Cloud Computing for SMBs

Cloud Computing for SMBs can empower the full IT department avoiding the one time investment and recurring costs at the same quality like that of enterprise. It is agreeable that, Public Cloud; specially Software as a Service has security flaws; but at the same time, we must remember, what is possible today was not possible to afford – owning own physical data center, particularly by a startup Private Limited Company or an Entrepreneur. Cloud computing with full own data center setup or partially owned setup is often associated with big business – clearly that is not what we are going to discuss on this topic – Cloud Computing for SMBs. Techniques also exists for the medium and small companies. We will discuss the reasons and provide assistance in building their own private cloud as basically taking professional advice itself a costly affair.

Virtualization of server systems has established a part of everyday life in IT. According to recent studies by market researchers like IDC, Gartner, now about more than half of the Servers are virtualized and the trend continues to be upward. These companies will now go over to their virtual structures to the cloud and needs to align. But the technique is by no means limited to servers and data centers. You can also extend to other areas of IT usage in order to help there to be more efficient. This is also true for the medium and small businesses. In this series of articles, we want to point towards the use, construction and operation of a private cloud for the medium sized business. The use of services from the public cloud is not excluded, but not of our consideration. The article is named Cloud Computing for SMBs as the methods for mediums can be deployed on the small, with minor modifications.

Cloud Computing for SMBs : Scenarios of Cloud Solutions

Now, what are the possible scenarios for a cloud solution within your own company? Particularly in the SME sector, there are many systems that are not actually utilized. For example, if special billing programs or statistical tools only occasionally used, such as at the end of the month, there is no need to keep it continually.

Many of these programs also require their own databases, which are not always compatible with other application systems or two programs require different libraries and operating system environments. Windows server applications are hardly compatible with Linux and UNIX applications. This continues through all layers of software.

Windows applications often built on Microsoft SQL Server, but Linux is happy with MySQL database. In the past it has therefore a ritual to provide a separate computer (read server) for each of these applications. As a result, a machine with the e-mail system, with the billing system, a file server and so on were required, at least making the budget to go double. In addition, each additional program often required its own runtime environment and specific operating systems with appropriate service packs. By virtualisation, several former physical systems are combined into one. This is true today and is already in use. Virtualization is the foundation of all cloud models. Thus, this is the first step is technologically accomplished to cloud computing.

Cloud Computing for SMBs :  Characteristics

For building and operating a cloud, which specifically addresses small and medium enterprises, there are some features which are presented below. Especially in the SME management functions are often distributed over smaller shoulders. Instead of a dedicated administrator for servers, networks have the database or the mail system here needs to be kind of all rounder, it must perform several tasks at the same time. Security, as assumed needs to be increased more as hacking one virtual or physical instance is easier.

This is why it is said, consequently, SMEs have to deal with far more tools and processes. This makes the job of the IT manager is not easy. The writers of the News channels like CNN, BBC obviously can not be expected to have a knowledge of a PhD. holder, they basically do not understand the underlying huge explanation of what a CEO of a top Virtualization software said. This is, basically an practical issue for the SMEs – they can not afford the top notch peoples for security, planning due to shortage of budget. Good quality blogs on Cloud Computing, Virtualization are rare, most with knowledge has less time.

Therefore, the tools those are needed for building and managing the cloud should be as simple as possible. This also applies also to the softwares for automatisms. But, even here it is important to watch which features are useful and which should rather be omitted. In many ways : The Oracle VM virtualization software supports the entire virtualization environment, starting from the Linux operating system, the database systems from Oracle, who uses fusion middlewares to the applications of the user. In particular, features that are often associated with the areas of service management, a number are usually either for a small business or a full enterprise setup. This is basically a flaw.

If the company does not maintain a central helpdesk, no tool is required for its administration. The situation is similar with some automated processes. In large corporations, months-long definitions of workflows and automated processes are needed to be defined, due to the higher amount of required tasks. In small and medium-sized businesses this is not always true. For example, if the server administrator at the same time manages the network, it will hardly make a “formal request” to the “network management” if changes are to be made ??to the network. The result is that, those particular tools and aids that serve the optimization process between several people have little first priority for the middle class.

Well, 1000 words crossed, it is difficult to read an online writing than a print book. We will definitely continue this discussion in the next article making this text to be replaced with hyperlink.