We’ve all seen technologies that have got overhyped in the past couple of years. In fact it won’t be wrong to say that whenever a new technology has come up, the debate over its over-hyped or under hyped status has come to focus. And the best example to show this is the fact that some have even argued that Facebook is overhyped.
Similar to Facebook, the same status debate is now getting repeated with Cloud. The question whether Cloud is heading down the same path and whether it is overhyped has got addressed in a Huffington Post as well. When the buzzes about industry giants like Apple’s iCloud and Google Drive entering the Cloud market has been so loud, it has inevitably led to seeds of doubt in a few minds.
To set the stage – it is important to first define what Cloud actually means. You can call Cloud as the new term given to what we have been doing since the invention of the Web i.e. using it to do things like running applications and storing data (that we previously did on our PCs).
And now since innumerable names have ventured into Cloud (few known and many just-started), whether Cloud is reaching the height of the hype cycle has become a discussion for many.
Cloud is actually understated!
In spite of a few blabbering about the over-hyped status of Cloud – the fact is the power the Cloud brings to our daily life has not been given its deserved credit. In the words of a Cloud strategist – ”the excitement of Cloud is great – but the reality is even greater. Let me just put it that what we are seeing now (thanks to cloud) is interconnect and synergy of societal trends which are getting magnified by technological forces.”
What is Cloud rendering?
1. Mobility: You cannot afford to not discuss mobility when Cloud is mentioned. After all it is one of the most important aspects of cloud trends. In a time, when business is more global, families are scattered and we are increasingly on the move, we need to get work done and also stay in touch with our loved ones. Well it’s Cloud that keeps us connected and most importantly keeps us productive on the go.
Today, it’s no more a challenge to collaborate on sets of documents, send large critical files via Web links and automatically upload photos and videos from devices.
2. Virtual Company: Ubiquitous presence of Cloud has resulted in the rise of small businesses and virtual companies. Cloud collaboration has made it easy for professionals to bond together in virtual firms.
In fact, the affordability of Cloud services has come as straight blessing for the small and medium-sized businesses. As a SMB owner states – ‘‘Cloud based software development has risen as a huge trend. Small businesses using cloud based applications benefit from collaboration, flexibility, automatic software updates, disaster recovery, mobile access and backup up technologies that previously only large corporations could manage and afford.”
3. Intersecting Work and Personal Lives: Gone are the days when leaving the office meant leaving work behind for the day. Cloud has made the intermingling of our work and personal lives possible. Contrary to what a few believe that cloud has led to work intruding into our personal time – the fact remains that now we are more available to our families and friends because we can be professionally productive from anywhere, anytime.
In the words of a business entrepreneur (using a Cloud CRM application) – ‘‘the soccer game cannot be rescheduled to fit my work schedule. Thanks to my Cloud CRM app that allows me to work in flexible hours. It’s a relief knowing that there is everything I can do offsite as long as I have access to my information via the Cloud.”
Final Thoughts
Cloud has inextricably got tied in our lives – which imply that it has great staying power and profit potential. So even when a few claim that Cloud has got excess attention, – the fact remains that what Cloud has done now is just the beginning. As cloud adoption continues to skyrocket, the impact it WILL have (later) will be more talked about.
