"All In" on Cloud Computing? Follow Rule #1...

In 2011 we will see more cloud mergers and partnerships that will further cloud the waters and make it more difficult for customers to decipher who is providing what.

The real challenge for IT leaders will not come from what to do, it will be more about who do I have to do it!

As business goals continue to push IT management to think more strategically about the business and less about technological capabilities, I need to define what skill sets I have at my disposal.   Who can I use, and how can I use them to deliver solutions to achieve the business outcomes my CEO desires.

Rule #1 - Set my people strategy first!

Take SaaS for example, if I have a staff that is very proficient at network infrastructure, perhaps outsourcing major applications that offer pay as you go software makes sense.  Removes the burden of support from my staff and my internal customers get better support.  Putting Email and/or CRM in the "cloud" is always a good litmus test.

I can use the same example if I my IT staff is primarily developers.  PaaS would make a great deal of sense, outsource the server management and get a completely customizable platform for my developers.  Removes the burden of my developers multi-tasking, attempting to service internal clients and patch servers.  Again, the winner is my internal customer!

IaaS provides the ultimate in control.  If my IT Staff is rock solid on server management, networking and application support, IaaS will be the solution.  IaaS gives me the flexibility to build, scale and manage servers without heavily investing in hardware.  The burden of sizing, buying, building, installing, testing, and loading is shifted to my provider.  Gives your staff more time to focus on specific projects and develop more skill sets that will ultimately help me reach my business objectives.

When I evaluate my IT personnel, I have to look at the overall strengths of my department.  When considering moving to a cloud provider of any type, I will almost always win on up time.  All cloud providers have a more robust SLA on providing service uptime than I can build and manage internally.

Follow rule #1 - identify skill, maximize resources and align people with the business goals first, and making the decision on a cloud provider will fall into place.

Cloud Computing Will Take Center Stage in 2011

Metafile Predicts Cloud Computing Will Take Center Stage
— Cloud computing, managing evolving 1099 regulations and retail accounting automation will be pervasive accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR) document management trends in 2011, according to Metafile Information Systems.
Metafile is a paperless accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR) and human resources (HR) document management and workflow solution provider, and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Its flagship product, MetaViewer, is used by more than 15,000 financial professionals to process more than 15 million paperless transactions per week.

Why SMB's will rule the world

I think SMB'ers need to jump on the social media bandwagon now! It makes way too much sense, it fits the mold...

...its intimate, personal, engaging which is exactly what SMB'ers claim is the advantage of doing business with them in the first place.

Social media stands for the same principles small businesses are built. Partnerships that work together to solve business issues instead of holding each other hostage with contracts and price wars.

The social media boom points to the need for human connection on a level that is different from previous generations. The SMB'ers have always had the advantage of personal service, access to personal cell phones and the ability to collaborate without calling it "consulting". Social media is another dynamic for the SMB's to build trust and cultivate relationships.

The mighty Fortune 100 can no longer confiscate the brightest and best talent for their own gains, the talent is everywhere. There is expertise in any field you choose to follow. Trying doing a twitter search on your industry or hop on Linked In and source a group.

Already nimble and quick, the SMB's can now extend personal service across regions, states and countries. Combine that with having access to the same talent and information as the big boys and the world might start to look differently.

Yes, the deep pockets of the Enterprise will always drive economies of scale, but now more than ever, social media is rich with information and talented people who want to cultivate a relationship.

Upcoming Cloud Conferences

Upcoming Cloud Conferences Worth Checking Out
— Here at VM we’re planning our spring 2011 conference tour and we’re happy to say there’s a lot going on in the world of presentations and meetings about cloud-computing. Deadlines are fast-approaching though, so check out the list we’ve put together below and see if there’s something happening near you… hope to see you there!

Note: this list is incomplete and bound to change. Descriptions were taken off the sponsoring organizations’ websites and so may not reflect content and/or quality. Don’t hold us accountable if a conference sucks.

Today's 3 Best Cloud Computing Articles

Cloud Computing to Grow to "Billions and Billions"
— "IDC forecasts a 2009-2013 CAGR of 26% for the worldwide cloud services market, which includes software-as-a-service offerings," explains Mary Johnston Turner, research director for enterprise system management software at IDC. "As more and more organizations implement public cloud and SaaS solutions they will need access to monitoring capabilities that provide end-to-end visibility across internally run applications and public services and can be deployed just as quickly as the services they are monitoring."

