The Sky’s The Limit: Recent Advances In Cloud Computing

Amazon offers free Cloud services for start-up Companies

In 2013, Amazon launched the Amazon Web Services Activate service, which helps start-up businesses to convert to cloud technology free of charge.

A Technology for all Businesses

This democratisation of information technology means that start-up enterprises now have access to the same kind of technology as some of the world’s biggest corporations, says Piers Linney, an entrepreneur and contestant on the popular BBC show ‘Dragons’ Den’.

Most small and medium-sized Businesses now use the Cloud

In 2014, almost two thirds of small and medium-sized enterprises use cloud technology, and almost 90 percent employ staff who work remotely on a regular basis. Allowing some employees to work from home on a part-time or full-time basis is a useful strategy for cutting overheads costs, and enables businesses to attract a bigger pool of talent.

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The growth of Cloud-based Home management systems

One notable trend in recent years has been the increasing popularity of cloud-based home-management systems, which can be operated via common devices like tablets or smart phones.

People can control their Homes like never before

Consider the popularity of a remote control for operating a TV or a music system. Rather than having to go up to the device to change a channel or adjust the volume, you have complete control over what you watch or listen to without having to leave your sofa. Now, with cloud technology, people can control their heating, air-conditioning, lighting and other items in their homes from one integrated platform, revolutionising the way in which we maintain our homes.

Home-management systems

market set for phenomenal growth in the next four years According to the research company IHS Technology, the installed base for cloud-based home management systems will rise to almost 45 million by 2018 compared with 5.6 million in 2013.

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Disaster-recovery-as-a-service (DraaS)

DraaS has already become widely used in businesses that need a more versatile way to store data without a data centre. In crises, companies can recover data and applications via an automatic remote cloud platform, which will typically have many gigabytes of storage capacity. Years ago, however, when a hard drive suddenly crashed and failed, data would be lost forever.

Better security

Thanks to the implementation of new encryption technology such as the Searchable Strong Encryption by CipherCloud, cloud security has never been better. With this technology, even people with authorised access to a cloud-based network will not be able to search its contents. This should help alleviate some of the fears that many people have expressed regarding cloud technology and whether it is less secure than traditional data storage.

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A Market set for further Rapid expansion

By 2020, the cloud computing industry could be worth more than $240 billion, as more businesses use virtual systems to store, share and update their data with much more flexibility and control. According to the research company Gartner, all mobile devices will be linked to five or more cloud data apps by 2016, as more people exploit cloud systems for personal use and smart phone technology become even more sophisticated.

Damian Coates is the Commercial Accounts Director for Utilize, an IT support company which provides tailored IT solutions to businesses across Essex, London, Kent and the Home Counties.