|
|
|
To do business in the 21st century you need to stay connected while at the same
time keeping your data secure. Cloud-based productivity tools make it easy for
you to work and collaborate from anywhere at any time and on any device. Microsoft's
new cloud-based productivity tools mean you can use the same software applications
you use on a daily basis with the added flexibility and power of the cloud.
|
|
|
James Maguire
Senior Managing Editor
Internet.com IT Management
|
|
|
James Maguire is a veteran tech journalist who has covered a broad range of enterprise tech, from virtualization to cloud computing to network security. He has also interviewed a number of leading figures in the cloud computing space.
Web site:
www.datamation.com
Twitter: @JamesMaguire
|
|
Q: Cloud computing is a popular topic in IT circles, but what does the trend mean to knowledge workers? How will it impact their jobs?
A: Cloud computing is indeed getting an enormous amount of buzz among IT professionals, and now even among small businesses and early adopter consumers, as more and more software becomes available though the cloud. Research firm IDC forecasts that spending on cloud computing will top $42 billion in 2012.Yet even as cloud computing gains adoption, there's plenty of confusion about what the term truly means. There are private clouds and public clouds. There are even hybrid clouds, which combine in-house data centers with off-site computing resources. Adding to the confusion, some IT professionals use "cloud computing" as a synonym for virtualization. To simplify things, I like the definition from research firm Gartner: "a style of computing in which scalable and elastic IT-enabled capabilities are delivered as a service to external customers using Internet technologies."
That helpful application you now access on your laptop might soon reside on a server across town – or across the country. Or, perhaps that app combines features from both local and remote software. For knowledge workers cloud computing will make their work life more efficient because software won't need to be installed locally, the idea of having to "go into the office" to access an application will become obsolete. They'll be connecting remotely, so they'll be able to work from anywhere, at anytime. Additionally, being able to choose from among remote applications will allow them a far greater menu of solutions to select from, including more advanced applications (perhaps even customized for their needs) than they've ever had access to.
Q: What types of applications that knowledge workers use everyday seem to have the most mature cloud models?
A: Knowledge workers of all types will, of course, be using cloud-based versions of word processing and other office productivity software. A recent survey found a number of other applications are being migrated (or have already migrated) to the cloud: HR and benefits administration, CRM, supply chain management and a variety of marketing functions. Business intelligence software is a natural for a cloud platform.
One of the advantages of cloud computing is that it allows an enterprise to more easily – and less expensively – scale up from a low-cost, bare bones version of an application to a robust, full-featured solution. This means that companies of all different sizes will have access to more advanced tools than in previous eras. In this sense, cloud computing has a leveling effect, reducing the gap between the tools available to large enterprise and their small business/start-up competitors.
|
|
more resources for knowledge workers
The impending introduction of Microsoft Office 365, the company's most adventurous cloud productivity offering is big. So big, in fact, that it offers even the smallest organization the opportunity to get onboard with the vendor's most current and agile business class productivity tools.
...more
|
Microsoft Office 365 for enterprises brings together cloud versions of Microsoft's trusted communications and collaboration software with its familiar Office Professional Plus desktop suite. It is designed to help meet your IT needs for robust security, reliability, and user productivity.
...more
|
Watch Kathleen Hogan, Corporate VP Worldwide Services, discuss how Microsoft's professional services arm can help you make the move to cloud computing and add value to your IT delivery.
...more
|
Microsoft Office 365 for small businesses offers an easy-to-use set of web-enabled tools for small businesses, independent consultants and professionals looking for business-class productivity services. It provides anywhere access to email, important documents, contacts, and calendars on nearly any device.
...more
|
With Microsoft Office Professional Plus, you get the latest version of the Office applications, seamlessly connected and delivered with cloud services, so you can access your documents, email, and calendars from virtually any device. Office Professional Plus includes the new Office Web Apps, online companions to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, which let you review and make light edits to documents directly from a browser.
...more
|
Built on the same technology as Exchange Server 2010, Exchange Online provides organizations with the latest capabilities including built-in archiving, optional Conversation View, and MailTips, along with powerful web-based tools for managing online deployments.
...more
|
Microsoft SharePoint Online brings together the familiar SharePoint Server technology now delivered as an online service making the power of the cloud work for your business. SharePoint Online helps businesses create sites to share documents and insights with colleagues, partners and customers.
...more
|
Microsoft Lync Online is a next-generation cloud communications service that connects people in new ways, anytime, from anywhere. Lync Online provides intuitive communications capabilities across presence, instant messaging, audio/video calling and a rich online meeting experience including PC-audio, video and web conferencing.
...more
|
Keep in touch with the latest developments around Microsoft Office 365 with the Office 265 blog.
...more
|
Follow the Microsoft Office 365 team on Twitter.
...more
|
|
|
|
Cloud computing is a computing model that lets you access software, server and storage resources over the Internet, in a self-service manner. Instead of having to buy, install, maintain and manage these resources on your own computer or device.
...more
|
|
|
|
The definition of cloud computing remains somewhat fuzzy, as it is often used to describe an array of related concepts. More than a few people are uncertain as to what separates cloud computing related concepts such as utility computing, software-as-a-service and virtualization.
...more
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Office 365 combines Office Web Apps on the client side with Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and the newly rebranded Lync Online on the back-end -- all on a subscription basis.
...more
|
|
|
|
Yes. With some help from Microsoft, Minnesota became the first U.S. state to move to a large collaboration and communication suite in a private cloud environment.
...more
|
|
|
| |
knowledge worker
