Tue, November 03, 2009 — Network World — Hype is a marketer's dream and IT's nightmare. While it helps the former generate excitement, it often obscures reality for the latter. Cloud computing is the latest case in point. The hype would have you believe the cloud is the entire answer when in reality it is just part of the solution.

Cloud computing has a lot to offer, especially to small and midsize businesses (SMB), but you need to get beyond the hype to see the big picture.

FAQ: Cloud computing, demystifiedIn our first column (see "What shape is your cloud? Part 1") we explained the cloud, identified specific opportunities for making use of the cloud and discussed benefits of moving to a cloud computing environment. That was the hard part. The next step is to identify signs and inflection points that signal you're ready to make the move. The most appropriate place to start is pinpointing areas within your company that are ready for a change or upgrade.

Let's use storage as an example. Perhaps your storage platform is nearing the end of life, your data center power and cooling costs are escalating or you're outgrowing your storage capacity and facing physical space constraints. Any of these can be reason enough to move some storage to the cloud. The thought of moving all of it may be daunting, but the cloud allows for informed selection. Migrating less critical items to the cloud can help reduce internal requirements and avoid expensive growth of your on-site storage resources.

The customizability of the cloud allows organizations to adapt solutions according to specific needs. If you are enticed by the flexibility of cloud computing but worry about security breaches and data loss, you can invest in a private cloud. Alternatively, you can use a hybrid of public and private facilities and relegate less sensitive information to the public portion. Conversely, if you aren't worried about public clouds, there are countless options available and you can make the move for select applications.

Hype around cloud computing continues to grow so your best option is to seek the advice of a vendor-neutral provider that  can suggest a custom solution incorporating best-fit elements to address your needs.

Keep in mind that cloud services are available for a range of business services. For example, a disaster recovery (DR) may be a great candidate to move to the cloud. By nature a DR plan calls for access to infrastructure not utilized on normal business days, which can lead to expensive investments in hardware and software going unused. When DR resides in the cloud, organizations only need to purchase what is absolutely essential and migrate essential DR items to the cloud on an as-needed basis without the in-house management costs normally associated with a new purchase.