Cloud Computing Trends: Where is the Cloud Headed Next?

Cloud adoption has been quick and painless at the consumer level. For instance, everyone’s on Gmail, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis yet most think nothing of the fact that they’re already using cloud-based services. Small businesses have also discovered how cloud solutions have raised efficiency in the workplace up a notch or two, while also bringing about significant cost savings. Cloud applications, particularly those for communication, file sharing, office software, backup and storage, and customer management, have rapidly grown in usage among SMBs.

In the same manner, large corporations are starting to see the potential of moving some of their IT department, whether its infrastructure or network management, to the cloud. By all indications it would seem that whether we are ready for it or not, cloud computing technology is here for the long haul.

So where is the cloud headed to next? In this post we examine the trends in the world of cloud computing and what likely lies in store in the near future for cloud users.

Focus on Security

Security has always been a key concern in the cloud computing industry and this will not go away anytime soon. If anything, data security in the cloud will only get to be in the limelight even more as cloud adopters grow in number. That’s why we expect professional cloud services providers to start implementing measures that will help slowly build up confidence in cloud security.

We should soon see more advanced security techniques and protocols that would increase the overall level of privacy and protection for cloud-stored information. Tighter security for login encryptions and prevention of unauthorized access are priority although there are a lot more issues that may need to be addressed. Now it remains to be seen whether these moves are enough for corporate clients to put their full trust in the cloud. But then again, they can always find ways to stay secure while making use of cloud computing where they can, which brings us to the next cloud trend.

Hybrid Approach

Large businesses are taking a longer time to get used to and actually use cloud services, and understandably so. After all, these companies have more at stake when it comes to dealing with such valid issues as security, compliance, outages, legacy systems, and more. However, they also cannot ignore the very appealing characteristics of the cloud. For big companies that have substantial IT needs, scalability, business agility, and faster deployment are listed as the biggest draws of the cloud.

This is why analysts predict that as as these businesses look toward leveraging the benefits of the cloud while at the same time maintaining control over mission critical data and systems, the use of a hybrid approach, i.e. putting some services in a public and at the same time opting to utilize a private cloud for other applications, will see enormous growth.

Mobile Cloud Computing

The BYOD or Bring Your Own Device business policy is another emerging trend that would not have been possible if not for cloud technology. This practice involves having employees bring their mobile devices to work, allowing them to access company files, data, and applications from their personally-owned gadgets in and out of the workplace.

As with any new business practice, the concept of BYOD can be both advantageous and disadvantageous. On the one hand, some believe it helps increase employee productivity and lifts their morale, while reducing overall IT costs. On the other hand, BYOD also opens up a whole new set of problems that are quite consistent with what many businesses take issue with with cloud technology: security. Do the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa? This much isn’t clear yet but what is evident is that more cloud apps are going mobile.

Efficiency, Innovation

While cost savings has always been one benefit that cloud proponents are quick to point out, its capability to improve and streamline business processes, thereby increasing efficiency and agility within the organization, is another key opportunity that the cloud offers. This is evident when you take a look at the most commonly used cloud services: backup and archiving, business continuity, collaboration tools, and big data processing.

Moreover, the cloud is making it easier for individuals to create new products and produce new lines of business. With access to higher IT capacity at lesser cost and at faster deployment rates, businesses can scale into more innovation without having to worry about the availability of computing resources.

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Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is a vital component in BC (Business Continuity) planning. Through risk assessment, your company may determine what vulnerabilities your assets possess. Not only that, you’ll also be able to quantify the loss of value of each asset against a specific threat. That way, you can rank them so that assets that are most likely to cripple your business when say a specific disaster strikes can be given top priority.

However, a poorly implemented risk assessment may also cost you unnecessary expenditures. Many risk assessors are too enthusiastic in pointing out risks that, at the end of the assessment, they tend to over-appraise even those having practically zero probability of ever occurring.

We can assure you of a realistic assessment of your assets’ risks and propose cost-effective countermeasures. These are the things we can do:

  • Identify your unsafe practices and propose the best alternatives.
  • Perform qualitative risk assessment if you want fast results and lesser interruptions on your operations.
  • Perform quantitative risk assessment if you want the most accurate depiction of your risks and the corresponding justifiable costs of each.
  • Conduct frequency and consequence analysis to identify unforeseen harmful events and determine their effects to various components of your organisation and its surroundings.

We can also assist you with the following:

ESOS What is the Truth?

When the UK administration introduced its ESOS Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme reactions from business people followed a familiar theme.

