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The Infinitely Agile Cloud
June 18, 2012
Seven Corners, a travel insurance provider in Indiana, has created and implemented an agile and revenue-generating approach to cloud services. Seven Corners went beyond the typical efficiency and cost conservation benefits of cloud to build innovative business services that generate whole new revenue streams.
Cloud Computing vs. Real Cloud Computing
June 13, 2012
Oracle re-introduced its new cloud/social constellation of stuff last week that it had announced back at OpenWorld. If I count the analyst briefing I got in Redwood Shores in April, it was a re-re-introduction. Oracle is not the only company to follow this strategy. For example, Salesforce follows a conventional triple-tell approach too -- tell them what you're going to say, say it, tell them what you said.
Microsoft Sends In the Clouds at TechEd 2012
June 12, 2012
Microsoft put its updated cloud offerings and business tools in the spotlight Monday for the start of its annual TechEd Conference. In the keynote address kicking off the confab, Satya Nadella, president of Microsoft server and tools business, discussed Microsoft's focus on helping consumers transition to cloud computing.
Microsoft Loves Linux - as Long as It's Not Red Hat
June 12, 2012
Just when you thought it couldn't top itself -- having contributed Linux kernel code under the GPL, broadly supported Linux alongside Windows with its systems management and other software, and spun off a new subsidiary dedicated to openness, Microsoft showed yet more Linux and open source love recently, adding an impressive Linux lineup to supported software on its Azure cloud
Avoiding the Cloud's Dark Shadow: Needless Costs
June 08, 2012
Today's rapidly expanding array of cloud-based applications are quickly delivering quantifiable business benefits, as three years of THINKstrategies Best of SaaS Showplace Awards have clearly proven. However, it is also becoming clear that poorly managed deployment of today's cloud alternatives can generate needless costs that must be better contained.
Oracle's Cloud Rolls In
June 07, 2012
Oracle on Wednesday announced what it described as the industry's broadest cloud strategy, outlining a vision of offering customers a soup-to-nuts cloud solution. The development has been seven years in the making, involving relentless engineering and innovation, key strategic acquisitions, and billions of dollars in investment, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said.
SAP Gets New Stairway to the Cloud With Ariba Buy
May 23, 2012
SAP has revealed plans to acquire Ariba, an enterprise e-commerce network, for US$4.3 billion as part of the German company's expansion into cloud computing. SAP will purchase Ariba for $45 per share -- about 20 percent more than its market price. Ariba's board approved the purchase unanimously. The sale is expected to be completed during the third calendar quarter of 2012, dependent on Ariba shareholder approval.
The Networked Economy
May 21, 2012
Mediafly is a startup company that delivers cloud-based applications for content management and distribution on mobile devices for Fortune 500 companies. Through the Ariba Network, Mediafly gained insight and control over its cash flow and found new means of managing capital and in aiding its ability to support ongoing operations, as well as to drive future growth.
New MacBook, New Cloud, New Leaf
May 16, 2012
Apple computer users might soon have a thinner, lighter version of the MacBook, according to numerous reports. The new design will apparently still bear the "MacBook Pro" name but will more closely resemble an Ultrabook -- thin, light and affordable PC laptops. It will supposedly feature a high-definition screen similar to the ones found on iPhones and iPads.
Federal Cloud Adoption, Part 2: Raining Contracts
May 16, 2012
The U.S. government's pursuit of cloud-based technology has been characterized by a blizzard of policies, directives, technical studies, proposed contract vehicles and conferences. The federal "cloud first" initiative, requiring agencies to give priority consideration to cloud solutions for IT operations, began in December 2012. Now, an idea of how much business is at stake for IT vendors has surfaced -- and it's impressive.
Federal Cloud Adoption, Part 1: Lots of Baby Steps
May 15, 2012
The U.S. government is learning quickly that achieving the next big thing in information technology depends upon implementing a huge number of little things. For federal IT managers, that big thing is the cloud. Federal agencies have busily pursued cloud solutions since December 2010, when the government adopted its "Cloud First" policy, requiring agencies to give priority consideration to cloud technologies.
Sapphire Now: It's a Mobile, Social, Cloudy, Collaborative World
May 15, 2012
The Sapphire Now conference kicked off Monday in Orlando, Fla., with 60,000 customers, partners and employees of SAP participating, either at the conference facility or watching it online. The first day of the event offered the usual lineup of celebrity speakers -- corporate and otherwise -- with Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong featured in the morning and SAP Co-CEO Bill McDermott in the afternoon.
Security and the Cloud: The Great Reconciliation
May 14, 2012
It now falls to CIOs not only to rapidly adapt to cloud computing, but also to find the ways to protect their employees and customers as they adopt cloud models, even as security threats grow. This is a serious -- but not insurmountable -- challenge. Cloud computing has clearly sparked the imagination of business leaders, who see it as a powerful new way to be innovative and gain first-mover advantages.
CRM Conference to Showcase the Retail Experience
May 14, 2012
CRM Conference is being held May 29 to 31 at the Chicago Hyatt Regency. This annual event offers a unique agenda for retailers, said Devon Wylie, CEO of CRMC. "It's specifically focused on case studies from topnotch multinational retailers. With this approach, attendees can get actionable learnings they can take home with them."
Cloud Management Keys to Success
May 11, 2012
The debate about the viability of cloud alternatives has given way to a new set of discussions about how to maximize the value of today's rapidly evolving cloud services. This new round of deliberations centers on the right approach to planning, selecting, deploying, administering, and optimizing the performance of cloud-based applications and other resources.
Getting What You Want From ERP in the Cloud
May 07, 2012
Through the Ariba Network, Cox Enterprises manages multiple ERP systems for an improved e-procurement strategy. The $15 billion communications, media, and automotive services company has moved toward more efficient indirect spend efforts to improve ongoing operations and drive future growth across more than 50,000 employees.
Federal IT Managers Get New Tools for Hammering Out Innovations
May 02, 2012
E-Commerce buzz words sound great in theory, but innovation often founders on the shoals of "getting there from here" as IT managers slog through the details of converting to new systems and programs. Federal agencies have been turning to shared services, data consolidation, commodity IT and, especially, the cloud. Directives to reform IT have been flying out of the OMB at regular intervals for the past 18 months.
Online Storage: Pick a Cloud, Any Cloud
April 25, 2012
With the launch of Google Drive on Tuesday, the number of cloud storage service options for consumers has become bewildering. Players include Google with Google Drive, Windows Live SkyDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, YouSendIt, SpiderOak, SugarSync, Box.net, Amazon Cloud Drive and Ubuntu One. On a basic level, they all offer similar services.
Salesforce.com Reaches for Bigger Slice of Government Cloud Pie
April 25, 2012
Salesforce.com has unveiled a new series of cloud computing initiatives for the government user base -- a highly lucrative niche for tech vendors, especially those that can present their products in a budget-friendly light. The new offerings, bundled under the name "Government Cloud," include a dedicated, multitenant instance of Salesforce.com's cloud infrastructure, a new AppExchange for the Government, and a Salesforce Government Partner Accelerator Program.
Google Drive Kicks Into Gear
April 24, 2012
Google on Tuesday unveiled Google Drive, its long-anticipated storage locker in the cloud. The service incorporates Google Docs and lets users upload, access and share their files, including videos, photos and PDFs. Google Drive works on Macs and PCs, and an Android app is available. An iOS app is in the works.

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