Cloud Computing Experts Reveal Top 5 Applications For 2010
Asigra Inc., a leading Cloud Backup and recovery software provider since 1986, recently highlighted what analysts and industry experts say are the top five cloud applications that companies are expected to adopt or expand their use of in the next 12 months. Reasons companies are making the shift toward cloud computing applications such as cloud backup include reduced capital expense, simple deployment, data mobility, and continuous access to the latest software features and functionality. Cloud applications enable firms to quickly harness the power of this new IT platform to streamline operations as the economy recovers.
"The economic downturn of the last couple of years has forced firms to cut costs across the board, including investments in IT equipment and staff. Most economists expect business to rebound in 2010, but many companies no longer have the finances to buy the hardware and software needed to take advantage of the recovery," said Eran Farajun, Executive Vice President for Asigra. "By using cloud-based services, companies are taking advantage of shared hardware and software resources to meet the needs of their customers and their prospects. They can buy as much or as little computing power as they need without the cost and delays of purchasing and installing hardware and software in-house."
"Many of the most widely adopted use cases for cloud services are data and content-intensive in nature," noted Richard Villars, Vice President of Storage and IT Executive Strategies at IDC. "We find that organizations dealing with rapid data growth, extended data retention periods, and the economic realities of lower capital and operational expenditures are among the leading shapers and users of cloud applications."
According to IDC, the top five cloud applications that organizations are likely to pursue in 2010 include:
- Collaboration Applications
- Web Applications/Web Serving
- Cloud Backup
- Business Applications
- Personal Productivity Applications
As one of the top cloud applications for 2010, cloud backup protects data offsite to ensure against a data loss event due to an IT mishap, power outage or a more devastating local disaster like a hurricane, flood or earthquake. Lost data from just a simple notebook could cost a company some $50,000, according to a Ponemon Institute study. So the loss of corporate data that is several times more than would be on a single laptop would be that much more expensive.
Cloud backup enables companies to quickly recover their information while paying for only the services they need. The software layer is completely virtual and separate from the hardware layer, providing additional protection against equipment failure. The newest cloud solutions offer complete data mobility, pricing flexibility and fast data recovery so that organizations of any size do not miss a beat. Unlike online backup, cloud backup allows users to migrate data between different service providers to eliminate lock-in, the orphaning of backup data, and high-performance data recovery that meets stringent Recovery Time Objectives demanded by business. Cloud backup is also further separated from online backup in that it can be deployed in a hybrid environment (onsite private cloud and using a public cloud backup service provider for maximum economies of scale).
"By utilizing cloud services delivered on a robust and advanced operations platform, companies are able to leverage the latest that technology has to offer while enjoying the efficiencies that make the technology advantageous from a pricing perspective," said Stacy Hayes, Vice President at Terremark. "At Terremark, our purpose-built datacenters provide access to a massive and diverse network of systems across more than 160 global carriers for a comprehensive suite of managed solutions that help organizations simplify their IT operations."
About Asigra
Leading organizations reduce costs by applying cloud computing to backup and recovery with efficient, cost-effective and transformational solutions from Asigra. Customers consistently redirect savings derived from our approach to projects of higher strategic and personal value, many of which have been on-hold for a year or more. The positive business outcomes made possible from a low touch agentless architecture deliver enormous value with little up-front investment. The company and its products have been widely acclaimed by leading partners such as CDW, HP and SunGard and renowned Global 2000 enterprises. Asigra is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with offices globally. For more information, visit www.RecoverYourCool.com.
SOURCE: Asigra Inc.