Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/160971
FROM THE TRENCHES By Randy Johnston Where's the Cloud Now? C loud definitions, strategies and marketing messages continue to shift. What is MOST important is the business problem you are trying to solve and the solutions available. We will continue leveraging cloud resources throughout the rest of this decade and beyond. We expect a blend of local resources and cloud resources will be needed for the foreseeable future. For example, Microsoft Office 365 is a blend of storage in Microsof t public cloud data centers, ap pl ic at ion s t h at c a n b e r u n through a browser and traditional Microsoft Office that can work locally or connect to the cloud storage. You ca n e x tend loca l resources over the internet, commonly referred to as a private cloud. You can share computing capability with others in the public cloud. So what capabilities are working well and should be considered? Where are the risks? How about the costs? W hen should you choose SaaS, private and public cloud oferings? Who does the implementation work? Why should you consider these strategies? Although a comple x topic , hopef u l ly t h is article will serve as a summary of your choices. Private Cloud, Public Cloud? Mr. Johnston is executive vice president and partner of K2 Enterprises and Network Management Group, Inc. He is a nationally recognized educator, consultant and writer with over 30 years' experience. He can be contacted at randy.johnston@cpapracticeadvisor.com. 16 In prior columns, we have explained that software applications can run in a browser. Tis is called Software as a Ser vice or SaaS. Examples include: AccountantsWorld (among the frst!), CCH Axcess, GoFileRoom, GoSystemRS Tax, Intuit Online Tax, XCM, ADP Run, Avalara, Concur, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave, SageOne, FreshBooks, Kashoo, Intacct, SAP Business By Design, ShareFile and SmartVault. Productivity applications that are SaaS include the September 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com Microsof Web Apps and Google Docs. Some vendors have been concerned about keeping your local speed and user experience fast and rich, and they have used more robust local clients as a solution to this issue today. Examples of this Traditional applications can be hosted in a data center. Tomson Virtual Ofce, Cloud 9 Realtime, I nSy nq, Cloudva ra, XCentr ic, R i g ht Ne t wor k s , Q ute r a a nd I V Desk wou ld be ex a mples of hosting ser vices for traditional WITH EITHER A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE CLOUD, YOU CAN WORK ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE … OR NOT. approach include Microsof Ofce 365, as noted above and the CCH Axcess Suite. All of these product examples are public cloud oferings. applications. All of these vendors' approach of hosting applications should be considered public cloud. Your fles can be private or shared,