I OPEN INsIght GuIdE Running Your Business In The Cloud

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InnovationOPEN Insight GuideRunning YourBusiness in the CloudIn This GuidePractical advice, resources and insightsfor saving time and money by tapping intobig-company style software and services viathe “Cloud.”Sections include: Cloud Computing Helps BusinessesSave Time and Money, pg. 1 Cloud Computing Is Changingthe Way Small Businesses Work, pg. 4 Why Are Businesses Movingto the Cloud?, pg. 5 Run Your Business in the Cloudwith Microsoft Office 365 andAmerican Express OPEN , pg. 6 Cloud Computing Resources, pg. 8 Worksheet: Is Cloud ComputingRight for Your Business? pg. 9 Key Terms, pg. 14Cloud computing — accessing software and servicesdelivered over the Internet from any location andthrough nearly any device — is changing howbusinesses operate. With it, companies can respondto opportunities more quickly with fewer resourcesand less financial outlay. This is good news for smallbusinesses wanting to forgo expensive servers andstorage systems.Dadeland Animal HospitalSharon MacIvorMember since: 1982Cloud-based services are so all-present thatyou may be using them now without even realizingit. Services like Microsoft Hotmail, QuickBooksSimple Start and Skype are “in the Cloud.” Thisguide explains how Cloud computing can helpyou lower costs, operate more nimbly and growyour business.Cloud Computing Helps BusinessesSave Time and MoneyCloud computing has created a technologyrevolution for small businesses, offering accessRead more on technology ht 2011 American Express Company. All Rights Reserved. The information contained in these programs is meant for advisory purposes online.American Express accepts no liability for any outcome of its use.pg. 1

OPEN Insight GuideUsing Cloud-based software, teams indifferent locations can collaborate on documentswithout needing to e-mail attachments and sharecalendars and task lists from wherever they are.Participants just sign up for the service and accessthe program over the Internet, without downloadingor installing program software.Employees also can connect through instantmessaging and even hold impromptu meetingswith robust audio, video and web conferencingcapabilities. Some Cloud-based services even makeit possible to include customers and vendors in thesemeetings. This improved sharing of information hasthe potential to enable your company to react morequickly to business opportunities.Rafe New YorkRafe TotengcoMember since: 1997to a range of capabilities that typically onlylarger companies can afford. Using an Internetconnection and a web browser, small companiescan tap into software and services as they needthem and pay for what they use on a monthly basis,like utility services.Your business can join the “Cloud” toaccess everything from data backup to customerrelationship management systems. Consider thefollowing benefits to see how your company mightuse the Cloud.Improved CollaborationCloud-based programs can be used at any timeon almost any device with an Internet connection,a benefit that leads to greater collaboration,particularly for businesses with remote employees.A growing percentage of small- and mediumsized businesses (SMBs) consider the ability to beproductive remotely as critical to their operations:66 percent said they need to allow employees towork anywhere at any time, according to a 2010survey by Microsoft.1Managing GrowthCloud resources are scalable, or elastic, so youcan tap resources or increase capacity to supportgrowth and handle busy periods. One of the mostWhy “Cloud?”Despite its celestial connotations, the term“Cloud computing” hearkens back to theearly days of network design, when cloudswere drawn to depict unknown parts of thenetwork. Today, software, storage and otherservices are hosted in data centers far awayfrom a user’s known, controlled network.Hence, the Cloud.In Cloud computing scenarios, companiesshare a provider’s resources and pay on asubscription basis. Think of how a healthclub works – rather than spend thousands ofdollars buying workout equipment at homeand maintaining it yourself, you pay a modestmonthly fee to use the equipment whenyou want. The health club is responsible formaintaining or replacing the equipment.pg. 2

