Interview \\\ Manufacturing \\\
But how does Cloud Computing compare effectively renting an entire operating system highly adaptable and collaborative business
with that other often-cited term, Software where you can put whatever you like on it. architecture that satisfies the needs of any
as a Service (SaaS), which also relates to Then, there is the Microsoft Azure platform – enterprise regardless of country, industry, or
software functionality that is accessible via of which Epicor is a technology partner access device. And because its functionality
the Internet? Epicor’s Erik Johnson points –which allows users to run .Net applications can be accessed in the Cloud, it enables
out that the main difference between SaaS and enjoy the same service level quality businesses to do business wherever their
and Cloud Computing is that SaaS refers that they would receive through a SaaS users are located in the world.”
to a specific solution or solutions suite, application; but the main additional benefit
and the user can effectively only utilise the is that they can run pretty much any “Leveraging the Cloud in rolling out required
functionality within it. “The good news is you application functionality they like.” IT functionality can provide much more
usually get a reliable, high-quality service flexibility and a much lower cost, while
level with SaaS because the solutions allowing companies to take advantage
provider usually only has to watch that one
Visibility
of significantly increased computing and
space,” he said. “For example, Salesforce.com storage power,” said Johnson, who concluded:
is very good at pure CRM, and it’s ideal for Hiraoka adds that companies are relying “Applications that can run in the Cloud, such
applications that do not require a tremendous more and more on their IT departments to as Microsoft Live Services or Epicor 9, can
amount of integration. It’s also very good in increase visibility of information, so appropriate be accessed by the user from anywhere
terms of field service usage, where a company decisions can be taken on business issues in and be delivered to a site where security
has a high percentage of mobile users.” a more speedy and effective manner. “For and other issues are all managed by the
example, businesses might need to consider Cloud service provider. The Cloud has so
Johnson then outlined several different types whether to open a new facility or increase the many advantages; I believe it’s a totally
of Cloud methodology. “If you take away size of a particular facility or certain product convincing concept.” circlesolid
SaaS – all of the online hosted ASP solutions lines, so there’s a lot of pressure on IT
where users rent a box of their own that is organisations within this environment,” he
stored in a data centre controlled by the said. “With these requirements in mind, we
solutions provider – then there are two main recently launched our Epicor 9 ERP
types of Cloud Computing that emerge. solution utilising Web 2.0 Service Oriented
One is Amazon EC3, which is where you’re Architecture (SOA) concepts and offering a
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MANUFACTURING
March 2009 &LOGISTICSIT
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