Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/160971
FEATURE The "3 Cs" of the Cloud — Does Your Firm Fit? Y By Drew West, Solutions Director, Deltek ou'd buy a shirt for how it fits you– not for how it looks on 1,000 other people. So it shouldn't mater that 6 in 10 companies already have at least one "cloud" application. Or that the "cloud services market" (apparently that's you) will double in four years, from $45B to $95B. No, what matters more than any "cloud" hoopla is if it really fts. Stop wondering if the cloud is a ft for your frm; see if your frm fts the cloud. The Cloud, Clarifed Simply put, "cloud" systems are deployed outside your organization, t y pically accessed through the internet. Sofware and hardware are completely ex ternal. But users experience these "software-as-aservice" (SAAS) applications prety much the same as systems inside your firm. A cloud solution can eliminate much of the cost, expertise and infrastructure needed to install and maintain internal systems. Yet many feel that control, security and access concerns ofset these cloud advantages. Change, Competence, Cost To understand where your frm sits on the spectrum of risk and reward, refect on 3 atributes: CHANGE Keep in mind your frm's atitude towards innovation in the face of change and competition. If a technology advantage is a key to your strategy, the cloud's efficiency and cost savings make sense. Also consider tolerance for change. Cloud solutions offer f re q ue nt , of t e n autom at ic , updates– great for users who like the latest features, and good for IT departments that don't have to install every update. Yet frequent change sometimes bothers partners or staf slow to embrace technology. If that's the case, internal systems let frms like these dictate the pace of change. Finally, think about ongoing needs, like unique reports or special workfows. Are these frequent and urgent? Cloud-based practice-management systems are typically packaged with common workf lows repeatable across most firms. Advanced cloud solutions will even allow broad configuration, but internal systems could work best for frms with highly unique– and constantly changing– needs. COMPETENCE In frms large or small, internal systems work well for those with a skilled IT staff to maintain hardware, deploy and update soft ware, and keep ever yone connected. But your firm may not want to be good at those things. I nsta l led of fsite and maintained for you, cloud-based systems are a great "hands-of" approach. And pushing maintenance responsibilities to a cloud solution frees IT for strategic work like business intelligence, or even application development. Internal IT teams don't ofen lack the skills necessary to manage hardware, monitor security, or maintain software– but focus is diferent. Internal IT teams are of ten resource-constra ined, facing a challenging workload without optimal staff. Splitting time across so many responsibilities, while putting out any fires that may arise, doesn't necessarily introduce risk into an internal environment– but it does mean lots of stress worr ying about possible viruses, hackers, or bugs. Firms seeking to eliminate risk or worry should consider the cloud: A cloud-solution brings with it a team solely dedicated to m a i nt a i n i n g t he s o f t w a r e , ensuring its availability and protecting it from malware or virus threats. And unlike an internal IT department, the cloud-solution's vendor is bound to the servicelevel agreement stipulated in a subscription or contract. Where an internal IT department might falter under an increasing workload, a cloud solution is obligated to a constant service level no matter how many cl ients its vendor takes on. CONFIDENCE Your data-center may be an entire climate-controlled limited-access foor, or a closet in the back-ofce. That you can even f ind your data-center is an important contrast: you'll never "walk by" the data-center of a cloud solution. Beyond the fact that it's ofsite (ofen an undisclosed location,) data-centers for any appropriate cloud solut ion a re t y pica l ly guarded by physical security and video surveillance, and doubleverify anyone seeking to be anywhere near the systems or the data within them. And there's usually more than one– cloud solutions providers obligated to ensure availability and security t y pically prov ide a least one redundant environment, readyto-go in the case of any issues. Firms wanting high availability and exceptional security might fnd the cloud a beter option than t he cos t a nd comple x it y of bringing an on-site data-center to a similar level. Yet your data is still yours– it shouldn't be mingled with anyone else's, and completely av a i l able to you for reporting or in any way you might need it. An internal system might be a beter option if you don't get this assurance from the cloud. Making the Move Internal practice management systems have brought accuracy and efciency for years. Yet the cloud's growing adoption may have you curious about its advantages. Keep in mind as you consider the cloud: • Your frm's culture, and your overall technology strategy aligns with the cloud. • The cloud complements and helps your IT resources fourish as a strategic part of the frm. • Your cloud solution surpasses the access, availability, and security you have today. September 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 21