OPEN Insight Guidefor a low monthly fee can help small businessesstretch their budgets further. Along with the abilityto scale up to meet increased demand, the Cloud alsoallows you to scale down during slower periods (e.g.,remove users or use less storage space), saving yourbusiness money.Secure Data BackupIrene Smalls & AssociatesIrene SmallsMember since: 1988challenging aspects of running a small company ispredicting what resources your business will need –enough to scale and take advantage of opportunities,but not so much that you overspend. With Cloudresources, rather than having to predict yourneeds, you can react to needs as they arise and usejust what is required to manage your growth andenhance your efficiency. For example, if customerand project demands require increased collaboration,you can access collaboration tools quickly andwithout advanced planning. Your flexibility as anorganization rises when you work in the Cloudbecause your ability to react is greatly improved.Lower CostsCloud-based services can help you save money onmany fronts, including server maintenance, powerand cooling costs, and software licensing andupgrade expenses. Just under half — 49 percent— of SMBs use Cloud computing to lower costs,according to the Microsoft survey.1 Rather thanspending money to maintain hardware that oftengoes unused, subscribing to software and servicesIf you don’t have the time or resources to implementa backup strategy — or if you keep your backed-updata on-site — the Cloud can help ensure you areable to retrieve the latest versions of your data incase of an on-site system failure or a disaster, such asfire or flood. You can choose a Cloud-based serviceto back up your data frequently or automaticallyto a safe online location, so that if the unexpectedhappens, you can be back up and running withinminutes. Many providers offer geo-redundantbackup, meaning your data is saved in multiplecenters across multiple locations, to improve security.Greater ReliabilityCloud-based services often can be more reliable thanservices delivered on-premise, particularly if serversor other hardware are aging. Cloud service providershave a dedicated, experienced IT staff — meaningthey can likely resolve problems faster than a smallbusiness with only limited IT resources.Eased Resource ManagementWith servers located off-site and their managementleft to an experienced provider, Cloud computingallows you to focus on what you do best — runningyour business. Because resources in the Cloud canbe accessed as needed, the time it takes to get startedwith these services shrinks from days to minutes. Forsmall businesses wanting to stretch their resourcesand be more competitive, working in the Cloud isbecoming a must. nMicrosoft U.S. SMB Cloud Computing Research Summary,fall 20101 pg. 3

OPEN Insight GuideCloud Computing IsChanging the WaySmall Businesses WorkQ&A with Microsoft’s Cindy BatesCloud computing is rapidly gaining a place insmall businesses across the world. OPEN spokewith Cindy Bates, vice president of Microsoft’s U.S.Small, Medium Businesses and Distribution, tolearn how Cloud computing is changing the waysmall businesses use technology.Q: Why is Cloud computing particularly effectivefor small businesses?A: Often, small businesses do not have dedicatedIT staff in-house — or, if they do, the staff isoverworked and pulled in many different directions.Cloud computing lets small businesses focus ontheir core business, not the details of managing theirIT environment.Small businesses that lack large amounts ofcapital may find that using Cloud computingservices can help them affordably and quickly getsystems set up and running. By relying on worldclass, highly-secure data centers run by qualifiedCloud providers, rather than building their ownIT infrastructures from the ground up, fledglingbusinesses can remain nimble and save a great dealof time and resources.Q: How can Cloud computing services help smallbusinesses be more flexible?A: With Cloud computing services, you pay onlyfor what you need, when you need it — a benefitthat can help businesses save money and have moreroom to grow. Also, an essential advantage of Cloudcomputing services is scalability, which means yourinvestments in Cloudbased technologiescan grow with yourbusiness as itsneeds evolve.Q: Is the Cloud secure?A: Like all investments it is important to research;security standards and protocols of Cloud computingsolution providers vary. As online service offeringsgrow, security threats in the Cloud will naturallyincrease. It’s critical to the integrity of yourbusiness data to choose a provider with the people,processes and technologies needed to safeguard yourinformation in the Cloud.Q: What should a small business look for whenresearching Cloud computing solutions?A: A business should focus on three key issues:cost vs. value, security and reliability. Cloudsolutions can often save businesses money in theshort term, but long-term savings may depend onyour company’s unique needs. Be sure whicheverCloud solution you select fits into your organization’slong-range technology and growth goals.Anytime you leave sensitive business data inthe hands of another provider, as you do when yourely on Cloud-based solutions, you want to be surevigilant security measures are in place. You’ll alsowant to pay close attention to the reliability of theCloud computing solution. Don’t cut corners whenit comes to reliability — your company’s reputationand revenue depend on it. npg. 4

