Grasping the Cloud’s Business Impact

February 2, 2011

Grasping the Cloud’s Business Impact

Software vendors must help their customers understand the cloud-driven business transformation taking in enterprises today in order to help them realize the full potential of cloud computing.

By Jason Liu, UC4

For technologically tuned-in senior executives, the potential benefits that can be gained by making the move to cloud computing may appear to be nothing short of spectacular. After all, there is a lot of hype around the promise of benefits such as fast time to implementation, cheap infrastructure in a pay-as-you go model, substantially reduced electricity and overall IT costs, and plenty more.

But when CEOs and CIOs take the time to talk to their IT departments, they are surprised at the number of new complexities introduced by cloud computing. Software and cloud service vendors must understand the real-world business impact of the cloud-based delivery of IT services in order to help make these deployments successful at client organizations over the long term.

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SAP: Still a Cloud Contender

Some critics are dismissing SAP’s efforts to enter the cloud race but Kamesh Pemmaraju says the company’s latest moves are positioning it well for big advances in 2011. Read what and whyin this post to his SandHill.com Blog “Leaders in the Cloud.”

An Easy, Game-Changing Sales Trick

Jill Konrath shares a strategy for edging out the competition when competing on a RFP. Read in this post to the SandHill.com Blog on software sales.

Innovative Followers

Guy Smith of Silicon Strategies Marketing examines whether there really is an advantage to being the innovator – or whether it pays to simply follow closely – in this blog to the SandHill.com Blog on software innovation strategies.

IT Growth and Global Change: A Conversation with Ray Kurzweil

The inventor, businessman, and author explains how the exponential growth of technologies will transform industries and pose new opportunities—and hurdles—for business and society. Read the interview in this article from The McKinsey Quarterly.

Poll: Business Impact of the Cloud?

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The Latest Software Business News on SandHill.com

All Headlines: Microsoft previews new user interface at Davos.

VC Activity: Cloud storage company Cirtas raises $22 million.

M&A Deals: Cisco to buy Pari Networks.

Executive Moves: Black Eyed Peas member Will.I.Am named Director of Creative Innovation at Intel.

Quote of the Week

“The investment will help us greatly expand the work we're doing to build business skills and provide market opportunities for the most innovative new companies in the country.”

- James Corgel, general manager for Developer and Academic Relations at IBM on the company's pledge to spend $150 million funding U.S. startups

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