Grazed from Business2Community.  Author: Lindsey Nelson.

Now quite often you hear me ranting about the benefits of cloud computing, and although I’m still a firm believer it will continue to transform the way business is done, I know something that sounds too good to be true typically is.   I did a little research, and I found a couple common cloud computing concerns and a way to talk you out of your doubt.

Sensitive Data and Security

Much to your dismay, there’s a security benefit to putting your information in the cloud. The traditional security hole fixes take weeks, with costly downtime and more often than not issues just start to pile up. Especially if you’re a global company, you’ve probably got more than one to fix. However, with the cloud you it’s one band-aid for everybody…

Grazed from InformationWeek.  Author: Charles Babcock.

By compressing data and eliminating duplicate copies, an Amazon Web Services customer can decrease by as much as 50% the cost of moving data out of the cloud, say spokesmen for Silver Peak Systems, which on Thursday started offering a virtual appliance to do just that.

It can be critical for some public cloud users to reduce the amount of data exported from the cloud. Several vendors, including Amazon, charge nothing for the bandwidth to upload data. But they charge by the GB when it comes to downloading. AWS, for example, charges $0.12 per GB after the first free GB to move data out of S3 to a destination on the Internet, a charge that can quickly mount up. Ten terabytes would lead to a charge of $1,200, and truly big data would rack up multiples of that figure. That gives many cloud users second thoughts as they contemplate the cost of moving data out of the cloud, a possibly intended consequence of that pricing approach…

Grazed from CloudCow – Contributed.   Author: Dick Csaplar, Senior Research Analyst, Aberdeen Group.

In January 2013, Aberdeen surveyed 123 organizations to learn how they use the Public Cloud as part of their IT infrastructure as well as the use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). This Blog will focus on Software-as-a-Service as a platform for enterprise applications and the growing importance it plays as an application deployment method. Companies now have an alternative to purchasing a software license when they decide to use a commercially available application. Aberdeen research shows wide use of Cloud-based SaaS applications in many different parts of today’s enterprises. The full report can be found here.

Cloud SaaS Offerings

Most software vendors now offer a SaaS deployment of their application. Users are likely familiar with SalesForce.com, Google Apps, and Microsoft Office 365 as the most widely used of these applications, however there are now SaaS offerings for almost every aspect of business management. The technology can be used for departmental apps (such as customer relationship management (CRM), product lifecycle management (PLM), and business intelligence (BI) or by function (email, database, and ecommerce)…

Grazed from InfoWorld. Author: David Linthicum.

A new study sponsored by CDW shows what may seem obvious: Home users of cloud-based services are more likely to promote work use of cloud computing. The interesting part is that these self-motivated customers have done a better job of selling cloud computing than the marketing departments with their billions of dollars.

CDW’s "2013 State of the Cloud" report surveyed 1,242 tech professionals and concluded that the personal use of cloud services is a big factor in corporate cloud adoption. In the report, 73 percent of respondents claimed that, in their company, employees’ use of personal cloud services has "significantly influenced" the decision to move aspects of enterprise IT to the public cloud. The survey included employees who worked within as well as outside of IT…

Grazed from CloudTweaks. Author: Abdul Salam.

In a world where digital connectivity and online presence are a significant part of life and businesses alike, a disaster that disables online services is undoubtedly going to ruin some people’s day, to say the least. Hurricane Katrina and others like it around the world have proven that no data center or server facility is safe from natural disasters and other freak accidents. The effects of such events can at least be mitigated with cloud computing services and technology, making disaster mitigation and recovery easier.

Imagine if a bank losses all its customer’s data including all digital backups because of some calamity, it certainly is a disaster for everyone, the bank most especially. However, not to worry for there are backups in the form of paper, age old reliable paper; well, one can just imagine the banks clerks trudging through tons of paper and slaving in front of computers as they quickly try to get everything into electronic form while their cheeks slowly turn gaunt and their eyes white. It is a highly unlikely event with today’s standards for backing up data, but still a possible worst case scenario…

Grazed from TechTarget. Author: David Linthicum.

While the rise of cloud computing frightens some in IT, many see the technology as an opportunity to accelerate their careers and their bank accounts. And IT pros have good reason to be optimistic. In a 2012 survey conducted within a 90-day period by Wanted Analytics, more than 2,400 companies said they are seeking candidates with cloud computing skills. Moreover, hiring demand increased by 61% from 2011 to 2012 for IT people with cloud knowledge. Analyst firm IDC also released a report last year that indicated public and private spending in cloud computing will increase exponentially over the next few years, resulting in an available jobs boost of nearly 14 million positions worldwide.

There is an explosion in both the use of cloud computing and the demand for people to assist in the mass migration to cloud. Indeed, there are about 50 to 70 jobs chasing truly qualified candidates at this point in time, according to technical recruiters. And there are two categories of cloud computing careers that seem to be emerging in the space: positions seeking IT pros with specific cloud skills and positions looking for IT admins with cloud architecture know-how…

Grazed from AWN. Author: Editorial Staff.

Two months before FMX opens its doors, Europe’s most influential Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Transmedia is pleased to announce that two Pixar films are part of the FMX Conference program. Firstly, the Director and Scriptwriter Saschka Unseld presents his latest work, the Pixar animated short The Blue Umbrella, in Stuttgart. Furthermore, newly-awarded Oscar winner Brave has been confirmed for a presentation.

In April 2013, the technical focus at FMX includes a series on "Cloud Gaming" and "Cloud Computing" opened by keynote speaker Jon Peddie (JPR). What’s more, Austria, Toronto and Turkey count among this year’s "Innovative Places." In addition, market leaders such as Adobe and Autodesk invite attendees to take part in exciting Workshops, while the premiere of the "Fast Forward Education" seeks to build bridges between academia and industry…

Grazed from ComputerWorld. Author: Brandon Butler.

The global public cloud computing market will grow 18.5% in 2013 to $131 billion, up from $111 billion last year, research firm Gartner predicts. Through the next three years, cloud spending is predicted to total $677 billion, with almost half of that spending made up of cloud advertising.

While North America and Western Europe represent the two largest cloud computing markets, areas such as Asia/Pacific, Latin America and Eastern Europe represent smaller, but faster growing markets for cloud computing services. North America will be responsible for 59% of new cloud computing spending through 2016, with Western Europe accounting for 24%, Gartner says. The top segments of the cloud computing market this year break down as follows:…

Grazed from InformationManagement. Author: Bob Violino.

The Cloud Security Alliance Top Threats Working Group released “The Notorious Nine: Cloud Computing Top Threats in 2013.” The report is aimed at providing organizations with an up-to-date, expert-informed understanding of cloud security threats so that they can make educated risk-management decisions regarding cloud adoption strategies.

While there are many risks associated with the cloud in general, the report focuses on threats specifically related to the shared, on-demand nature of cloud computing, says CSA, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the use of best practices for providing security assurance within cloud computing. With descriptions and analyses, the report serves as a threat identification guide designed to help cloud users and providers make informed decisions about risk mitigation…

Grazed from AssetPoint. Author: PR Announcement.

AssetPoint, a leading Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solution provider, today announced the successful completion of a thorough, independent audit of its cloud computing operational controls for the 7th consecutive year.

The examination was performed in accordance with the guidance contained in American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (SSAE 16), “Reporting on the Controls at a Service Organization”. The audit evaluates suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of controls of the services provided to customers. SSAE 16 Type II audits are among the most rigorous standards, and they ensure AssetPoint provides a secure operational environment for its customers…