If you’re still uncertain cloud computing is right for your small business, here are the top 10 benefits that the cloud has to offer small businesses.

1. Lower costs – The cloud reduces dependency on excess hardware and software and maximizes your IT expenses. Instead of paying a flat rate for storage and data usage, you only pay for what you use.

2. Scalability – The cloud is a ubiquitous, elastic entity. It can stretch and shrink at will to fit the needs of a wide range of tasks, including application use. In times of higher traffic, the cloud scales up temporarily to suit the user’s increased needs, and shrinks when it is no longer in use.

3. Automated Updating – This takes the burden off of the shoulders of the IT guys, who will no longer need to worry about paying for expensive hardware and software upgrades.

4. Remote Access – Information is automatically synced via the Internet in a remote location. This allows anyone to access and update their information from any location as long as they are connected to the Internet.

5. Disaster Preparedness – Data is stored in external location away from the main office. In the event of natural disasters or fires, the data will always be backed up and there when you need it. Users no longer need to worry about losing important documents in the event of a power outage.

6. Ease of Use – You won’t need to depend on IT resources as much; cloud services are easy to set up and maintain. Instead, you will be able to focus your energy (and money) on areas that may need additional work.

7. Dependable Third-Party Vendors – Companies who offer cloud services are reliable and have several years of functional knowledge in the industry. They have great customer service for any concerns or problems you may have. The bottom line: you’ll be partnering with people who are qualified to handle your data.

8. Reaction Time – The cloud responds notoriously faster than physical servers.

9. Closing the Competition Gap – One of the biggest struggles a small business faces is competition from larger companies. By using cloud services, a small business is able to fight back by using the same powerful tools that top-profiting companies use. As an added bonus, you’ll only be paying a small fraction of the cost.

10. Customization – Shaping the cloud has limitless possibilities. Users have thousands of tools from various vendors directly at their fingertips. It’s a fully customizable space with endless potential.

A recent infographic published by CSC illuminates the usage index for cloud computing and shared some interesting facts about how the companies reacted to switching to the cloud. These statistics are helpful when determining the benefits in adopting the cloud. Here’s the breakdown:

33% of companies moved to the cloud in order to gain access to information from multiple devices. 

Only 17% cited cutting costs as their main cause. Only 14% of companies downsized their IT departments after switching to the cloud. 20% hired more.

Savings in the cloud are visible but small. 82% of U.S. companies say they saved money by switching to the cloud, but for 35%, savings were less than $20,000. Small businesses saw the least savings. Overall, companies in Brazil saw the most savings.

Companies that switch are in it for the long haul. 65% paid for subscriptions lasting one year or longer on their first contract.

The cloud reduces waste, improves IT departments, and increases proficiency. 47% of companies said their operating costs declined while using the cloud.

Fewer employees resist cloud conversion. 74% of small businesses (50 employees or fewer) reported having no one resist the move.

25% of companies claimed to be more concerned about data security after switching to the cloud. Companies in Singapore were the most concerned about security, while 47% of companies in Brazil said they were less concerned.

The government is slowly transitioning to the cloud services, with almost half of government IT workers saying that they’ve already made the move. There is a new requirement that states U.S. federal agencies must adopt a “cloud-first” policy.

The statistics came from a global survey of 3,645 IT decision makers in 8 countries.  You can view the full infographic here.

Computer security is often a huge game of cat and mouse – antivirus software companies are always in a race against to protect against the multitude of threats facing the public. Companies and consumers alike are constantly under siege from malware, viruses, hacking attempts, and phishing scams. If you want to be better prepared, keep a lookout for these top security trends in 2012:

Cloud computing is the hottest trend of 2012. At tech conferences around the world, it is making a name for itself by being the biggest buzzword across the infosphere. At one particularly impacting South by Southwest session, Morphlabs founder and CEO Winston Damarillo discussed the revolutionary impact of cloud computing on a global scale. He explained that the cloud has the potential to “turbo-charge entrepreneurship in developing nations around the world” without the need for additional hardware, software, and other resources, thereby maximizing the available assets and minimizing cost. Damarillo concluded that such a global networking system of cloud computing would also encourage economic and social growth.

