It’s a viewpoint that holds, with successful organisations testing on-demand technologies and considering a move to this platform for both their infrastructure and applications. There is, however, a subtle distinction that needs to be addressed – the hybrid nature of the cloud.

While the cloud is likely to be the future of IT provision, it is unlikely to be an all-or-nothing approach to technology management. Few organisations will go as far as moving their entire IT infrastructure and applications across to the cloud, and a number of organisations will host some elements of IT in the cloud and internally manage other resources.

Proof comes in the form of research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (see further reading). The hybrid approach is expected to be the main type of cloud adoption in the UK, accounting for 33% of the £100.7bn of total economic benefits generated through on-demand technology through 2015.

In the same way as organisations tend to outsource non-core activities and keep strategic IT elements in-house, it will be similar with the cloud. This might mean keeping bespoke and business critical IT applications in-house and moving all other IT systems and networks across to the cloud.

The result will be a hybrid blend, with some IT hosted in a private cloud, other areas hosted in a public cloud, some IT outsourced to a non-cloud platform and the remaining managed internally. Decisions on an internal or external route to IT management will be based on a subtle mix of business strategy and internal resources.

Organisations will therefore become far more flexible with how IT is delivered and managed as long as prevailing governance and regulatory conditions are satisfied – European laws, for example, will mean firms will have to keep data within the economic area.

So, the future is likely to be a hybrid model of IT management and delivery, providing organisations with a greater choice of cost-effective options tailored towards their business model and resource requirements.

Pick and mix computing has finally arrived….

Further reading:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/120910-cloud-computing-could-benefit-economy.html?hpg1=bn

The pick and mix approach to cloud computing is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

The cloud, which allows businesses to purchase IT ‘on demand’, has become almost ubiquitous, with journalists, analysts and business leaders keen to talk about the likely affect of this new approach on technology procurement.

The noise surrounding the cloud is now pretty impressive with Gartner predicting that cloud computing is one of the top ten technologies of 2011.

Although most commentators recognise that cloud will transform how IT is used and purchased, they also recognise that this change could take as long as a decade, maybe more. But be assured that change is coming.

So, why should an IT professional consider moving to the cloud? The answer is simple: competitive advantage. If you’re not ready for the cloud, your rival firms will be and will be exploring ways to use the cloud to drive down costs, reduce risk and improve IT delivery.

It you fail to consider the cloud early on, you could find that your management team tries to push you towards the cloud sooner or later in an effort to cut costs and improve efficiencies. Knowing early on whether the cloud is an effective delivery method for your organisation is therefore key.

With the cloud being so fast-evolving, twice as many cloud/SaaS/’on demand’ providers could soon be joining the marketplace. More and more organisations will also be choosing to move towards this platform, tempted by the promise of cost savings. As such, the question senior executives could well be asking in just a few years’ time is why are we not using cloud computing? Let’s hope the CIO has a decent response at the ready!

Why consider the cloud? is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

1)     People Management

People Management is the official magazine of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional body for those involved in the management and development of people.  Two blogs are run from its website – the Editors’ blog, in which People Management journalists comment on the latest HR news and developments, and the Specialists’ blog, where top HR commentators offer their observations on the business world.

2)     Personnel Today

 The ‘editors’ blog’ of this leading industry publication is a great source of information about everything going on in the world of human resources. Packed full of news and views, this blog is a must-read.

3)     HR Headmistress 

A personal blog from the MD of Milton Keynes-based consulting firm Russell HR.  Regularly updated, the blog provides an interesting perspective, proclaiming its existence is an opportunity to let off steam about employment law, HR, politicians, plumbers, the importance of shoes and all the really major issues of the day!

4)     HR Magazine

This blog from the much-respected magazine HR Magazine aims to put HR into a business perspective. Blog postings cover a wide range of topics, from flexible working to employment law.

5)     HR Zone

HR Zone is a popular site which allows everyone to submit blog postings and get their thoughts on HR topics or issues of their chests. All you need to do is log-in and start blogging!

Top of the blogs….part two is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

The technology marketplace is a confusing place. Mergers are common, a large number of outsourcing providers exist and it’s often a struggle to choose one IT supplier from another, especially when there is little to tell their software systems/services apart!

For the IT manager, stuck in the middle of a complex tangle of vendor propositions and three letter acronyms, finding the right partner can be a tricky task. So, how can a customer get satisfaction from a supplier?

A simple ‘finger in the air’ test will not suffice. Good supplier relationships need work and your selection of a provider must be well thought through. If you speed through the tendering and evaluation process, you are likely to be left disappointed.

Recommendations from peers are helpful, as are previous experiences. But do not simply rely on the tried and tested. Suppliers can sometimes surprise and a thorough evaluation of your available options might present a new potential provider.

Your supplier needs to provide satisfaction across a series of areas. Value for money is obviously important but it should not be your only consideration.

Does the software meet your organisation’s particular needs? Is the software reliable and does the supplier provide quality and local after sales support?

Is the supplier financially stable and likely to be around in ten years’ time? The modern business is technology-enabled and the crucial role of IT means you must know that the provider of any implemented system is likely to be a viable partner for many years to come.

Contracts need to be tight and measures set in place. But once you’ve selected a supplier, don’t simply rely on contractual arrangements and vague KPIs to assess whether you are getting customer satisfaction. Continue to evaluate your suppliers through a series of carefully honed metrics to make sure they understand you and can readily respond to your needs. Ultimately you need to feel that your providers are delivering real value for money.

