The workplace is ever changing. Offices that were once stuffed with papers are now digital and virtual and have become pervasive place in cyber space. We understand that finding a new technology or even staying up-to-date with new applications and new features can be overwhelming, especially with available Web-based applications including those that are done through Cloud Computing.
Cloud Computing is clearly making its way into the world of Information Technology especially as a testing and development environment and as a platform for less than critical applications and services. The Cloud Computing age is here and nowhere else is it developing as rapidly as in businesses around the world. It has gotten much attention as it uniquely offers innovative approaches of using process automation, virtualization and cloud-computing to leverage from best available technology to address the highly dynamic and volatile business needs.
With cloud computing we still get to share information, collaborate with colleagues, support customers, innovate on new product designs, take orders, manage complaints, and, of course, make lists of all the things we have to do — only faster and more efficient than ever before. Utilizing the latest technology, in the form of products like IBM Cloud Computing, we can not only perform all kinds of work in today's virtual workplace, we can significantly improve it.
The cloud is a metaphor used to describe the Internet and Cloud Computing is a means of using the Internet for our computing needs. The system is composed of computer hardware and software that may include some computers, phones and other devices, operating systems and browsers that rely on cloud computing for application delivery. Most fascinating part of cloud is that, organizations can pay to cloud vendor on a pay as you go basis or pay per user or pay per transaction.
Much of the cloud computing application is pretty much the same. The processes, the software and the hardware are still very much in place and doing the same thing, regardless of the tasks to be performed. The one big difference only is that, cloud computing is changing the way business is done by offering scalability, flexibility, speed of operation along with positive impact on CAPEX and OPEX.
Cloud computing promises big benefits for small and medium-sized local businesses. This statement was confirmed when the solution developed by Università di Bari IBM was able to offer new levels of opportunity to businesses in Bari and south Italy, helping decrease time-to-market and minimize transportation costs. They are also now able to more quickly and accurately assess demand for their products, sell them profitably or avoid wasting them by giving them to nonprofits. By providing real-time status of transportation logistics and market demand for particular fish and wine products, local transportation companies can make adjustments for routes and deliveries. The solution also enables local fishing companies to begin product auctions in near real-time—literally creating demand while the fish are still being caught. Winemakers are also able to understand market demand for products and ensure environmental quality by monitoring soil isotopes.
Also, looking at the power of Cloud Computing, I believe that this technology can be used in our very own organization to create a Crew System in the cloud that is designed to run on-ship and on-shore and through using the ship-based modules. Key personnel located around the world like the Master, Chief Engineer and other sea staff will be able to enter or correct information directly into the system anywhere and at any given time - making their jobs easier and raising the overall efficiency by avoiding the necessity for office staff to manually enter data received from the vessel. All other information relating to ship visits of port inspectors which may contain reports of cleared and outstanding deficiencies will be made available to all concerned ship management offices via cloud computing in order to address them promptly. Crew database will also be uploaded into the cloud allowing clients and all other stakeholders to retrieve valid crew lists for their vessels and view current seafarers service history, certifications and other relevant documentation.
Cloud computing combines the best economic properties of mainframe and client/server computing. The mainframe era was characterized by significant economies of scale due to high up-front costs of mainframes and the need to hire sophisticated personnel to manage the systems. Due to the high cost, resource utilization was prioritized over end-user agility. Users'requests were put in a queue and processed only when needed resources were available.
With the advent of minicomputers and later client/server technology, the minimum unit of purchase was greatly reduced, and the resources became easier to operate and maintain. This modularization significantly lowered the entry barriers to providing IT services, radically improving end-user agility. However, there was a significant utilization tradeoff, resulting in the current state of affairs: datacenters sprawling with servers purchased for whatever needed existed at the time, but running at just 5%-10% utilization.
At this point where Cloud computing remains to be at a certain degree, "still in the clouds" for many, it is indeed difficult to ascertain associated costs or benefits that it has the capability to generate. But since we are already moving to the direction of the "Clouds", it will be interesting to see how this emerging technology will eventually impact the top and bottom lines. 4
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