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Although the MIT makes the specific point that the Platform Business Model is exactly that – a business model, not a technology – there is naturally a clear and powerful link with the cloud model PaaS (platform as a service).

This offers literally that – a platform as a service – and so it can play a central component part in enabling the Platform Business Model.

Enterprise vs cloud PaaS

Enterprise PaaS refers to the internal application of the platform as a...

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Over the course of 2015, we’ve seen many of the trends we predicted last year come to fruition. As cloud adoption in the UK soared past 84% in May, it was evident that we had been right that the technology would become even more mainstream. With enterprises aiming to become more mobile, 2015 has also seen the normalisation of “anytime, anywhere working” and the increased dependency on...

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Cloud enables IT agility, empowers DevOps teams and helps to transform legacy business models. The fifth annual Future of Cloud Computing survey investigates key trends in corporate cloud usage. This year's insightful survey findings offer perspective from cloud service practitioners across all industry sectors."Cloud has been gaining momentum year­-over-­year since the Future of Cloud Computing survey was launched five years ago. Looking at the adoption rates and trends at such a detailed level, it's undeniable that the most successful...

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Cloud technology has fundamentally altered the way people do business. For small and medium-sized firms in particular, it delivers sustainable, competitive edge. By presenting firms with the means to work smarter and quickly capitalise on opportunities, cloud and mobile technologies help to eliminate inefficiencies, facilitate flexibility, and ensures SMEs are as agile and...

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IBM has announced it has acquired Clearleap to improve cloud users' access to videos, by integrating with Clearleap's video library delivery platform.

The financial terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed, but IBM has said that the seven-year old company based in Georgia will be integrated into its cloud platform. Clearleap's platform securely delivers large video libraries to...

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Research from B2B research firm Clutch has revealed just over half (52%) of small businesses are using a cloud storage solution, with Dropbox the most popular and Apple the highest rated service.

According to the report, which polled 438 small business across the US and 744 full time employees, Dropbox was used by 53% of respondents, ahead of Google Drive (45%), Apple iCloud (34%) and Microsoft OneDrive (30%). Box, in comparison, was used by only 6% of respondents, indicating a...

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By Neil McAvoy, CEO, CloudBestPractices.net

Although the hybrid cloud concept has become the popularised idea of how the enterprise market will inch its way into adoption of cloud services, twinning their own internal private cloud with public resources, this will be a short term label soon replaced by ‘multi-cloud‘.

I agree with the general direction of travel; however, I feel we’ll soon see the hybrid cloud definition as somewhat inadequate, as we’re really...

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More organisations are saying cloud computing gives them a competitive advantage, but fewer are saying it gives their company a significant advantage, according to the latest figures from Verizon.

The report, the third annual ‘State of the Market: Enterprise Cloud’ paper released by the telco giant, found 77% of firms cite cloud as a competitive advantage, compared with 74% this time last year. Yet only 16% argue cloud gives significant advantage this time round,...

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The emergence of the cloud has dramatically changed the way businesses operate and collaborate. With trends such as flexible working and the gig or sharing economy on the rise, communication is now more important than ever to enable colleagues to keep in touch regardless of time zone or location.

Here are just a few of the ways the cloud can be utilised to ensure effective collaboration:

Access anywhere

With...

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It turns out unlimited does not mean unlimited after all: Microsoft has reneged on its plans to give Office 365 subscribers unlimited OneDrive cloud storage, capping each account at 1 TB.

This is perhaps being a little harsh, and isn’t a particularly egregious rewriting of the English language. Microsoft’s reason for cutting back on OneDrive and its unlimited access, available for just over a year, is that some people are just too greedy for their own good.

“Since we started to...

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Cloud computing is still a very trendy topic of discussion among technology leaders around the world. It’s easy to see why; cloud adoption rates are on the rise and are predicted to continue their upward trend, while cloud service providers (CSPs) continue to roll out new features, products, and services.

Times are good in the world of cloud computing – but I believe...

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As I’m writing this, I’m looking over at the foosball table that resides in the corner of the Dropbox office. It’s a hub of activity as two of my colleagues battle it out while they take a break from a planning session. There’s also a group of people huddled together on beanbags and sofas, armed with coloured markers and clearly intent on solving a challenge.

The atmosphere is informal but productive, and the reason they are able to work in this non-traditional...

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In a recent study which spoke with 300 companies on cloud adoption, 82% of the enterprises stated they had a hybrid cloud strategy, up from 74% in 2014. The continual growth of cloud adoption, in particular for enterprises, is becoming increasingly tricky to ignore.

Before you make this big step, however, there are a number of factors you must take into consideration. What vendor will you select? How will you...

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The term ‘enterprise transformation’ is frequently heard, relating to organisational change and moving away from legacy technologies. Accenture defines it as a “fundamental shift [of] strategy, in response to major disruptions through a complete, business-driven remodelling of how a company structures itself.” But how far down the company does change go?

Antonion Piraino, chief technology officer at IT management software provider ScienceLogic, argues...

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A new paper from Osterman Research in conjunction with CTERA Networks argues a clear need for organisations to adopt enterprise grade file sync and share (EFSS) software due to security and shadow IT fears.

Naturally, the conclusion of the report is less than surprising given CTERA’s continued push against consumer grade (CFSS) software. Back in July the firm released research detailing how three quarters of firms are looking for an alternative to public file sync and share services....

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The concept of the 1%, in economic terms, usually refers to wealth inequality; however, a recent report from CloudLock shows that in cloud environments, 75% of the security risk can be attributed to just 1% of users.

This instance, of course, has more in common with the Pareto principle, whereby approximately 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes, than anything else. Yet the report analyses a trend familiar to the readers of this publication; a key security risk when moving data...

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More proof arrives that financial organisations are becoming more comfortable with cloud technologies: according to the latest industry outlook from Skyhigh Networks, the average financial services company uses more than 1,000 cloud services, with collaboration tools the most popular type of application used. But is it a good thing?

The report, which focuses on real life data from 3.7 million employees at banks, insurance companies and credit card firms among others, found the...

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“We change our behaviour when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change” – Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

Successful businesses require the ability to change and increasingly to adapt quickly, to be agile to new approaches and technologies and be flexible to the needs of the business and customers.

We are at the wake of monumental change and how businesses service and engage...

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A new report from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services argues that as cloud usage in the enterprise continues to rise, collaboration is now the key benefit ahead of business agility.

The research, which had more than 450 participants and was sponsored by Verizon Enterprise Solutions, found 84% of respondents agreeing their organisation’s use of cloud computing had increased in the past year. 72% said their use of cloud increased collaboration options, while 71% argued business...

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Recently I read a fascinating article by Rachel King in the WSJ CIO Journal titled “Google moves its corporate applications to the Internet”. This article was of particular interest to me because I manage a company that offers a hosted desktop solution to SMEs, and what is described as Google’s “new approach” is the approach that our customers have been...