OPEN Insight GuideWhy Are Businesses Movingto the Cloud?Q&A with American ExpressOPEN’s Jay LeeMany small businesses are moving businessoperations to the Cloud because of its potential tosave on software and hardware costs. OPEN askedJay Lee, vice president of Business Development atAmerican Express OPEN, how companies say theycan benefit from using the Cloud and what aspectsof a business to migrate to the Cloud.Q: How can Cloud computing services help improvea small business’s productivity?A: With the Cloud, small business workers whoused to be confined to the physical walls of theiroffice now can work from anywhere at any time.You and your employees are able to access e-mail,calendars and documents 24/7.which tasks your business should do in the Cloud.Regardless of how trustworthy or reliable yourprovider is, you should review your own agreementsand contracts with clients and partners as well asregulations concerning your industry to ensure amove to the Cloud benefits all involved.Businesses that work with governmentagencies or that deal with certain types of sensitivedata, for example, may find that regulatory orcompliance issues could limit or restrict the useof Cloud computing regardless of a provider’shigh standards.Q: What should you look for when evaluatingCloud computing service providers?Cloud based services can also improvecollaboration by allowing team members tosimultaneously access and update documents inreal time. For example, if you are working on apresentation with a colleague who’s in anotherlocation, both of you can view it online and youcan see the changes being made on your screenas your colleague makes them. There’s no needto worry about managing multiple versions,merging documents, sending attachments andtracking changes.A: Cloud computing can be a great fit for smallbusinesses, but only if the provider is reputableand reliable. Be sure to understand how muchexperience a vendor has in Cloud computing andresearch its reputation. Remember that you will beentrusting your data to someone else, so you needto understand what kind of security measures theytake to protect your data. That includes learninghow they keep others from accessing your data, aswell as their plan for disaster recovery and how theyback up data in case of a crash.Q: Are there any business tasks that can’t be donein the Cloud?You’ll also want to make sure that service willbe there whenever you need it, so ask about whattype of service level agreement they can provide toguarantee acceptable accessibility in off hours or highvolume periods. nA: Practically any task that can be completed onlocally installed software can also be done in theCloud, but the more important issue is choosingpg. 5

OPEN Insight GuideRun Your Business in the Cloud with Microsoft Office 365 andAmerican Express OPEN Help save time, increase productivity and improve collaboration with Microsoft Office 365, whichcombines the Office programs you already use with powerful, Cloud-based communication andcollaboration tools — an all in one, easy-to-use package at a low monthly cost.With Office 365, if you can access the Internet, you can: Access e-mail, contacts and calendars and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint filesfrom anywhere, using a variety of Internet-enabled electronic devices. Collaborate in real time inside and outside your organization on documents, spreadsheetsand presentations without needing to send e-mail attachments. Retrieve e-mail, documents, contact lists and calendars on the most widely usedInternet-enabled devices, including PCs, Macs, the Windows Phone, iPhone, Android or BlackBerry . Save time and money and free up valuable resources with hands-off system management.There’s no hardware to configure and no software to update. See employees’ or colleagues’ availability so you can schedule meetings and stay on top ofbusiness developments. Promote your business by creating a simple, professional web site with easy-to-use design tools. Enrich your interactions with colleagues through social networking capabilities on MicrosoftSharePoint . Update your status, share documents you have worked on and comment on otherusers’ posts. Gain peace of mind through guaranteed 99.9 percent availability, enterprise-class storage,robust privacy controls and 24/7 support.Start improving collaboration and productivity with Microsoft Office 365. Find out more orsign up at office365.com.pg. 6

