Small businesses moving to the cloud: a Q&A

by Jordan Ougrinov, Staff Writer
Idea Cafe, April 14th, 2009

Cloud computing is coming to small business, and it brings benefits in terms of price and stability. A number of different services, necessary for running a small business, can run as a hosted (cloud) service. We explore the issue in an exclusive Q&A with Scott Kinka, Senior Vice President at EvolveIP.

Idea Cafe: What is the cloud and how can it help small businesses? What types of services run in the cloud?

Scott Kinka: The Cloud is a metaphor for the service provider's network or the Internet. The concept of cloud-based services is that a service provider supports the infrastructure or application needs of a customer from their network operations center, using the provider's equipment, facilities, software and expertise. The customer typically eliminates the need for on-site servers, software and equipment. Services are "virtualized" at the service provider's location.

Services can include: CAAS (Communications as a service), which includes Hosted Phone Systems and Messaging Applications; SAAS (Software as a Service), like Salesforce.com and Google Apps; and IAAS (Infrastructure as a service), which can include things like hosted network and security services (firewalls, e-mail security, network monitoring).

Is now a good time for SMBs to make the move to the cloud?

Now is a perfect time for SMBs to make a move to the cloud. Cloud services offer SMBs the opportunity to get access to technologies and solutions that are generally out of reach to smaller businesses based on cost and/or expertise. Because services are virtualized by the service provider, these solutions often represent a lower total cost of ownership than attempting to build that solution in-house at the customer location. Most importantly, cloud services are normally offered as a predictable monthly service fee, which eliminates cost overruns and upfront capital, and keeps the service provider responsible for your ongoing satisfaction. In short, cloud services are often a better, faster, cheaper alternative for SMBs to get access to new technology.

Read the full interview online here: Small businesses moving to the cloud: a Q&A by Jordan Ougrinov