Pub. 2 2012-2013 Issue 5

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S March • April 2013 13 As our banker found out, increasing technology needs can lead to a massive data canter filled with physical machines that don’t run at full capacity. They take up space and run at low rates of usage. In the computer world, we like to call this “server sprawl.” Cloud computing eliminates server sprawl bymaximiz- ing resources and moving data and servers off-site. Although the cloud has been around awhile, recent develop- ments in technology and security have made cloud computing a viable solution to answering the banking industry’s computing needs. Did you know that if you have a gmail, yahoo or hotmail account – you have been using “the cloud” for years. These email service providers store your email and attachments on their hardware in the cloud. They are responsible for it, they maintain it – and usually for free. The cloud is best defined as computing resources that are not owned or maintained by the end-user. Because of this, cloud hosting and other cloud resources can eliminate long-term in- ternal computer infrastructure. It also provides an immediate and scalable resource for all computing needs. Cloud computing is constantly discussed as themajor emerg- ing tech trend. More than a trend, it is the way business-class computing will evolve in the foreseeable future. In fact, recent statistics show that the cloud is being deployed successfully by numerous Fortune 500 companies ( Forbes , Nov. ’12). These companies expect to continue their cloud deployment over and above their static IT departments, as the cloud has proven to boost both efficiency and effectiveness of IT budget dollars. In-house servers and IT staffs were not designed as a long- term solution. They have simply grown and developed as a means to an end. They are reactionary to the development of computers and business’s evolving reliance on them. Cloud computing rewrites that paradigm. It is a pro-active design for long-term sustained computing service to businesses. As a business owner, are you comfortable with the IT busi- ness plan of server sprawl? If not, research the cloud and what it can do for your specific business. Find a provider that has a proven record and one that you trust. It’s a solution that has arrived and is worth a look. Q Nathan Dahlstrom is currently the Aspire Sales Representative for CoNetrix, a provider of network consulting, Aspire cloud hosting, security testing, risk management and tandem information security compliance software to fi nancial institutions. Visit our website at www.conetrix.com .