Does Cloud Computing offer more benefits than disadvantages to businesses?

Main aims of business

All businesses want to deploy technologies rapidly and easily!

All businesses want to innovate rapidly!

All businesses want to reduce the need for hyperextended IT resources and upfront infrastructure investments!

How can organisations achieve all of the above?

By using a cloud provider!

About the Cloud
Cloud technologies are also faster to implement, easier to maintain and offer increased flexibility and therefore, increased ROI, which is essential to marketing budgets. Over one third of digital content in the world is estimated to be stored in the cloud by 2016. Since IBM initially proposed the idea of cloud computing, 4 other top technology companies have been trying to get to the forefront of the cloud technology and get into . 
 Despite all of the value adding benefits, there are disadvantages that come with the Cloud service.

Nanavati et al (2014) comments on the lack of transparency throughout cloud systems and how users find it hard to trust them. It is difficult for cloud providers to earn customers trusts when handling their personal and sensitive data. Mere claims such as 'trust me,' and 'cloud' do not help consumers trust the providers unless sufficient information is presented with the services.Muchahari & Singha (2013)
Khan & Malluhi (2013) further annotate the following image which is all about diminishing control and transparency and evaluates the technology that can address such issues. 

PWC (2014) states 'Agile companies are seizing opportunities around the cloud to create innovative new services and business models that decrease time to market, create operational efficiencies and engage customers in new ways. Cloud services like Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Software-as-a-Service (SasS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Business Process-as-a-Service (BPaaS) are more than technology delivery paradigms.'

Digital Marketing Clouds Providers Necessities

There are at least 4 components that every digital marketing cloud should be offering:

1)      Multi-channel marketing automation – For publishing and promoting content that helps marketers engage customers across several different channels, particularly mobile and social. It also needs automation for the intelligent algorithms that sequence how that engagement happens.

2)      Content management tools – To create and manage the content and engagement tools that can be deployed across different channels.

3)      Social media tools – For listening to and engaging with social media networks to tap into consumer conversations, responding with custom content, or social media advertising.

4)      Analytics platform – To create profiles of consumers based on their online behavior, and evaluate which marketing campaigns are working and which are not. 


Ultimately, the cloud can be used to achieve new levels of the “Connected Experience” across customer, supplier, partner and employee relationships. The cloud impacts the entire enterprise—spanning corporate strategy, finance, operations, governance, culture and technology. The study of cloud computing was so interesting as it really has so many benefits and is being utilised as a means of improving organisational effectiveness in an increasing number of organisations.

If you would like to read more about cloud computing then please go to the following links:

• http://www.itproportal.com/2014/06/02/cloud-adoption-influenced-business-needs-and-data-security-not-cost-reduction-and-revenues/ - This article is all about business how clouds influenced business needs, and cost reduction is not the main reason.
• http://cloudtweaks.com/2014/06/cloud-computing-education/ - An interesting article educating you about the cloud.
• http://www.itproportal.com/2014/05/26/how-much-does-it-cost-to-move-your-business-to-the-cloud/ - How much does it really cost you to move your business to the cloud?

References

Muchahari & Singha (2013), 'A survey on web services and trust in cloud computing environments' Academic Education Research [Online], Vol 1 (Issue 2) Available at <http://www.academia.edu/4447042/A_Survey_on_Web_Services_and_Trust_in_Cloud_Computing_Environment> [Accessed 2 May 2014]

Khan & Malluhi (2013), 'Establishing Trust in Cloud Computing' , Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal [Online], Vol 2, (Issue 3) Available at  <http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5593036> [Accessed 2 May 2014]

Nanavati, M., Colp, P., Aiello, B, & Warfield, A. (2014) 'Users’ trust in cloud systems is undermined by the lack of transparency in existing security policies.' Communications of the ACM [Online], Vol 57 (Issue 5) Available at <http://delivery.acm.org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1145/2600000/2593686/p70-nanavati.pdf?ip=194.81.203.94&id=2593686&acc=OPEN&key=BF07A2EE685417C5%2E7748C8603FAAB869%2E4D4702B0C3E38B35%2E7BDEF374746A56FB&CFID=470853652&CFTOKEN=22927727&__acm__=1401797392_8822787bd0b026978fd2fcd7db9fbaee> [Accessed 2 May 2014]

PWC (2014) Technology [Online] <http://www.pwc.com/us/en/advisory/customer-impact/digital-marketing-cloud.jhtml> [Accessed 4 May 2014]