Cheer Biz News, Sept/Aug 2011
Tech-Know: Work with Your Head in the Clouds
By Helen Gallagher
Running a business means you rarely have time to leave the gym, or you’re always on the road. That leaves little time to tend to computer problems when you finally get a few quiet minutes in the office. And, unless you’re a tech wizard, you’re wondering how to update your programs.
Instead of keeping your computer operating system updated and protected, and investing in new software, you can work in “the cloud,” using the web to access software and work with your data live online. You can work on your files from any web-enabled computer and cut overhead expenses for tech support, hardware and software.
Cloud computing has been around since the days of client/server computers. It became popular for small businesses in 2006, when availability of high-speed internet and massive processing power made it possible to access fast remote computers quicker than our less powerful desktops and laptops. The cloud is now catching on with many small business users, as computers in homes and offices become a gateway to information on the web instead of processing data.
While the term “cloud computing” may seem foreign, many of us already back up to the cloud with services like Mozy or iDrive, and store photos in the cloud with Shutterfly, Snapfish and Google’s Picasa. Let’s take a look at the benefits and risks when working in the cloud:
- You no longer have to purchase software licenses for most of the programs you use to create documents, spreadsheets and accounting and web design programs.
- There’s no need for a powerful, fast computer with large disk capacity.
- You can forget about software updates, backups and virus/spyware problems.
- You may not want to give access to all your confidential files to a coach or other staff member, but you can let them work on documents, like class schedules and team rosters, in the cloud without letting them see all your private files.
- You don’t need to pay for tech support if your computer crashes the day before tryouts.
- With data stored remotely, you can collaborate with others, work from home or on the road, or ask a staffer to handle projects for you.
Proving that cloud computing is here to stay, tech firms are finding more ways to move customers to the cloud. Comcast is partnering with Microsoft to eliminate the cumbersome management of office e-mail and messaging software. It’s now possible to move your business e-mail to the cloud. Regarding e-mail and messaging costs, Comcast states that working in the cloud “saves an average 25-person small business 82 percent during the first year and 84 percent over three years” (costs of licensing, maintenance, support, security and backups).
Google Docs
Google Docs (docs.google.com) offers access to Gmail and your calendar, photos and documents all in one browser window. Document types include word processing, presentations and spreadsheets, plus quick form-making and drawing tools. There are templates for creating budgets, certificates, surveys and even a handy contact list you can share with your team. You can also upload your own documents to the Google server. Your work can protected by password and the service is free.
OpenOffice Productivity Suite
Software developer Oracle bought OpenOffice (openoffice.org) in 2009, and it’s the free cloud equivalent of Microsoft Office. Oracle’s latest version is OpenOffice.org 4.
Microsoft Office Web Apps
If your business does well with remote access to Google Docs or OpenOffice, as your needs grow, you might make the move to a monthly contract for full-service cloud computing. The leader for small business cloud services is Microsoft. It’s been a player in this for a few years, as has Amazon, which rents out server space to large corporations. It’s Microsoft, though, that has its eye on the burgeoning small business market.
If you already use Windows Live, you’re familiar with using Microsoft’s cloud storage space to share documents, music and photos in real time. Compared to using e-mail to send attachments for large projects, Windows Live saves time and keeps your files accessible anytime you log in at Microsoft.
Now, along comes Office Web Apps, Microsoft’s offering of web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote (microsoft.com/windows/cloud). In return for a monthly fee, ranging from 5 to 96 cents per hour for light users, you gain remote access to your files, working online instead of paying for a license for the Office Suite. If you need a productive tool for team collaboration, this could be your solution. Office Web is accessed from your browser using Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox or Google Chrome.
Low cost may not be the biggest reason to make the move—less time wasted on rebooting, tech headaches and virus worries may make it worthwhile for your gym to move to the cloud. The advantage to using Microsoft’s cloud service may reside in our familiarity with the Office Suite. Other cloud services use word processor and spreadsheet programs that require learning new tools, and can pose backward-compatibility problems.
Security Risks
It sounds good, right? But how safe is it when you’re essentially storing all your data online, in the cloud? This is an inherent risk we take with any online service: hacking, lost data or inaccessibility during a crisis when internet or electrical power may be unavailable. You have to weigh these risks against the risk of having everything stored on computers in your office: robbery, water damage, electrical failure—any of these problems could occur with your equipment and data.
Amazon made news (along with Sony’s Playstation, whose customer data was hacked) when its cloud service, EC2, crashed and caused actual data loss to some companies using the service.
Make Your Move
If cloud computing seems right for your gym, sign up for a test run. Once you get used to the cloud, you may prefer the freedom of having everything offsite. You can mix the vendors, using Microsoft OfficeWeb for documents and Google Docs for forms, drawings and slideshows.
Cloud computing is a popular alternative for small businesses that don’t want to be weighed down managing technology. Industry analyst IDG Research reports nearly 7 percent of businesses with less than 100 employees use a cloud solution, and another 6 percent plan to add a cloud service in the next year. Those numbers nearly double among midsize companies.
If your program is growing or expanding to multiple locations, it might make sense to invest in high-speed access to the cloud instead of in hardware, software licenses, networking and heavy tech-support bills.
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