The intersection of powerful mobile devices and even-more-powerful cloud platforms is creating new opportunities for application developers, says SUNIL LALVANI
Cloud computing is indeed the ‘phrase du jour’. While it is a rage, opinion stands divided about a clear definition of what it actually is. Narrowly, it is often described as virtual servers available on the Internet like an updated version of utility computing. Broader definitions encompass several other facets. But to put it in simple terms, in a cloud computing system, a network of remote computers form the metaphorical cloud that handles all the load of running applications on local computers, reducing the hardware and software demands on the user’s side. A user would simply need to make sure his computer is able to run the cloud computing system’s interface software. Once that is done, the cloud’s network ensures all else is taken care of.
The direct benefits of cloud computing are many. Primary benefit is achieving the economies of scale. It helps increase volume output of productivity with fewer people, bringing down the cost per unit, project or product. With cloud, you can reduce capital costs. There’s no need to spend big money on hardware, software or licensing fees. It reduces the spending on technology infrastructure and helps companies globalize their workforce, who can access the cloud if they have internet connections. You can streamline processes and get more work done in less time with less people. Projects can be monitored more effectively and companies can stay within budgets and cycle times. Now, combine the power of cloud computing with the freedom and functionality of mobile devices. This amalgamation can give enterprises access to a wide range of key benefits. Advancing technology and social connectivity have created the perfect blend of opportunities for companies to embrace the power of cloud, to optimize and innovate business models.
Changing the game
Cloud computing is perhaps the game changer for the enterprise mobility market. Mobile solutions for the enterprise are all about making people productive even when the person is away from the office. To ensure continued productivity, while mobile, enterprise mobility apps help users access critical business data — access to emails, contacts, calendar, etc — while on the move. Enterprise mobility apps that are currently in circulation, are designed to connect a user to the company’s database through a specific application. However, no user can access the data should there be a problem in the organization’s network. This is where cloud can come to the rescue; it can help users access data and stay productive, while simultaneously reducing the downtime for organization. Shifting enterprise mobility functions to the cloud can help an organization reduce the loss of connectivity resulting from the scheduled maintenance of an enterprise network.
Most enterprises are trying to grapple with the power that cloud offers. Cloud helps create cost flexibility – it shifts the fixed cost to variable and for a “pay as and when needed” model. It provides flexible, cost effective computing capacity to support growth helping in business scalability. Cloud allows for market adaptability by enabling faster time to market and also supports experimentation. It helps with expanded product sophistication and allows for end user simplicity. Cloud’s context driven variability enables user defined experiences and increases product relevance. Finally, ecosystem connectivity fosters new value nets and helps drive potential new businesses.
What lies ahead
However, enterprise mobility must take into consideration, access costs and access security. Today’s mobile workers can access cloud-based data and applications through various Wi-Fi and 3G while working from remote locations. Connectivity must be monitored and controlled, so that the cost of connecting your mobile workers to your cloud-based environment does not counteract the efficiencies that can be derived from cloud computing. In many cases, these costs are unnecessary – such as paying for LAN or Wi-Fi fees when a mobile worker is in an area covered by his paid 3G subscription, using 3G when a free or low-cost Wi-Fi or LAN option is available, or using 3G when roaming internationally. Data compromise is the other risk. Threats stem from network bridging, suspicious websites, download of malware and the use of open, unencrypted networks. And it is difficult to counter these threats despite high end security solutions and VPNs.
So what lies ahead? Cloud computing is set to increase dramatically. According to Gartner’s prediction, the public cloud services market is forecast to have grown by 19.6 per cent in 2012 alone to $109 billion worldwide. This just goes to demonstrate that cloud computing has cut across industries and has greatly revolutionized the way enterprises are run. It has the potential to become the favored mechanism for software delivery, thus providing organizations with more choices and cutting down their time in maintaining their local applications.
With the growth of smartphones and more people working away from their offices, it is likely that more and more organizations are going to seek alternatives to online deployments. It is expected that businesses will think more carefully about their cloud providers and the security concerns that come with it, as they look at moving to private clouds for B2B. This partnership between very powerful mobile devices and even-more-powerful cloud platforms creates the sort of opportunity that stretches the mind for application developers, and introduces new opportunities for applications that did not even occur to people in the desktop PC world.
Sunil Lalvani is Managing Director, BlackBerry India.
