Cloud Computing for SMBs is not Just About Google and CRM

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The range of cloud-based solutions for small- and mid-size businesses continues to grow. One example is WorkingPoint, a cloud-based business management system that includes invoicing, expenses, bookkeeping, contact management, and other features backed by a double-entry accounting system.

Designed for small businesses, WorkingPoint runs over Amazon’s cloud. The first user is free, with additional users costing $10/month. For a company with simple bookkeeping and accounting needs and a few (or only one) person needing access, the cost/benefit of WorkingPoint is compelling.

As I said, though, this is only one example of cloud- based solutions moving into areas of business computing beyond email, collaboration, and CRM.

Which services have you found? Do you use?

Can Unite Create Collaboration?

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The team at Opera Software, makers of the Opera browser, released Opera Unite. Unite is a browser-based web-server that allows individuals to share files, host web sites, post notes, share photos, and remotely access music and videos.

The concept and potential for collaborative communications is great. The reality, however, may not live up to the vision.

Home Users:

Definitely the target customer for Unite, home users will be able to create personal and public web presences with little effort at no cost. The downside, however, is bandwidth. Your 5 Mbps DSL speed is download. Upload speed — how fast data moves from your computer out to the Internet — is likely no more than 768 Kbps. Accessing Unite sites can be slow and choppy, failing to provide a viable user experience.

Of greater concern, is the networking ports that need to be opened. Your cable Internet or DSL provider probably delivered a router with all inbound access blocked. You can surf the web because the web site is responding to a request that you made. With Unite, you will need to open ports to allow access to initiate from the outside world. Automatic port scanners used by Internet villains will find your computer and you will be attacked. It is only a matter of time.

Small Businesses:

The thought of free web site development and hosting is very tempting to many small businesses. But small businesses face the same issues as home users with respect to security and performance.

In addition, the file sharing capabilities may put your data at risk.

Larger Businesses:

Larger companies with security policies are not going to allow outside traffic into the company’s network for Unite sites. It is risky from a security standpoint and with respect to the risk to confidential information via the file sharing feature. Internally, cheap and easy sites for project teams and other collaboration are tempting.

Using Unite within a business, however, creates a host of issues. A collection of disjoint collaboration sites makes it nearly impossible to ensure sensitive data remains private, information on the sites is backed up, and that hosting a local web site does not impede business applications.

In short, the vision and concept behind Opera Unite is pretty cool. The reality of how it can and will be used remains a risky proposition. One of the benefits of using a cloud- or SaaS-based solution is that the vendor provides security and operates on neutral turf. With a service provider, you can work, share, and collaborate without opening your network and computer to outsiders. A little money can save a lot of headache.

Answers You Need about Online Backup Services

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The recent agreement for HP to provide a free trial of Norton’s Symantec Backup on new consumer PCs demonstrates the growing acceptance of online backup solutions. When looking at online backup, please remember the following.

Backup is Easy; Recovery is the Challenge

If you keep this in mind, the focus of your comparison shifts from price to how well the service will help you recover from a lost file, failed disk, or system catastrophe. Having answers to the following questions will help you make a better choice.

1. How many generations does the backup provide?

Many of the low cost services only provide a single generation of each file. Even if the retention period is 30 days before deleted files are removed from the backup set, only the most recent version of the file is available. This type of service fails when you need a version of a file from Tuesday that you also edited on Wednesday.

Look for services that keep multiple generations, at least daily, of your data.

2. How long is the retention period?

Some of the most popular online backup services limit retention to 30, or as few as 7, days. In doing so, recovering a files may not be possible if you are unaware they were deleted more than 30, or even 7, days prior to the attempted restore.

Look for services that let you select the retention period you need for each type of data you need to protect.

3. What restore methods are available?

Every online backup service offers online restores. Even with broadband, FiOS, or other high speed connections, restoring large amounts of data over the Internet takes time. Some services limit the size of each restore, requiring multiple iterations to restore a full system. While some services will ship DVDs for an added fee, restoring from multiple DVDs is time consuming and requires constant monitoring.

