International large companies already count on computing power, storage capacities and software as a service, and only operate isolated applications in their own data center.
The demands on IT are changing rapidly
The cloud is reality, communication and IT infrastructure have long since come out of the cloud and are based on an infrastructure of distributed data centers worldwide. The industry is experiencing immense growth: In the United States alone, the market volume for cloud computing will grow by 4.52 billion euros from 4.52 billion euros last year to 9.23 billion euros. People want to access their data and apps anywhere, anytime, anywhere, whether in the private or business context.
Higher efficiency and the focus on the essential
Companies, especially SMEs, can not grow in the long term without taking account of these changed demands and conditions of competition. Those who are too hesitant about the digital transformation of their business risk the competitive advantage, their market position, and ultimately the revenue share.
Cloud solutions increase competitiveness
Fear of supposedly unpredictable security risks that keeps them from managing parts of their IT externally or even outsourcing them. This could be their least concern: specialized cloud vendors can protect their servers and data centers far better than the medium-sized enterprises with often limited financial and human resources thanks to the latest encryption technologies and globally available backup systems. In addition, the reliability of professional data centers is much higher than that of in-house data centers.
New business models through microtransactions
And not only does the level of security increase, the company pool also benefits. State-of-the-art IT services are billed according to needs, can be expanded or reduced quickly and flexibly, and offer cost-effective access to the latest software or regular updates.
SMEs can cut their IT spending by as much as 30 percent, as recent examples from the software industry show. This is not the case, for example, through personnel savings, and an IT department needs every company to continue. Only the working field changes. Classic standard services, such as managing and securing data, or updating applications, are provided externally so that internal IT specialists can devote themselves to more strategic issues.
The optimal use of new technologies is crucial in international competition. All over the industry, new competitors enter the market with innovative technologies and business models: simple access, flexible use and transparent billing for their services and products. Cloud structures and virtual servers are often the key levers.
The decisive criteria are no longer the size of the company or its financial resources. It is certain that in the last decades, only companies with correspondingly large resources have been able to afford state-of-the-art IT applications and hardware. Now that companies can get IT services on a per-use basis, small and emerging companies are able to use the same systems, software and promotion tools as the larger competitors
Today, where every company has access to the same technology, technology is not the differentiating feature, but the way enterprises use the opportunities that IT offers them. There is no more excuse, no technical excitement, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can compete with the big players on a "level playing field."
Agile start-ups can quickly hold their own in the market or even catapult themselves directly to the top. With the help of the cloud, they can build an IT infrastructure that can be flexibly and quickly adapted to the needs and thus grow with the company.
Moreover, companies are able to establish completely new business models. For example, Thermo Fisher Scientific, one of the world's leading healthcare providers, has developed and deployed software solutions for laboratories, hospitals and research facilities using a cloud-based, software-as-a-service model New market for its products. With its Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), the company provides, among other things, the software for the evaluation of samples as well as applications for the automation of workflows.
The embedding and use of LIMS applications requires large amounts of resources, which small companies or laboratories without their own IT department can not provide. Because Thermo Fisher is now able to offer its solutions on a pay-per-use basis, they are also affordable for smaller research units that are unable to set large budgets for the lab set-up and purchase traditional IT products
The company is now able to offer its solutions to small and medium-sized laboratories, and even temporary research projects, which were previously simply not profitable, become an interesting target group. These small-scale but highly bulk microtransactions are now a whole new source of revenue for Thermo Fisher.
Test environments become cheaper
In the United States, companies are still using the potential of this alternative reference model of information technology too little. And this despite the fact that cloud computing can make a significant contribution to securing innovation, shortening product development cycles and the short-term use of new business applications.
Until recently, software developers had to invest huge efforts, many resources and a lot of money in the development of test, development and quality assurance environments. Minimum period: three to six months. And once the development teams had completed their projects, the structural resources were left aside for the depreciation of the balance sheet.
The cloud minimizes risks
Today, businesses can simply buy the services of a cloud vendor that they need to test and develop for a few days, and simply shut down this test environment when it is no longer needed.
Switching to an IT model with usage-based billing can also release new potential for innovation, without any great risk. If a lot of money, time and human resources are put into the development of new projects, it is, of course, a major step towards becoming a business owner. Instead of limiting the damage and stopping the project, many investments continue to be made to justify the use of funds. This is burnt capital.
The fear of failure can also lead to the fact that managing directors are becoming increasingly conservative and risk-conscious in their decisions and so stifle innovation approaches. With a suitable IT infrastructure, companies can implement good ideas faster and at lower costs - and may fail.
Conclusion
Due to the low investment sums, the projects can easily be adjusted or even stopped if they fail. And just as quickly they can be expanded if they are successful.
If the American economy continues to be on the forefront in a global comparison, the middle class must also grow. This requires not only a strong ability to innovate, but also the means to develop and implement it faster - with the help of modern IT and a healthy mix of in-house processes and services from the cloud. When American companies - and especially those from the middle class - lock themselves up against the digital transformation, they give money.
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