Springtime is Finally Here
and so are Other Changes in Small Business IT
Everyone I speak to is thrilled that Spring is finally here. Those of us here in the East Coast who have endured one of the worst snowfalls in a generation love the good weather. Change is upon us in the technology sector as well. There are major industry shifts occurring right now around Cloud computing, virtualization and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). Some changes such as the increasing shift towards hosted e-mail services will be welcomed like the Spring. Other new technologies such as virtual desktops, Internet based accounting software, and cloud-based computing solutions such as hosted databases are nothing less than revolutionary to small and growing businesses.
What’s it all Mean?
I get asked almost every day by a small business owner about what should be done concerning the coming storm of “Cloud”s. “Will we have to scrap all our recently purchased desktops and servers…?”. “Will the licenses for Office software we just purchased soon be worthless…?”. “Are Microsoft and other traditional big-technology vendors on the verge of going out of business…?”
“It’s going to be alright”, I say. “Let’s all just take a deep breath.”
Not so Fast
Cloud based computing is indeed going to change everything. But the transformation – especially to small business owners – should be slow. There will be plenty of time to decide which cloud technology should be adopted and which one passed by. For example, instead of scraping older computers, virtual desktop technologies will actually allow businesses to extend the life of their PCs saving money in new capital investments. When new computers are purchased, they will likely by more lightweight and less expensive than before. Desktop productivity software, such as Microsoft Office, will continue to be available for years to come. But, small businesses will be more likely to save their important documents to a Web based portal than a local file server.
Managed Change
So, I say embrace the new technologies and prepare to be more productive and efficient than before. And there’s more good news, new cloud based technologies should save businesses money too. From reduced power needs (due to Internet based applications) to less needs to capital outlay, the future IT infrastructure budget should be less expensive. More important than ever, your trusted partners at Dataprise will be here to help you every step of the way. Enjoy the Spring.
