“There are some new vending machines in the cafe of Logitech’s office in Fremont, California, but they don’t sell soda or snacks. Instead, they’re filled with keyboards, headsets, laptop batteries and other items employees may need.” Now since this is the season of wishful thinking, imagine a vending machine where you could select solutions to your IT headaches instead of products. Maybe selecting A1 would provide a solution for hardware that won’t sync with the update your software sent you. B3 could provide a solution for figuring out how to keep your outside sales team updated and connected 24/7. Take a moment and start imaging which button would you push? · C4 to figure how to pay for the new server your IT consultant says you must purchase ASAP or else. · F3 to make sure your employees can work from home when necessary whether your in-house server is down- again. · D5 not to hear your IT consultant tell you how many hours it will take to fix whatever needs fixing or updating. Here’s the funny part in this imaginary vending machine: no matter which button you push, the only thing that will come out is vapor. Because the solution to the vast majority of your IT headaches can be found in the Cloud. Pushed A1 for syncing issues? Not an issue with Cloud based apps. B3 for connectivity? Your sales team is always connected to real time data as long as they have an internet connection. C4 to replace costly servers? Your data is stored on remote servers, hosted by companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and InfoStreet who has been providing cloud services since 1994. Even in the season of miracles, there are no simple, one size fit all solution in IT or in life. But for the common, everyday selections we make from our ‘vending machines’, a move to the Cloud is an excellent solution. The benefits of cloud computing are, unlike this fantasy, real and tangible. As long as I can still get my Reese’s Pieces, selection H1. December 2011
“There are some new vending machines in the cafe of Logitech’s office in Fremont, California, but they don’t sell soda or snacks. Instead, they’re filled with keyboards, headsets, laptop batteries and other items employees may need.” Now since this is the season of wishful thinking, imagine a vending machine where you could select solutions to your IT headaches instead of products. Maybe selecting A1 would provide a solution for hardware that won’t sync with the update your software sent you. B3 could provide a solution for figuring out how to keep your outside sales team updated and connected 24/7. Take a moment and start imaging which button would you push? · C4 to figure how to pay for the new server your IT consultant says you must purchase ASAP or else. · F3 to make sure your employees can work from home when necessary whether your in-house server is down- again. · D5 not to hear your IT consultant tell you how many hours it will take to fix whatever needs fixing or updating. Here’s the funny part in this imaginary vending machine: no matter which button you push, the only thing that will come out is vapor. Because the solution to the vast majority of your IT headaches can be found in the Cloud. Pushed A1 for syncing issues? Not an issue with Cloud based apps. B3 for connectivity? Your sales team is always connected to real time data as long as they have an internet connection. C4 to replace costly servers? Your data is stored on remote servers, hosted by companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and InfoStreet who has been providing cloud services since 1994. Even in the season of miracles, there are no simple, one size fit all solution in IT or in life. But for the common, everyday selections we make from our ‘vending machines’, a move to the Cloud is an excellent solution. The benefits of cloud computing are, unlike this fantasy, real and tangible. As long as I can still get my Reese’s Pieces, selection H1. 
The media is filled with end of year task lists from financial planning, to updating sales plans. All necessary but they certainly adds to the stress of the season.
I came across a check list of questions to ask in order to prepare your company, and your budget, for an IT network. As I read through it I kept wondering how a small to medium business owner could have the time and resources to handle this.
And why go through this when a move to the Cloud eliminates, or mitigates, 99% of these tasks.
How?
