement. All these create a stronger relationship between the customer to the company and increase the sense of loyalty between them. The bottom line - CRM creates a bigger and a more sustainable revenue stream to the company.

Before Cloud Computing services started to pop-up like mushrooms after the rain, CRM systems (and many other services discussed in past and future posts) were expensive software that a business needed to install on an independent server. Setting up a CRM system in a business accompanied with high costs of customization, development, hardware and software implementation, personnel training, maintenance costs, etc. It goes without saying that only multi-million dollar companies could afford these kind of expenses - among them, large retailers, airline companies, IT firms, banks and other financial institutes, electronic products vendors, and so on. Cloud Computing revolutionized the industry by offering a standardized, and easy to use, CRM services that can be rented by any business. All a business needs to setup its own CRM is to sign up to one of the many online services, and immediately improve its relationship with its customers. 

To make the your job easier, following are a few services that you can experiment with. All you have to do is to find what suites your company's needs best.

1. SAP
2. Microsoft Dynamics CRM
3. salesforce
4. ZOHO CRM
5. ElementsCRM (for mac business)

If you find it difficult to start, and you feel like you need a little push to get started, do not hesitate to comment with questions. We'd be glad to offer additional guidance.

NinjaCloud

Quote of the Day page

Check out the new Quote of the Day page!

We will keep updating this page with cool quotes from around the world (and our own) related to the topic.

Feel free to add here as comments quotes of your own - the best ones will get an honorable place on the Quote of the Day page!

Click here to get to the page.

Cloud-up your business !

Starting a business and worried about initial large expenses?

Use what the Cloud has to offer to improve your business success!

Watch the following video for a quick introduction:

If you have ever owned a business, or thinking about starting one, you are probably aware of the vast variaty of services that you need to set up only to get your business processes going; email servers, human resources software, accounting programs and web servers are just the most common services in use in almost every business. To that, one need to take into consideration network infrastructures, hardware, server rooms, electricity bills, maintenance costs and so on. Naturally, you are also aware of the expenses associated with these services.

The massive growth in Cloud Computing allows you to significaly  minimize costs and set-up time. It also allows you to hire virtualy no technical team to operate your business IT systems. Yet, down-time related to technical problems or software/hardware upgrades are almost doesn't exist. To those who know something about IT, this is highly impressive.

It is all very nice so far. However, WHERE DO YOU START FROM?!

In order for us to exploit the Cloud advantages, we really need to understand it first.

In a nutshell, like every good thing, the Cloud methodology is divided to 3 layers:

1. Infra-structure (as a Service - IaaS) - virtual machines, servers, network resources, storage, etc.
2. Platform (as a Service - PaaS) - web servers, databases, development tools, etc.
3. Application (Software as a Service - SaaS) - email, virtual desktop, portals, CRM, social networks, etc.
Definitions source: Wikipedia

The simple, most commonly used, is the Application layer, which requires minimum customization, and it is ready to use almost immediately.

Another key term that you need to be familiar with is the Client. And by client, we don't mean customer, but the entity that communicates with the Server. Cloud computing works on a client-server model which means that by using your web-browser, smartphone, terminal, POS (Point of Sale terminal) - the Clients - you can access your email account, CRM system, Calendar, HR system, etc. All of these are applications that runs on servers. In the Cloud, these servers are owned by a third-party company which provide you with the service based on the Internet network.

The following drawing might help you visualize it a bit better:

Image source: Photons and Electrons blog

Now, I hope that you are ready to get your hands "dirty' and play with some cool Cloud applications that might come in handy in your business. I have put together the following list to give you the feeling of what you can get out of the Cloud for FREE. Please don't be afraid and search the web for other applications that suits your needs best (even if it costs a buck or two).

1. Wave accounting - allows managing receipts, bills, expenses, credit lines and more in a simple way

2. Natural HR - human resource management

3. Clearvale - orgarnization social network and team collaboration tools

For more advanced and enterprise oriented solutions, refer to HP, IBM, Cisco and Microsoft.

You will never know what you are missing until you try it yourself!

Please see this post as your canvas to write about more cool cloud-based applications that you have found and inspire others.

Enjoy

NinjaCloud

Cloud Index important Highlights

The Company CISCO generates the Global Cloud Index, an effort to forecast the growth of global data center and Cloud based IP traffic. 


Some of their most important statistics to highlight:

• Annual global data IP traffic will reach 4.8 zettabytes by 2015 increasing more than 1800% (1 ZB= 10³ EB = 10⁶ PB = 10⁹ TB = 10¹² GB = 10¹⁵ MB = 10¹⁸ kB = 10²¹ bytes)
• By 2014 more than 50% of the workloads of public and private companies will be processed on the cloud.
• Cloud IP traffic will grow at a rate of 66% (CAGR)
• Cloud IP Traffic will account for more than a third part of the total IP traffic by 2015

Rock the Cloud

For the interested in Cloud Computing living in Spain this might be useful.

