Using the cloud means less dependence on other devices

A recent article in the Kansas City Star claimed one of the best benefits of cloud computing is the ability to lessen dependence on a single device.

The article references a recent event in which a traveling speaker had her laptop stolen. While this data loss could have been troublesome, or for sole practitioners, devastating, the speaker had been using cloud computing to store her information.

After accessing another computer, the speaker, Diane Darling, was able to retrieve all of her sensitive files. Among the Software-as-a-Service applications Darling uses are Dropbox for storage and Google Calendar to sync with her BlackBerry. She is analyzing both Gmail and Yahoo as a replacement for Microsoft Outlook.

Darling also told the Kansas City Star that business workers and consumers alike should begin migrating toward mobile devices, such as tablets.

"Keep your laptop at home and your tablet with you," Darling said. "You need something smaller than a laptop but bigger than a phone," in order to ensure greater security.

Many businesses have already been following Darling's advice. Osterman Research estimates that those using the cloud as a managed IT service will expand their investment by 10 percent during 2011.