  • Do nothing it will go away
  • The next Westminster will drop this
  • Another stealth tax. I don’t have time for this
  • Give the problem to admin and tell them to fix it

ecovaro decided to share three facts with you. These are

(1) ESOS is not a government money spinner

(2) all major political parties support it, and

(3) it is a cost-effective way to put money back in your pocket while feeling better about what business pumps into the environment.

Four More ESOS Facts

1. You Cannot Give the Problem to Admin ? Energy is technical. The lead belongs with your operations staff because they understand how your systems work. Some things are best outsourced though. ecovaro is here to help.

2. ESOS is Not Going to Go Away ? A company inside the regulation net must submit its first report by 6 December 2015. Non-compliance risks the following penalties:

  • ?5,000 for not maintaining adequate records
  • ?50,000 for not completing the assessment
  • ?50,000 for making a false or misleading statement

3. The Employee Count is the Annual Average – The employment criteria (unlike balance sheet and turnover) is the monthly average of full and part-time employees taken across the full financial year. The fact you have <250 employees in December 2015 when the first report is due does not necessarily let you off the hook.

4. The 6 December 2014 Report is No Big Deal ? When you think about it the administration is hardly likely to spend years wading through 9,000 detailed company energy plans. It has no authority to comment in any case. All that is required is for a senior director to confirm reading the document, and a lead assessor to agree it complies with the law.

Does this mean that ESOS is a damp squib? We do not think so, although some firms may take the low road. ecovaro believes the financial benefits will carry the process forward, and that the imperative to make the world a better place will do the rest.

What are the benefits of digital forms data collection
Field Service Workers are regularly engaged to collect data or carry out inspections and assessments when visiting customer sites or remote area locations. The data collected by Field Service workers, will be used by businesses who will analyse, process and build reports based on the large volumes of data collected. The accuracy and reliability of data collected is vitally important. Traditionally businesses may have deployed mail surveys, telephone interviews, door-to-door surveys and interviews performed by Field Workers to collect data. Digital Transformation is gradually changing many business operations and a great deal of processes which were traditionally executed manually are now accomplished making use of digital methods. Technology is having a major impact not only how businesses research and analyse data, but primarily how data and information is collected. New tools and processes to data collection are improving data collection and analysis, leading to dramatic improvements and maximisation and optimisation of resources and operations. Utilising Digital Data Collection methods enables organisations to not only obtain results quicker but also use the data to make data based decisions faster.

What is a Digital Form?

Digital Forms, also known as Mobile Forms are electronic versions of paper forms that can be completed using:
  • Laptop
  • Tablet
  • Smart Phone
  • Any Mobile Device

Why Use Digital Forms ?

Digital forms can be a simple yet highly effective solution to overcome the challenges presented by paper based forms. Digital forms can be filled out directly using Smart phones and tablets in the field
  • When not connected to the internet or even low speed internet connections
  • When working in remote locations
  • To avoid damage, illegible handwriting or even lost and misplaced forms.
Digital forms can also include data validation logic to ensure field workers complete every form as expected and required, which will enforce and ensure data integrity . Field Service teams appreciate these features and help ensure the validity and accuracy of the data and insights they collect and can be confident regarding making business critical data based decisions. Data and Information collected using mobile forms can be accessible in near real-time, helps enable field teams to sidestep potential obstacles to productivity, and act on opportunities and increasing business agility.

Advantages of Digital Forms

Time and Cost Saving

Using Digital Forms instead of paper-based forms provides a significant impact on improving time and cost savings on printing, storing and distribution costs. Businesses also spend a significant amount of time and money in Administration and double data entry processes incurred by paper based forms. Transferring information from paper based surveys is an error prone process.
Digital Forms can save up to 20 man hours a week in administration costs

Improve data accuracy

Digital Forms can auto-populate fields based on prior data entered and also enable field-level validation. Digital data collection also eliminated data entry errors and data loss. Additional data can also be automatically be gathered such as Username, Geo-location and Time & Date.

Real Time Reporting

The issue with Paper-based data collection is that there will always be a time lag before reports or decision can be made. With a digital platform, such as FieldElite – Mobile Workforce Management , data can be processed and analysed as it is collected. Providing data driven insights to provide proactive rather than reactive reports to improve and optimise operations in real time.

It’s time to go Digital Forms!

Data Collection using Digital Forms will propel your company into the future and transform your data collection, data entry and analysis providing accurate data driven insights in real time. Digital forms are also mobile-optimized, updated in real time, and accessible by multiple parties, eliminating unnecessary meetings and emails. If you have a business and still haven’t used digital forms to gather information, contact Denizon today to organise a Demo of FieldElite – Mobile Workforce Management and discover how we can help you to transform your Field Service Operations

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