Cloud Computing for Small Business : Strategies for Benefit

Cloud Computing for Small Business needs some specific strategies to get the maximum return of investment. Previously we posted somewhat closer topics like how Cloud Computing is opening the opportunities at a lesser cost. Also another relevant article is on Cloud Computing Business Model. In this article on Cloud Computing for Small Business, we will not go too much details on Cloud Computing itself as a technology, but as the title says, we will point out the strategies from Cloud Computing for Small Business.

Cloud Computing for Small Business : Evaluation of the probabilities

Before we go deeper into the potentiality of Cloud Computing for Small Business, it makes sense to illustrate the cloud into categories to classify. Due to the various customer requirements for the growing cloud service structure in the area have different models and configurations has been developed. It should be noted that to date there is no universally accepted unanimous categorization has been made. The division of cloud computing can be divided into three main building blocks:

• Infrastructure as a Service
• Software as a Service
• Platform as a Service

These services, including the hosting approaches in which the user, constricted from a pool of memory, CPU and network and only pay for actual use, i.e. infrastructure services are called Infrastructure as a Service. Examples include activities such as Simple Storage Service (S3) and Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) from Amazon.
The web services with offerings in the software segment are to be arranged under Software as a Service. SaaS is one of the most common forms of cloud computing. The infrastructure on which the software is run, is unknown and is maintained by the service provider. This in turn ensures the continuous availability of the software over the Internet.
The third component of PaaS in turn represents an evolution of SaaS, which should serve as a development platform for programmers to web applications. Examples are Microsoft Azure Services Platform or Google AppEngine.

So, these structure of Cloud Computing for Small Business if used in a preplanned way, can be beneficial.

Cloud Computing for Small Business : Strategic Requirements

Now, come to our main target, what strategic requirements are needed to get the maximum out of Cloud Computing for Small Business model.

The outsourcing of business activities is a major change in business processes in Cloud Computing for Small Business model and should therefore be well planned and supported using standardized methods and procedures of decision making. Before a company decides to go for Cloud Computing for Small Business model and a provider, it has its requirements and they needs to be clearly defined. The first step towards the use of Cloud Computing for Small Business model provides clarification of the strategic issues. The company must develop a realistic picture for this Cloud Computing for Small Business model, in which the value of the product or service gives the maximum return of investment. The issues for adapting the Cloud Computing for Small Business model are:

• Is the swap is in line with the business strategy?
• Does it supports its focus on its core business?
• Does it helps to achieve cost transparency in short-and long-term financial goals?
• What is the impact on the outsourcing of business processes?
• Does the application gives the desired competitive advantage?

The aim of the actual analysis is to identify the core competencies of the company and services which come for a swap in question, to make it transparent whether the Cloud Computing for Small Business can be adapted or not.