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Business leaders already use mobile cloud for their social media, music, videos, communication and are keen to use mobile clouds for their business. The mobile cloud is also used increasingly by GenY.
Mobile Cloud combines the best of worlds, affordable computing and storage with devices which are as powerful as the PC. This week, Microsoft introduced Surface Pro 3, a tablet that can replace the laptop; it has no keyboard, rather a pen that will cost less than USD 800.
This is said to be the death knell for the laptop and heralds the advent of the mobile as the computing device of choice. The notes created on this device are stored in the cloud and is instantly shareable anywhere in the world; at the backend, it is supported by Microsoft Azure Cloud which does the computing and storage.
Google, too, is leading a similar charge with its Nexus mobile devices; Apple will grow its mobile cloud applications by partnerships and acquisition, mobile service providers like Verizon are providing cloud applications in their networks.
Subramanian, IT, Cyber Security & Cloud Computing Professional, NISE In India, the success of new entrants into the telecom business will be their ability to provide mobile cloud on their 4G networks; they need to be able to provide the device, network and business application on a Pay as you use model.
Mobile Cloud is a tango between mobile vendors and cloud application vendors, with the binding force being the telecom service providers who provide the network.
Against this backdrop, IT managers cannot ignore the mobile cloud which changes the way business computes and consumes information.
Prevalence of mobile Cloud Forms
Mobile Cloud has been used in several forms by consumers and there have been several innovative offerings catering to business needs. However, business is a late adapter of the mobile cloud; the other form of cloud which will replace the mobile cloud will be IoT (internet of things) which envisages embedding a chip into everything in the planet including humans and will do away with the mobile device. We are a few years away from seeing this becoming a reality.
Key ingredients of Mobile Cloud
Mobile cloud is driven by HTML5 web standard and easy availability of mobile broadband and the need for anywhere anytime collaboration by the business. The data storage and data processing happen in the cloud which is outside the mobile device. An excellent example from a consumer perspective is the Apple iTunes, where the music is stored in the Apple iCloud and the computing processing power is from the iCloud; the Apple mobile device performs the role of an interface to the user with the storing and processing done in the Apple iCloud.
Applications that are Mobile Cloud enabled
The best example of cloud apps is Google Apps for business, which runs on the cloud with any Android mobile device.
Salesforce is another wonderful cloud mobile application which has become indispensable to the business; Microsoft is playing catch-up and with its legendary marketing skills: mobile cloud may be its mantra to get its Mojo back.
Some of the examples that we could think of: In India, there is a local branded basmati rice FMCG using the mobile cloud to book orders, update inventory and collect feedback through its sales team from the Kirana (grocery) stores that distribute their rice to consumers. A smaller business is nimble in adopting innovative technologies.
Cost benefit around Mobile Cloud
If IT managers can think of shutting down the data centre and your desktops and laptops, and do the same computing with mobile cloud at a fraction of the cost with more agility speed and ease, the cost benefit is obvious. Ball park mobile cloud adoption would reduce IT Heads spend by about 50 per cent after including the additional costs for migration and mobile devices.
Mobile cloud adoption would reduce IT Heads spend by about 50 per cent after including the additional costs for migration and mobile devices.
Companies like Microsoft and Google will bundle the device, network and cloud applications as a single offering, the organisation only needs to pay OPEX costs.
If the IT Head does not act, the CFO and CMO will drive the mobile cloud adoption; IT Heads need to remember that mobile clouds are a utility and no geeks are required to deploy these.
How to make Mobile Cloud secure?
The mobile cloud can be as secure as you want it to be; mobile cloud applications come bundled with their own security, and organisations can add in more layers based on their risk mitigation strategy. Security solutions similar to those used to protect desktops/laptops, network and data centres will be deployed for securing the cloud mobile ecosystem.
The cost of security in the mobile cloud will be significantly less than the cost incurred in securing an enterprise IT network and infrastructure, since security will be built into most mobile cloud applications.
Can IT Managers make it work?
The first precaution that IT managers should take to ensure the mobile cloud initiative works well is to shed all their inhibitions and resistance to the mobile cloud.
They will need to embrace mobile cloud with open arms and transform their organisations by provisioning agility and speed of execution by use of mobile cloud.
Smaller businesses will adopt mobile cloud applications first; large corporates will follow with caution, losing the benefits of early adoption.
Two decades ago, when mobile phones made their entry, no one believed that the telephone handset would be trashed; BlackBerry grew connecting business with email; today, as the business demands more, email is not enough and BlackBerry is dying.
Today, the business needs real time data, voice, video, analytics and collaboration tools anywhere at any time. This is provided by mobile clouds. Mobile cloud is the elixir for business computing--it is economical, powerful, mobile and meets the expectations of business.
As mobile device processors get more powerful, they will morph into IoT in this decade and we would have no device to carry--we will be hands-free, since the device will be embedded within us.
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