It seems that Damarillo’s dream of a global cloud revolution is not entirely out of reach. The cost of storage has been dropping down steadily, meaning that the sheer volume of cloud storage systems has skyrocketed in mere months. With many companies inside the United States fuelling the initial spark for this budding industry, many international markets are starting to follow suit. Several countries have shown an interest in developing widespread cloud data centers to better serve their communities and solve data solution problems. The cloud market has begun to expand globally, according to market research. Recently, China announced plans to build a 7,800 square meter complex – aptly named “Cloud Valley” – where they will house more than 1,000 cloud servers. China expects this will cause a substantial growth in their cloud market as well as help develop the technology in the industry further.

With a global cloud network, companies will easily be able to expand their outreach and the public will have quick access to important information. Such a widespread networking can only bring growth and a positive impact on the economy. Clearly, the ultimate goal is to develop cloud data centers on global scale that can be made as efficient as possible for everyone.

We’ve already told you that cloud services are booming, so what’s in store for the future of the industry?

The team that helped to develop cloud services for Amazon, Google and Microsoft presented South by Southwest’s only cloud computing panel entitled “Cloud Computing: Defending the Undefineable.” 

The panelists discussed some of the current problems plaguing developers and what could be expected in the future. They focused on key aspects of their respective services and hinted at ideas that are in development. 

Here’s a quick view of what we can expect in the immediate future:

* Separate cloud services for enterprise and corporate databases with the ability to collaborate

* Operating systems integrated with cloud computing, like Windows Azure

* “Public” and “private” lots offered to customers to meet varied security needs

* Increased automation

* Data portability features, such as importing and exporting from other cloud services

* Improved ease of migration features for new customers

* “Greener” computing* Hybrid servers that combine the cloud and dedicated servers

In order to realize the future, there are still several obstacles to overcome, including concerns with privacy, security and power output. The biggest challenge to developers is designing programs and apps around cloud-based services, as concessions need to be made for scalability and consistency with data processing speeds.

While it appears as though developers may have a lot to take on to perfect the cloud, they made it clear that they are up to the challenge and believe the cloud is the future. It seems the audience was in agreement; an informal survey revealed that about one-third of the people in attendance were users of Amazon’s cloud service.

Bogged down by routine business tasks? Ever wished you had more time to concentrate on important
business projects and the bigger things in life? If you’ve ever wished you had an assistant but didn’t think
you had the money or the space for staff, think again. Cloud computing has created an entirely new career
field--one which might benefit you. We're talking about the virtual assistant (or V.A.). And don't worry:
A virtual assistant could be more economical and convenient than you might suspect.

The term ‘Virtual Assistant ‘was first coined in 1996 by Thomas Leonard, according to Stacy Brice,
founder of the U.S.A. based Virtual Assistant Association. Brice was the first person to start the trend of a
home based contractor of administrative services for an international client base. Some Virtual Assistant
Services will also take care of personal business and errands, like a concierge service.

The only thing a V.A. can’t do for you is anything that must be done in person. But you may be surprised
at what can be accomplished without physically being in the same office or country as you are, such as:

• Make phone calls and schedule meetings
• Conduct market research
• Follow up on errands and appointments
• Create and edit documents and legal documents
• Update websites and add search engine optimization
• Conduct real estate transactions
• Answer your email
• Update databases
• Update invoices and receive payments
• Manage recruiting processes

So how does cloud computing make the idea of the virtual assistant conceivable? Through the miracle of
the Cloud, phone calls to your business could instead be forwarded to your V.A. (through cloud telephone
services such as Vonage or Skype). You can meet and brainstorm with your V.A., even if she is across
the company, through cloud-based collaboration tools such as Google docs or online whiteboards. The
same kind of online collaboration allows you and your virtual assistant to work together to build and
update your website.

Some of the cloud-based services that will help you and your virtual assistant work together include the
following:

Google Docs: http://docs.google.com

Zoho Desktop: http://www.zoho.com

Vonage: http://www.vonage.com

Skype: http://www.skype.com

Gmail at htp://www.gmail is arguably the best cloud-based email, since it not only allows standard
emailing features, but integrates seamlessly with GTalk (chat feature) as well as with the aforementioned
Google Docs.

Dabbleboard: http://www.dabbleboard.com

One other  favorite is O-Desk, at http://www.odesk.com. This cloud-based service allows you to
hire someone to do work for your company and to monitor the person in real time. The O-Desk software
is set on the V.A.'s side when she starts working, and then throughout the day, sends you auto-updates on
the worker's progress.

There are a host of others available. The point is that your business associates need no longer be tied to
your physical office. The Cloud makes it possible for your virtual office to extend nationwide and even
world-wide.

Data centers use technical terms to describe the various routes of data and storage. Each storage solution has different benefits and tradeoffs to fit different storage needs. When considering which route is best for your storage needs, there are several questions to consider.

How much storage capacity will you need? Will you be able to add additional storage on-demand? How much data availability are you going to need?

Direct Attached Storage (One-to-One): DAS is adding an external storage device to an existing server or PC to extend storage capacity. DAS is suited for newer small businesses with limited storage needs. Examples of this type of storage are portable USBs, thumb drives, zip drives and the PC external hard drive.

Network Attached Storage (One-to-Many): NAS makes stored data and files available to multiple users in multiple locations, using different operating systems. NAS servers utilize file level transfers, while DAS and SAN block level transfers. Example of this type of storage are file servers, email archiving and storing media files for web apps.

Storage Area Networks (Any-to-Any): SAN makes all storage devices available to any server on the network. Most businesses use SAN for over half of their storage needs. SANs are more complex to manage, but the ability to share the storage on multiple servers allows you to configure storage capacity as needed. Examples of this type of storage are entry-level virtualization, supporting interrelated resources, databases and centralizing enterprise storage.

Cloud (Masses-to-Masses): Cloud is pooled server resources that house massive data stores in remote data centers able to scale on-demand. Examples of this type of storage are serving rich media files, content delivery networks and web hosting. The major differences between all four of the storage solutions are cost, whether storage is shared or dedicated and whether additional storage can be added on-demand.

1. Maximize Physical Space Efficiently

This often takes the form of consolidation. Consolidation encompasses not just large, glass-house facilities, but also small server clusters and wiring closets. If there are too many data centers supporting the organization, they add unnecessary cost, are less controllable and lead to power inefficiencies. Also, small facilities suck up power unnecessarily, tie up inventory and burn cash out of an IT organization’s budget.

2. Maximum Server Efficiency Through Virtualization

Virtualization is a fast spreading concept. Virtualization is the pooling of physical storage from multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device that is managed from a central console. Storage virtualization helps the storage administrator perform the tasks of backup, archiving, and recovery more easily, and in less time, by disguising the actual complexity of the storage area network (SAN). Its benefits extend beyond merely improving the efficiency and usage ratio for central servers and storage systems. They also include faster provisioning of new projects, applications or users, as well as greater reliability and business continuity thanks to fast replication of virtual machines as backups.

3. Utilizing External Cloud Computing

A number of organizations are migrating select applications, mainly e-mail and other utilitarian functions, to cloud environments run by third parties. That frees up staff and infrastructure for more mission-focused work such as application development.

4. If It Provides Flexibility, Deploy Internal Clouds

To support a wide range of users and services with easy scalability and rapid provisioning, many organizations have launched their own cloud computing infrastructures. Internal cloud strategies force a rethinking of hardware architectures, utilizing consolidated, converged or data-center-in-a-box approaches.