Look for services that offer services like MobileVault, which will deliver a full copy of your data vault by courier or FedEx. Restores run computer-to-computer over the local network in a fraction of the time required for restores over the Internet.

4. How secure is your data?

Nearly all services provide advanced encryption to standards such as AES128 and AES256. If the service, however, offers a back-door for restores should you forget your encryption keys, your data may not be truly secure.

Look for services using one-way encryption methods that do not allow the service’s employees to access your data.

Taking these considerations into effect, the number of online backup services from which to choose narrows greatly. And when you look at price, you will see the “enterprise” class services are not much more expensive than “consumer” and “cheap” solutions. When looking at online backup services, you get what you pay for.

Google Fusion Tables: Databases in The Cloud

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On June 9th, Google quietly announced the Beta availability of Google Fusion Tables. This “Labs” application provides the ability to query multiple databases and data sources, including social media, rss, and other live feeds.

While an early labs release, Google Fusion Tables is a clear indication that Google hears its customers’ desire for better data management with Google Apps Premier Edition and the “cloud”, in general.

Zipcar Becomes a SaaS Provider?

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You may know Zipcar as the trendy car sharing (er, hourly rental) service. They have made headlines renting hybrids and other vehicles parked in reserved spaces in local neighborhoods. For $7 an hour an up, customers reserve vehicles via the website and open the doors using a credit card reader.

The brains behind Zipcar, their fleet management system, is now available as a Software as a Services (SaaS) offering. By monetizing (for real) their intellectual property, Zipcar is opening a new avenue of B2B revenue to enhance their B2C roots.

Read more here.

Expanding APIs create simple database capabilities in Google Apps

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For the developers among us, Google has added two new APIs to Google Docs. Table Feeds and Record Feeds allow placement and management of tables and data in spreadsheets.

With these feeds, Google demonstrates how spreadsheets can be used to manage structured data for other applications.

Click here for more.

File under “Would you use this?” — Ads on Google Sites

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Google Sites is a powerful component within Google Apps. As a platform for document and information sharing and collaboration, most organizations see Google Sites as a means to provide Intranets, project sites, and secure customer portals.

Google Sites, however, can be made public. Some businesses (including Google) use this capability for open information portals.

Taking public and open the next steps, Google has integrated AdSense and Google Sites. If you have an AdSense accounts, you can now place ads and monetize their Google Sites.

Click here for more info.

Google Apps vs Exchange In-House

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Functionality, cost, and user experience all play into the decision to run Google Apps versus Exchange in-house.

Our latest take … we’ve added “the user experience” as our 8th consideration. With the addition of Outlook Sync for Google Apps, users can maintain their current client and services and have access to the additional features offered by Google Apps Premier Edition.

See the presentation here.

Mixing Google Docs and MS Office 2007

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Our position regarding Google Docs — including docs, spreadsheets, presentation, and forms — is as follows:

  • Google Docs offer great collaboration capabilities but are not mature enough to replace MS Office or Open Open office for most users
  • The formatting and controls in Google Docs are not yet mature enough compared to MS Office features used by intermediate and advanced users

That said, the integration between MS Office and Google Docs is elegant and effective. When uploading MS Office documents, Google docs generally read and maintain formatting and document features, even if you could not create those features directly within Google Docs. Once uploaded, the real-time collaboration — particularly in docs and spreadsheets — is effective and efficient.

Recently, Google added support for docx and xlsx formats. MS Office 2007 documents now import easily into docs and spreadsheets.

Click here to learn more

Google Apps vs. Exchange – Part 2

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Until yesterday, Part 2 of the comparison was going to look at some of the more esoteric feature comparison between Google Apps and Exchange. Specifically, I was going to cover how Google Apps new Tasks features integrate with email and calendar functions in comparison to isolated manner in which Tasks function in Exchange/Outlook (separate reminders, separate date tracking).

Today’s announcement by Google of a MAPI-based Outlook Synchronization solution, however, changes the focus completely.

With this capability, Outlook users can continue to use Outlook without the limitations of running as an IMAP client.

Click Here for Google’s Announcement and to Learn More.

We’ll be testing the add-on over the next week or so and I will post our findings as well.