Posts Tagged ‘cloud computing’

Is Cloud Computing A Small Business Solution?

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Have you heard of cloud computing? This is the practice of taking your hardware and software and putting it out there on the Internet. Or, more precisely, to exchange your business’s computing practices from locality-based to Internet-based.

In a nutshell, it’s about getting your computing needs met through the Internet.

Folks who tout cloud computing as the next best thing do so on grounds that it is cheaper in the long run. It’s also more efficient, so they say.

Folks who say that cloud computing is not good for business cite security issues and there is some argument that the cost savings is a myth.

What’s the truth?

I’ll leave it to you to research the truth or falsity of cost savings, but I will say that cloud computing does show some promise for small businesses. There is some evidence that efficiency could be a benefit to operating in the cloud. It may even be more cost efficient. But it’s a personal business decision you’ll have to make on your own. Maybe you’ve already made it.

Do you have experience with cloud computing? How has it worked for you?

Tags: ,
Posted in Tools for Small Business | 1 Comment »

Cloud Based Accounting: Outline, benefits and options

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

We’ve recently been looking into Cloud Based Accounting for our business, and I thought I would share some of what I’ve learned so far as I’ve started to research which among the many choices out there we should consider.

This is a very brief overview of cloud accounting, also known as online accounting, or in some circumstances SaaS (software as a service) accounting software.

What is cloud software?

Cloud accounting software at its most basic level is on demand accounting software, so (as long as you have the right internet browser) and an internet connection you can access the software and your company’s financial data from anywhere in the world through a number of devices. Your data is held either on several servers hosted by the software provider in house, or on a third party’s server – for example, Amazon. This is a very basic description, but the main things you should be concerned with are the security of the servers and what happens if something goes wrong (how quickly will things be back up and running?).

Benefits

Access it anywhere:
So the above idea of not being tied to one computer is one of the clear benefits of using cloud accounting software over desktop based accounting software. Not being tied to one location or PC means that you and your work colleagues can access your financial data anywhere in the world (internet connection required!). In the case of a small sized business, if it has an accountant that completes the end of year financial returns then they no longer have to come and visit the company on site; saving the business money in accountant’s fees.

Subscription based:
Another small or medium sized business benefit here, the fact that cloud accounting tends to be subscription based means that it can scale with your company. A small company with few transactions may even find a free package, then (hopefully) as the company grows this can be upgraded through a few clicks of a button. The fact that there is no installing of software or on site data storage also means that you don’t have a horrendous up front bill to pay. Very nice.

Upgrades on the go:
Speaking with accountants you find that one of the really annoying things about old school (desktop) accounting software is the fact that if a client did not have the same software as you then you would have to explain how they can export the software and then send it to you. This time consuming process has been banished as cloud accounting software (depending on the provider) can be upgraded on the fly. The twofold benefit of constant upgrades being that new features will constantly keep coming available and you the customer have the ability to help shape the software’s development. There should be no additional cost for this process. The competitive nature of the cloud accounting market means that software providers need to keep on their toes, if a competitor has a feature you want (like a PayPal import) then leave and go to them.

There are other benefits and drawbacks to cloud accounting software, but this gives you an idea of a general place to start!

Providers:

When choosing cloud accounting software, always make sure the provider allows you at least a 30 day trial. During this period you can then try out several software systems and find which is the most intuitive for you to use or has the features that you need.

The market place is growing rapidly with new providers springing up every day. Below are some of them that are worth a try:

  • Xero New Zealand based $18 – $37
  • Quickbooks Online $10 – $35
  • Clear Books UK Based between $7 – $23

Tags: , ,
Posted in Small Business Finance | 6 Comments »

Can Small Businesses Use Cloud Computing?

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Cloud computing has gained some notoriety in the last couple of years. Amazon.com has become a major player in the cloud computing market as have Google and Zoho, the open source competitor to Google Docs. Is cloud computing a concept that small businesses can get behind?

First, let’s define the cloud.

Cloud computing consists of decentralizing a company’s computer networks and paying only for services that you use. You may end up with one application on one server and another application on a completely different server. Does this offer the small business any advantages?

Yes, it does. Cost is the most obvious advantage. Since you only pay for the services that you actually use, a small business can often achieve some of the same connectivity power that their larger competitors have at a fraction of the cost. You don’t pay for network services that are not important to you so bundled services become a lot less attractive to the market overall.

Another advantage is security. If one server gets compromised you still have your other services. However, unlike a cluster server you cannot move your applications from the compromised server to the non-compromised. That’s one disadvantage.

Nevertheless, I see cloud computing growing and becoming more relevant to small businesses in the near future. This is a concept you want to keep an eye on. Perhaps you’ll find a way to incorporate cloud computing into your online business model.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Small Business Internet Marketing | No Comments »

Should You Use Dedicated Or Shared Hosting?

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

Small businesses today have many more options for web hosting than we used to. Of course, you have to make the decision about what is best for your situation, but here are a few alternatives to consider.

    Shared Hosting - This is basic web hosting. The downside to shared hosting is that it is the least secure and least expensive kind of hosting. Most small businesses will do fine with shared hosting, but it isn’t for every one. If you feel that you may need more space or tighter security then you should discuss your options with a hosting expert.

    Dedicated Hosting – Dedicated hosting is more secure. You can opt for managed or unmanaged hosting. If you go with unmanaged hosting you’ll have to provide the resources to manage the servers. That will save you money, but if you don’t have an IT department, network administrator, or access to personnel to manage your servers for you then you should go with a managed hosting service.

    Dedicated hosting is more expensive than shared hosting. Managed is more expensive than unmanaged hosting. But the security is much, much tighter.

    Cloud Computing – Many companies are now starting to use cloud computing, which is essentially a decentralized way of storing data. Small businesses can benefit from this type of computing, but it too has its disadvantages.

    One of the main advantages to cloud computing is that it opens up opportunities for small businesses to take advantage of some of the same resources that large companies have enjoyed for a long time with minimal cost. You pay as you go for the services that you use. This way you don’t have to pay for huge packages of services that you have no need of. It can be less expensive than dedicated hosting or more expensive depending on the services you need. Security is often not as tight as it is with a dedicated server, but if you shop around you can find an adequate service provider with excellent security on its servers.

There are other options as well, but I’ll leave a discussion of cluster server environments for another time. These are perhaps the best options for most small businesses. If you think you may need more options beyond your basic shared hosting plan then call an expert and get a professional opinion.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Tools for Small Business | 10 Comments »