The next May 10th Cisco Spain will be developing an event for the interested in knowing about the future  of Cloud Computing. More Info...

The parts that make up a greater whole

When referencing the Cloud there are in fact two categories that fall under the general term. Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage, though both in the Cloud, are entirely different services; one providing the processing power and program usage presently found on PC's, while the other is a storage of data facility. Either can be used independently of the other and so it is worthwhile to consider them separately. For the purposes of this blog, however, we will generally talk of the Cloud as a single entity. Realizing that as the adoption of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage become the norm, the ubiquitous nature of the Cloud will reduce the differentiation of its separate parts. Just as normal users of PC's see memory and processing not as tangential things but indistinguishable parts of a whole, so to will the separate aspects of the Cloud be overlooked as its use becomes more widespread.

Applications in the Cloud for individuals

The following entry describes the different kinds of applications there are now offered in the framework of Cloud Computing:

• iCloud: This is Apple Inc. service for storage that went live in June 2011. This service permits to store music, photos applications and documents and download them on remote computer services as well as serving as center for synchronizing email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, notes and lists. This service counted with 125M users in April 2012 and continues to rise as it was reported in its quarter 2012 report. 

• CampaignCloud: This is a Microsoft operated platform that offers the service for developing internet campaigns with the different applications of ElectionMall.com. This service went live in 2010. Among the different tools and applications ElectionMall offers there are: WebTools, GOTV Manager, Take Action Web Page, Donation Pages among others.

• DropBox: This is a service to store multiplatform files in the cloud provided by Dropbox. This service allows it users to store and synchronize files online and share them among other users. The service went live in 2009 and it now has 25M users who share 200M files a day. 

• GoogleDocs: This platform provided by Google allows users to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations online as well as sharing, storing and controlling the privacy of the documents they create. The platform also allows users to upload existing files including .DOC, .PPT and .XLS files. It is supported by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari. 

And last but not least Google launched on Abril 24th, 2012 its new storage system Google Drive that in only 24 hours after its launching reached 5M downloads. 

• GoogleDrive: This is Google Cloud Computing service that offers its users 5GB free for storaging and sharing files as well as a Premium paid version. 

The Physical Presence of Cloud Computing

When we think of cloud computing we generally think of removing the hardware, or more specifically the processing power from our home computers to a centralized system in the Cloud. This is an apt thought in that the future of computing seems to be moving away from personal computers that hold all of our data and programs, and moves these things to a more ubiquitous, almost intangible arena in the ether.

Far from the ether, however, Cloud Computing has a physical presence with interesting ramifications. Take Apple for example, a company that has aligned its strategy with the potential Cloud Computing presents. In its case, the physical aspect of the Cloud is a massive facility of 500,000 square feet that dwarfs any other facility Apple presently owns. The iDatacenter in Maiden, North Carolina though huge has only 50 full time employees. It is specifically a storage and processing center, with no other operations being done there.

Like any big facility this one attracts myriad concerns. The physical security, an interesting twist on internet security, is far different from the virus protection found on many home computers. Security guards, cameras and barbed wire protect data.

The huge electrical need of a facility with such processing power has drawn criticism that until recently would seem unlikely for a computer company. Greenpeace has complained that the power consumption primarily uses coal power and thus makes Apple a dirty emitter. Perhaps in response Apple announced a 20 megawatt array of solar panels to reduce the facilities dependence on local power sources.  

These are interesting considerations in the movement from PC’s to Cloud Computing. 

Introduction to Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is probably one of the most popular technological innovation of our decade. One of the most exciting things about it is that anyone can enjoy from its benefits, individuals and enterprises as one.

Cloud Computing is not a totally new concept, it is basically an elaboration and development of an old concept - mainframe-terminal computing - that was invented more than 50 years ago.

Few years later, In the early 80's, personal computers became cheaper and cheaper and allowed the use of local storage and processing power in order to complete day-to-day computing assignments. This caused the elimination of terminals and mainframes almost entirely.

However, in the past 5 years we are witnessing a major change back towards centralized resources. Storage as well and processing resources can be used by many end-users from all around the world in a much effective manner than it was in the years before that. The main facilitator of the recent transformation is the massive growth in the Internet bandwidth.

People are now, more than ever, are using their PC (or MAC.) only as a portal and an interface to the content, personal and private, which is found on the Internet. Enterprises have also joined the revolution and are currently investing large amounts of resources in order to replace their present IT infrastructures with cloud-based servers and network.

In our following posts we will address many topics related to Cloud Computing; pros and cons, market, products, security issues, etc.

See you all soon.

The Ninja Cloud