18 Solid Justifications for Cloud Computing – and 10 Situations Where It Doesn’t Work

Grazed from Forbes. Author: Joe McKendrick.

In his new book, Cloudonomics, Joe Weinman explores many of the areas being impacted by the cloud computing phenomenon, offering compelling value propositions. He spells out, extremely thoroughly, the business cases and cost justifications that go behind cloud computing efforts.

He also provides 28 business areas where cloud does and doesn’t make business and financial sense. (And, amazingly, manages to categorize all points in terms starting with the letter “C.)” A senior VP at Telx and formerly with A&T, Weinman is highly regarded as a thought leader on the emerging art and science of cloud economics…

Here are 18 areas where cloud computing makes sense:

1. Complementary capabilities and competencies: “The cloud may offer a competency that you or your firm doesn’t have,” Weinman writes. “This may be at the infrastructure layer – for example, data center operations, at the software layer – for example, specific algorithms encoded and optimized but available only via the cloud, or at multiple layers – for example, security operations skills.” Examples include tax preparation algorithms embedded in an online tax service, search algorithms and an indexed web, information regarding flight schedules and prices but also expected delays, and stock market ticker data.
2. Communications: Whether it’s email, video, collaboration, or anything else, it’s all possible on the cloud. “Any type of communication is enabled or optimized via a cloud based architecture, for the simple reason that a hub, or a meshed network of hubs, generate efficiencies over point-to-point communications.” The alternative, Weinman states, is construction of a direct physical network…

Read more from the source @ http://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2012/09/10/18-solid-justifications-for-cloud-computing-and-10-situations-where-it-doesnt-work/