Getting satisfaction from a supplier doesn’t have to be impossible. The best providers will be partners; trust, metrics and importantly, regular communication, can make this partnership a reality.

See which IT suppliers have made the grade by being shortlisted for this year’s Software Satisfaction Awards: http://www.softwaresatisfaction.co.uk/2010-shortlist

Can’t get no supplier satisfaction? is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

To answer such a question, let’s start with a given: technology is undoubtedly the common underlying thread for all modern businesses. Whether your company is a producer of widgets or a specialist in high quality services, it will definitely rely on technology to ensure business operations run smoothly.

Such reliance on IT, however, does not necessarily mean software is a core specialism of the business. Your company – whether it operates in the manufacturing, finance or public sectors – will know what it does best and why.

For most firms, it is unlikely that your expertise lies in IT applications. Many IT specialists can now offer you the ability to tap into such software resources cheaply and effectively. Rather than looking to manage applications in-house, you should concentrate on your core activities and look for external assistance.

Managing internal IT can be a risky business – bespoke solutions can lead to bespoke problems, whose solutions lie beyond the skills of internal teams. Thankfully, many firms are beginning to recognise the potentially potent mix of an IT skills gap and the need to keep IT running in a cost-effective manner.

Research suggests just three per cent of UK businesses plan to replace IT staff to fill the skills gap. But at the same time, 95% believe it is vital to continue investing in IT, with 61% citing managed services as the preferred approach (see further reading, below).

Using a third party to manage your IT applications will produce a range of benefits. Pressure on internal development resources can be reduced and then redeployed towards more productive areas. And rather than having to rely on internal employees to manage applications, you can draw on external specialists to ensure software is up and available.

Non-IT staff will benefit from being able to call on the skills of an applications expert, a managed services firm that knows software and can respond quickly to questions and concerns.

The result is a cost-effective and predictable alternative to internally-managed IT. Managed services – a solution that will help you ensure cash and resources are available for your core activities.

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Further reading:

www.computing.co.uk/computing/comment/2266683/teaching-staff-embrace-managed

Embracing managed services is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

Just a decade ago, organisations used to think very carefully before moving from a core workforce to external expertise, both on-shore and offshore.

It’s not completely straightforward, of course. Outsourcing still causes controversy – the difference today is that every large company (and increasingly, smaller companies) will draw on some form of outside help, rather than the select few.

The result is that leading executives use external provision to deal with a range of IT and business processes. Consequently, there continues to be a significant interest in outsourcing and there was an increase in global IT outsourcing in the first quarter of 2010.

Research from analyst Everest Group suggests a quarter-on-quarter increase of almost 6% on outsourcing spending. So with outsourcing now a business norm, which back-office functions should you look to externalise?

The broader economic context is one issue that must be considered from the outset. A combination of domestic and regional strife means UK organisations – in both the public and private sectors – need to cut costs and manage efficiencies. Outsourcing some back-office functions can help you achieve these cost and process efficiencies.

But do not get hung up on cost reduction. Only use outsourcing if the method fits with your broader business strategy and the provider will be able to boost the quality of your activities. If external provision also cuts your cost base, then great – that’s another benefit to take back to the FD.

Your decision should also be influenced by your propensity for risk: do you have the internal resources to effectively manage all your key processes and systems in-house? On the flip side, are you prepared to outsource an IT or business process to a third party organisation?

If you are, then you will need experienced suppliers with an excellent knowledge and understanding of the particular area/s that you intend to outsource, be it payroll or financial management.

Whatever the area, there is no longer any need to be scared of outsourcing. Just make sure you do your homework and work with a trusted partner that can help you deliver quality services.

Outsourcing – moving from a dirty word to the business norm is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

Attend any conference and the message is the same: everything technology-related is moving to the cloud. Gartner suggests cloud computing will take such a stranglehold on the market that one fifth of businesses will own absolutely no IT assets by 2012.

The problem is that ‘next big things’ can quickly become over-hyped, with little substance behind the claims of transformation. Keynote experts regularly talk at conferences and claim that the cloud is already affecting the present day delivery of technology, never mind the future.

So, it’s time to deflate the puff and understand the real deal with cloud. In short, where will on-demand computing affect your business?

In your company’s case, the simple answer is probably not very much – and only in specific areas. The cloud will eventually have a tremendous impact on the provision of technology but many companies will be slow to invest.

The quality of available on-demand technology can lag well behind the sense of hype. Businesses are necessarily concerned about relying on new areas of development for their IT provision and data storage.

What happens if the cloud solution falls down and the provider isn’t able to offer the right level of support? Worse, how do you know where your information is really being held?

Make sure such critical questions are not unanswerable. Take time to consider your options. Speak to experts that can show demonstrable returns on investment, providing on-demand technology that really can deliver measurable and valuable benefits.

Dabbling in the cloud needn’t be a risky venture. Select elements of your business that can be managed by a specialist in on-demand provision without security risk to your business. For instance spend analysis is proving to work effectively in the cloud as demonstrated by Rosslyn Analytics’ SaaS spend analysis technology.

While delivery levels in cloud might not yet match the hype, early successes in specific business areas will help you to define a route to future success.

Is the cloud simply the pie-in-the-sky? is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment