Microsoft 365, IT ISN'T True Cloud Computing Is It?Posted by Swain Hardy on April 30th, 2021 When Microsoft made a decision to enter the Cloud Computing market in 2008 it was lagging behind its major competitors who had already been operating their very own Cloud Computing services for several years. It also forgot one very important part of the concept, to place the software and applications in the cloud. Cloud Computing - The concept For those of you new to the idea of Cloud Computing the idea is you pay a provider to provide you with something that meets all your It requires including software, applications, storage, web security, communications and other tailor made services; basically all you need to run your business that you access through a remote server. This implies the service provider gets control the responsibility to make sure your IT use is optimal for the business at a cheaper price that one could run an IT department of your. The true Cloud computing service providers allow you to access all the details and applications inside your account from anywhere whether it's at work, by laptop from a remote laptop, netbook, notebook or cellular phone. The higher providers also allow your staff to work on documents in real time together; if there is several member of staff working together on a document they will see all edits and alterations to the document because they are applied. That is one area w here Microsoft 365 falls down to competitors like Google Apps; each of the Microsoft 365 computers working inside a cloud still need their own installing MSWord or other application installed on all their computers, laptops or mobiles. This implies when a document is opened it only appears using one computer therefore after alterations or edits you must save a copy of the document to the server and tell colleagues of the changes they then need to access the saved document in order to see any changes. This is time consuming and can result in errors or the incorrect document or information used. Are Microsoft right? So have Microsoft got it right? Although there are many followers of Microsoft 365 running their businesses successfully they could actually be able to improve productivity and profits with a different service provider. Google Apps is cheaper than Microsoft 365 and adding the difference in cost to the increased productivity and time savings could make a company more profitable and more efficient. My own feelings are that Microsoft have not got Cloud Computing right, they watch their monopoly on the software and applications market slipping away from them as companies realise there is no need for expensive packages, updates or licensing. Unlike true Cloud Computing providers, such as for example Google Apps, who already supply these essential resources within the price tag on the package and presented as a far more effectual resource. Google Apps reap benefits? Google Apps saw the benefits to be reaped by businesses using Cloud Computing services and created and continue to create a positive IT experience whereas Microsoft 365 have jumped on the bandwagon with a far more expensive and less effective Cloud Computing experience by juggling and shoehorning existing software, services and applications into their own interpretation of a cloud.Like it? Share it! More by this author |