5. Optimized Power Use

New form factors, mainly blade servers and converged infrastructures, need up-to-date cooling strategies. Instead of simply chilling the interior of an entire facility, the latest cooling technologies focus concentrated cooling where and when it is specifically needed within racks and aisles to radically reduce cooling costs.

Sometimes it’s hard to conceptualize the vastness of disk storage. It’s easier to look at a bookcase full of rare first editions and understand the amount and value of information. Here’s a break down on the size of different forms of data as defined by the IBM Dictionary:   

Bit: A Bit is the smallest unit of data that a computer uses. It can be used to represent two states of information, such as Yes or No.

Byte: A Byte can represent 256 states of information, for example, numbers or a combination of numbers and letters. One Byte could be equal to one character. Ten Bytes could be equal to a word. 100 Bytes would equal an average sentence.

Kilobyte: One Kilobyte would be equal to this paragraph you are reading, whereas 100 Kilobytes would equal an entire page.

Megabyte: Fifteen years ago, a Megabyte was considered a large amount of data. Today a 500 Gigabyte computer hard drive is common. An old 3-1/2 inch floppy disks can hold 1.44 Megabytes or the equivalent of a small book. 100 Megabytes might hold a couple volumes of Encyclopedias. 600 Megabytes is about the amount of data that will fit on a CD-ROM disk.

Gigabyte: One Gigabyte could hold the contents of about 10 yards of books on a shelf. 100 Gigabytes could hold the entire library floor of academic journals.

Terabyte: One Terabyte could hold about 3.6 million 300 Kilobyte images or about 300 hours of good quality video. A Terabyte could hold 1,000 copies of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Ten Terabytes could hold the printed collection of the Library of Congress. That's a lot of data.

Petabyte: One Petabyte could hold approximately 20 million 4-door filing cabinets full of text. It could hold 500 billion pages of standard printed text. It would take about 500 million floppy disks to store the same amount of data.

According to the MGI Big Data Report, the United States Library of Congress is storing around 235 Terabytes of data and 88% of industries have more data than that. Enterprises are in someway liable for nearly 80% of the digital universe. Businesses have steady daily file creation and the amount of information stored within the company will quickly amass. Precious items should be kept in a safe place and your data is no different.

Three successful  entrepreneurs returning home to Oklahoma from stints outside the state  have launched a venture accelerator in Oklahoma City that will develop local startups by providing investment, mentorship, office space, free services and access to further venture capital. Called VentureSpur and modeled on successful venture accelerators throughout the US, the new Oklahoma City accelerator launches on February 1, 2012. 

Founders include David Matthews, a partner in VC firm Trailblazer Capital and manager of the Oklahoma Opportunity Fund; Gabe Bass, managing partner of Bass Law, a law firm with offices in Oklahoma City and El Reno; and Kraettli L. Epperson, owner of Black Mesa Consulting, a new Oklahoma City information technology consulting company.

“Over the last several years, venture accelerators have become the leading tool to develop startups that are lean, fast, focused and efficient investment vehicles,” said Epperson. “We’re taking the lessons learned at other successful accelerators and applying them to Oklahoma. Our job is to spark the innovation economy by building businesses that keep and attract talent and investment in Oklahoma, and that  produce in-demand goods and services,” said Epperson.

The accelerator aims to host two groups of three startup companies each year, which are selected through a rigorous screening process. Winning companies are admitted to a three-month “boot camp” program that provides a free office, weekly mentorship and workshops, development of prototypes, polishing of presentations, and culminates in a “Pitch Day” during which the teams will present their company to angel investors and venture capitalists.

“We think Oklahoma is ripe for an accelerator,”  said co-founder Gabe Bass. “VentureSpur is modeled on Y Combinator, TechStars, Capital Factory and Tech Wildcatters, which have seen quick success with multiple companies receiving substantial follow-on investment or acquisitions. We want to do the same in Oklahoma,” said Bass.