Sorting Through the Cloud Jargon
— Over the last two weeks, I have fully immersed myself in the world of cloud. Thanks to conference keynotes, breakout sessions, customer briefings, and ad hoc discussions, I have not had much time to not think or talk about cloud. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I do have to admit, something has been gnawing at me over these past two weeks: There is too much overloaded, confusing, or misunderstood cloud jargon.

Cloud Facilitators: A New Route to Market for Cloud Vendors
— As Cloud Computing moves into the large enterprise and becomes an embedded part of IT and the business, customers are turning to a new wave of Cloud Facilitator to help guide them through Cloud-based consulting, implementation and management challenges.
Cloud Facilitators like Acumen, Appirio, Astadia, Bluewolf, Cloud Sherpas, CoreMatrix, Global One, Model Metrics and Revevol (among others) provide a range of services that help clients move to the Cloud. These include business and IT consulting related to Cloud strategy, implementation and integration, custom development, and Cloudsourcing. Cloudsourcing is the key business innovation of new wave Facilitators, weaving together and innovating on partner Cloud solutions, platforms and infrastructure and charging for these services on both a project and subscription basis.

Private V Public the cloud debate continues.

Tim Negris, Cloud Computing Journal, writes, "the private cloud enables elastic computing but the public cloud enables the elastic enterprise, a new business model where IT is resource that is shared with partners and customers. It can create new business processes that have greater richness, flexibility, and efficiency than those used in the locked tower of the vertically integrated corporations of the past hundred years. As with any new paradigm, nobody should plunge into it this new world without caution or knowledge. But, plunge they should. Private computing is soon to go the way of on site power generators and telephone PBXs."

For the full article:  Public Cloud Computing: Enabling the Elastic Enterprise

Thank you Tim for letting me share!

Today its all about price or is it?

Lately, I have really touched a nerve with my boss.  We are working on a number of opportunities and it seems all the conversations have become centered on price.  I am being accused of not of focusing the full suite of benefits my company has to offer and jumping right to price.  As a disclaimer, and clearly sucking up to my boss, he is very fair and a tremendous sales person.  In fact I have the freedom to write this because he trusts our relationship.  So, as much as he might be right, I am exploring if leading with price is a good tactic or not?

As a sales professional sometimes we make decisions based on what our gut or what a prospect is telling us.  There are definitely opportunities, usually the "Whale" type, that require submitting a best price just to get a seat at the features and benefits table. What is the best way to handle these?  Here are three things you can do to gage the validity of the RFP:

1.   Ask the right questions:

-Is this a real opportunity or a budgetary exercise?
-What is driving the cost analysis?
-Will price be the determining factor in choosing a vendor?
-Who are the getting quotes from?
-Ask for a meeting or a 15 minute phone conference?

What I'm looking for is detailed answers, the more information the prospect can provide me the better chance this is a real opportunity.  This may give me indication to put a strong enough quote on the table to get a seat at the meeting.  If the questions cannot be answered, chances are this is a fishing expedition, I give pricing without incentives and follow up regularly.

2.  Ask the right people:


-I check my LinkedIn connections, there is a good chance I am connected to someone at the company.
-Ask at networking events, on occasion I have even ask a competitor, "What did you think of that RFP from XYZ"
-Ask your boss for permission to discount outside of normal parameters!   If I ask the right questions, it helps my boss make the best decision.

3.  Sell into the opportunity:


-This is the strongest advice I have received and if your not involved in a group like the salesplaybook on LinkedIn, you are missing some great sales tips.  With tools like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook I now have the ability to stay close to prospects and to my competitors.  I can follow company blogs to see what if any challenges they may be facing.  I can post relevant content in groups they are members of, I can provide helpful links to industry information or post success stories similar companies have experienced with a similar solution.

I am a big believer is selling something you believe in and asking for a fair price, but when I find myself stepping onto the price war field, I want to make sure I am prepared. Before you fire the first shot make sure you have all your basis covered and have a plan to sell into the opportunity.