OPEN Insight GuideRun Your Business in the Cloud with Microsoft Office 365 andAmerican Express OPEN , cont’d.Get More from the Cloud with OPEN Business Apps and OPEN Partner AppsFrom invoicing to finding new customers, American Express OPEN’s Cloud-based businessapplications can help you save money, operate more efficiently and gain a competitive edge: Simplify invoicing. Offer more payment options and have payments routed directly toyour bank account with AcceptPaySM (openforum.com/acceptpay), an OPEN PartnerApp. Track payments and outstanding invoices by customer and integrate the informationwith QuickBooks. Find buyers. Connect with buyers or sellers through Ariba Discovery (discovery.ariba.com),an online business-to-business network that matches buyer requirements to supplier capabilities. Manage foreign currency payments. Initiate foreign currency payments atcompetitive rates directly from your computer with FX International Payments(fxpayments.americanexpress.com). Lock favorable exchange rates to better predict cashflow and have foreign payments from abroad converted to U.S. dollars and routed intoyour bank account. Buy insurance. Use InsuranceEdgeSM (openforum.com/insuranceedge) from BOLT (anOPEN Partner App) to compare commercial insurance quotes and purchase policies online atcompetitive rates. Choose from general liability and business property, workers’ compensation,commercial auto and umbrella policies. Oversee online advertising. Easily manage your pay-per-click advertising campaigns withSearchManager (openforum.com/searchmanager), another great OPEN Partner App. Viewcampaign performance through easy-to-use metrics and receive recommendations to helpimprove your results.Streamline your business processes and expand your opportunities with OPEN’s small businessapplications at openforum.com.pg. 7

OPEN Insight GuideCloud Computing ResourcesOPEN Forumopenforum.comThe OPEN Forum web site includes tips for small business owners, links to Cloud-basedbusiness applications and other resources.Business Technology Simplified urseId 74This free, downloadable e-book by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Microsoft offerstips to help small business owners use Cloud computing and other technologies to save time andgrow sales. The guide is also available as an online course through the SBA at sba.gov/training.Cloud Business Reviewcloudbusinessreview.comThis blog covers Cloud computing trends and offers resources to small businesses, includingwhite papers, webinars and podcasts.Cloudbookcloudbook.netThis comprehensive site features articles on how businesses can use Cloud computing and bestpractices in moving to the Cloud, along with a directory of Cloud-based products and services.Microsoft Business for Small & Midsize Companiesmicrosoftbusinesshub.comThis site includes tips and resources for using technology to help grow business and work moreefficiently, along with links to training, community forums and special offers.Microsoft Cloudmicrosoft.com/cloudThis site provides information about Microsoft’s Cloud solutions and case studies, blog posts andvideos that show the business benefits of Cloud computing.SaaS Newswiresaasnewswire.comThis news site focuses on Cloud computing developments and includes articles on best practices forcompanies beginning to work in the Cloud.Small Business Guide to Cloud utions.htmlThis page on the Small Business Trends web site provides tips and best practices to help small businessowners evaluate Cloud-based services.Small Business Labssmallbizlabs.comThis blog covers social and technological trends that affect small businesses and includes a section onusing Cloud services.pg. 8

OPEN Insight GuideWorksheetIs Cloud Computing Right for Your Business?To determine if your company can benefit from the Cloud, read the list of tasks below and check the onesthat apply to your business. Then, answer the questions after each checked-off item and note how muchtime and money you spend on each. Once you begin exploring specific Cloud services, refer back to thissection to help determine what your cost savings might be.ONLINE OPERATIONS Web siteHow easily can you accommodate surges in web site traffic? Could you rely on your site to be available ifthere is a sudden spike in purchases from your online store or sign-ups to your e-mail list?The Cloud is scalable, so web sites hosted in the Cloud can easily manage traffic increases. If you don’t yet have aweb site, some Cloud-based services can help by providing easy-to-use design tools. E-mailDo you have frequent outages or slowdowns? If your e-mail server were to fail, are messages retrievable?With Cloud-based e-mail services, messages can be retrieved whenever you go online.pg. 9

OPEN Insight GuideWorksheetIs Cloud Computing Right for Your Business?cont’d.DATA Contact Management SystemHow easily can you track and record your contacts’ information and details of past interactions whileon-the-go? Can you view this information in a centralized location, or do you need to look it up inseparate programs?A Cloud-based contact management system may allow you to view contacts’ details and previous interactions inone place, as well as receive reminders about meetings, call-backs and other tasks on your to-do list. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Is it important for remote employees to be able to stay on top of sales leads and share information ondeal progress? Would having remote access to this information help you to close deals more quickly?Cloud-based CRM software can allow you to access information related to leads from any mobile

Simple Start and Skype are “in the Cloud.” This guide explains how Cloud computing can help you lower costs, operate more nimbly and grow your business. ClOud COmPutINg hElPs BusINEssEs savE tImE aNd mONEy Cloud computing has created a technology revolution for small businesses, offering a

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