Rapid Business Cloud Evolution Changing Landscape for SMBs
December 21, 2011
That cloud computing and virtualization are on the rise is no surprise for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), but what’s more important than cloud adoption is cloud evolution–the ways that businesses can implement the cloud in their everyday practices and reap tangible returns.
Provider Evolution
One half of the cloud-evolution equation comes in the form of service providers like Nefsis, which develops cloud-based video conferencing applications. A recent PR Newswire press release highlights the benefits of this technology and shores up how it has changed over the last few years. The initial development of cloud video conferencing systems saw them as mirrors of standard boardroom video equipment: meant to capture meetings and perform a very narrow set of functions. As the power of the cloud has expanded, companies like Nefsis have also increased the scope of their offerings, and now support video conferencing anywhere that a user has access to a webcam and a reliable Internet connection. The ability of Nefsis to take on all maintenance and infrastructure costs leave SMBs with the expense of an off-the-shelf webcam…
Company Innovation
It isn’t just providers driving cloud evolution, however–companies are also taking the initiative when comes to getting more from virtualized computing. A recent IBM case study examined the efforts of prescription drug company GSMS to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to meeting California drug regulations set to come into effect in 2015. At that time, the state will require all prescription medication to be traceable in order to lower incidents of counterfeiting and increase consumer safety. GSMS turned to IBM and DSS (one of IBM’s business partners) to create the ePedigree tracking system–the first of its kind. This system allows for the point of origin of any drug (i.e., its ePedigree) to be determined using a combination of bar codes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking.
By capturing and updating pedigree data on a medicine container from the point of manufacture onward, GSMS is able to ensure that each unit has a traceable history, no matter its destination. A secure repository for data and intelligence reports based on real-time events lets the company react to any issues that arise before they turn into more serious problems. GSMS CEO Jim Stroud says, "We’re ahead of the curve in serialization regulation and expect to attract more trading partners because of it".
Navigating the New Landscape