Imposing order in the cloud

Cloud computing is quickly developing into a vastly diverse technology that can offer so many services and solutions that many businesses may be unable to keep up.

Because of the widening range of the cloud, a recent CTOEdge report said cloud providers and businesses need to look to the restaurant industry for inspiration and develop menus to describe what is available.

By creating cloud menus, the report said cloud providers can clearly establish the types of solutions they offer. Furthermore, businesses will be able to track what cloud services they are already using and integrate new services into their portfolio more easily.

The report said most of the blame for cloud management struggles falls on IT departments that readily accept specific requests from users, quickly overwhelming the company with numerous cloud applications that are not closely tracked and identified as part of the company's cloud menu.

Cloud-based systems for communication are emerging as another major area for cloud deployment. According to a recent InfoTech Spotlight report, businesses are increasingly deploying cloud communications to connect offices in geographically disparate locations. In many cases, the cloud is becoming necessary to replace wide area networks, which become too expensive for businesses with many branches.