What apps are no-brainers for the public cloud?

Are there applications that most organizations should consider procuring through a public cloud provider because the cost savings are a slam-dunk? -- Crystal Bedell (http://goo.gl/9dKsm)

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Information Technology

Cloud Computing

Public Cloud

Public Cloud Computing

Saas Applications

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Crystal Bedell

asked on Sept. 28, 2011

Best Answer

Maurene Grey

Founder, Principal Analyst, Grey Consulting

Posted on Sept. 29, 2011

Email. It's one of the first applications that moved to the cloud before it was called the cloud.

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Andrew Baker Replied on Sept. 30, 2011

Indeed. :) There are some really good opportunities for cloud computing out there.

Paul Quickenden Replied on Oct. 3, 2011

Maurene, i think in terms of the dimension "commodity" then email is as close to a no brainer there is. In fact, if others can give it away free to drive other revenues you should seriously look at your investment criteria.

Hoiwever there are other dimensions worth considering is
1) "new ways of doing things". As Andrew highlights the answer to this one is almost company dependant. But things like mobile SFA or stock management. Real time collaborattion (be it Video ie Skype, or document editing etc) could be a no brainer when you think thru the implications...

2)then there are extraneous circumstances like a merger that also make cloud a no brianer... imagine moving the conversation from which CRM system should we choose... siebel instance 1 or 2...to how fast can we get a CRM system up and delivered globally .... choices include merge to instances, build a new instance or buy a cloud version.....

Andrew Baker

Director, Service Operations, SWN Communications Inc.

Posted on Sept. 29, 2011

Crystal, the answer to that question is going to depend on what a particular business needs to accomplish, and how it is managing today.

An organization that recently built up a robust, distributed network to provide certain services to its employees or customers, might find that there is no immediate advantage for going to the cloud.

Other organizations that have more legacy applications, and are looking to do a long-awaited upgrade, might find that this is an excellent time to deploy that application in the cloud.

The specifics of cloud economics are not just about the application, but about the usage, the organizational culture and objectives, and the contrast with alternatives.

Almost any mid-sized organization that is looking to deploy CRM or ERP type applications for the first time will find that doing so in the public cloud will facilitate faster deployment times, and a smaller, initial outlay of funds that doing so internally.

Almost any startup organization that is looking to deploy productivity applications and possibly some project management, will find that the cloud offers similar value.

Beyond this simple scenarios, however, there needs to be a valid cost/benefit assessment made to ensure that the actual needs of the business will be met. The no-brainer cloud app is the one that will allow a business to get as much done as its alternatives, while costing less, and providing more flexibility and/or resilience.

-ASB: http://XeeMe.com/AndrewBaker