Potential Tools of Cloud Computing for Business Are Available in Many Varieties and is Offered by the Major Vendors. Certainly the Industries has Unique and Special Requirements. We wrote some important points in the article Potential Applications of Cloud Computing in Commercial Projects. Potential Tools of Cloud Computing for Business are only successful if they are properly evaluated before usage. We deliberately added the word “Potential” before “Tools” to make the Title Potential Tools of Cloud Computing for Business. In general, we do not need much more services, excluding the industry specific few services, which are not mentioned here.
Potential Tools of Cloud Computing for Business : Information Generated in the Virtual World Flows into Real Manufacturing Processes
However, many manufacturing industry is not yet fully prepared to participate. Certainly the industries has unique and special requirements for cloud computing, as like the other users. With various slogan, however, the industries are approaching towards Cloud Computing and taking its benefits.
With individualization of all processes with the help of information technology, which is a further development of the “Internet of Things” cloud computing is pushing the business ahead. Experts also spoken about a fourth industrial revolution. This is nothing but consists of Computer Integrated Manufacturing systems and cyber-physical systems to implement the production approach with a completely controlled networked computers.
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Complex networks are to be controlled in near real-time in stand-alone Products and decision-making processes. Products should thus be clearly identifiable and locatable at any time. In addition, the products is their current status, their history, as well as alternate paths to the goal state can be calculated. Machines and products are behaving intelligently by sensors, programmability and communication skills. About the infrastructure a machine-to-machine communication is possible. This machine can trigger actions in other machines and vice versa, which makes an intelligent production possible. Since such systems require a large IT infrastructure and IT resources, this can be realized within a cloud.
Potential Tools of Cloud Computing for Business
Enterprise Resource Planning
ERP systems are in business for a long time in use and we deal with many business processes. The goal of ERP systems, it is the most efficient use of the available resources within the company for the operational process. Typical functional areas of ERP software are:
- Materials Management
- Production
- Finance and Accounting
- Controlling
- Human Resources
- Sales and Marketing
- Master Data Management
The theme ERP wins with the hype around cloud computing more and more. One of the major ERP vendors, the company SAP, went with the product Business ByDesign, in early 2011 in Austria and Switzerland and build the global presence. Some companies now outsource SAP or ERP applications in the cloud. To replace the conventional data center through the cloud is a big step forward and be seen as a great potential.
Read What ERP Software as a Service Has to Offer?
Customer Relationship Management
Potential applications, which are already used by many companies from different industries, are also interesting for the industry. Salesforce is one of the world’s leading cloud provider of software for customer relationship management. Such programs are classified in the heading Customer Relationship Management. Salesforce is classified in the hierarchy of cloud services, so it is a SaaS offering, which was supplemented by a PaaS offering. By Salesforce.com can an industrial company with its customers to significantly improve its communication and thus your jobs easier and faster.
In addition, CRM can serve different industrial companies as a kind of test environment for programs to eventually be used in a car or plane. For such complex calculations great resources are needed. These could be allocated for the test and are later re-booked. Since the same machines are often used in different businesses, a kind of community could run on such an APP Exchange, where the technicians of the plants in the house can talk about problems or potential. Since each industrial companies must have the right to use the machines optimally and with low error rate, this should be seen as potential.
Read more about CRM or Customer Relationship Management.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the cooperation and collaboration of several persons or groups to a common work or project. Microsoft presents a cloud application, which provides the collaboration in the foreground with the product Office 365. Here, a concept was pursued to relocate a business software from its own infrastructure in the Internet. Thus, Office 365 sets itself apart from an ordinary office, because there is no local installations is required, everything is sourced from the cloud.
In addition, the cloud package offers better options in terms of communication and online collaboration, which is also to be regarded as the main focus. The exchange of audio and video calls as well as instant messages or an Exchange server for centralized distribution of e-mails and mail, is possible here. Classic office products such as e-mail, text or presentation programs are also included. Thus, the company is more flexible and can reach the market better. The application potential for the industry is evident in the improved communication. Thus, it is possible to make optimal use of dispositions for machines and systems through improved communication. At a glance here are the features of a typical collaboration software :
- File sharing and project management
- Email and Calendar
- Improved communication via Instant Messaging, Audio and video calls
- Conferences and meetings via Instant Messages
- Office Web Apps including PowerPoint, Word, Excel
- Mobility by using on any device like PC, Notebook computer or Smartphone
Dynamic Service for Infrastructure
From an organizational perspective, it is the previously mentioned private cloud. As the industry often works with personal data, client orders and production is planed, it must be ensured that the resulting data on a hardware is only provided only for an organization. In terms of cloud services such as Dynamic Service for Infrastructure, they are moved on the IaaS level. The product provides virtualized resources. Dynamic Service for Infrastructure is divided into the following three types:
- Virtualized hardware
- Virtualized hardware & operating system
- Management of the operating system
We have discussed all of these components individually more than once in our website.