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 Explaining the Cloud to Your Clients

Introducing Cloud Computing and

Security to Your End Clients
These days, if you listen long enough or read far enough about small- to
medium-sized businesses (SMBs), youre bound to hear a lot of polarizing
ideas about The Cloud and how it is revolutionizing everythingboth
positively and negatively. However, even while it remains a perennial topic
in the media, many questions still remain in the mind of your less-technical
customers. Often, confusion abounds when service providers try to explain
just what the cloud isand more importantly, why it is so important to the
future of their business. There are fears about security that persist as well,
creating hesitation in the market which can hinder the progress of more
efficient, cost-effective IT solutions.
This guide will arm you with information and tactics to help explain The
Cloud to your end clients in real terms, and help you dispel the myths
surrounding this computing evolution. Youll also learn how to explain
the numerous advantages cloud computing provides and help them
understand why it is important for both your and their businesses.

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Explaining the Basics of Cloud Computing

It may seem obvious, but its important: cloud computing has nothing to do with
anything in the air or atmospheric conditions. When explaining the cloud to a client or
other end user, a simple definition that people can wrap their heads around typically
works well.
Simply put, the cloud refers to a type of computing that is not done locally
on your desktop, servers, or small devices (phones, tablets, etc.). Thats itno
mystique, no complication.

To take it a step further, users may need clarification on how the cloud actually works.
This is where its important to stress how and why the cloud offers value to an end
user; a hesitant client may feel pressured shift their business to the cloud, for instance,
but may not understand exactly where the benefits and value lie.

Explain that when users access the cloud, computing

resources such as processing power, information, and
storage are handled offsite at third-party data centers
that a users local machine or device connects to.
These data centers are often massive in size and scale,
with an infrastructure capable of offering computing
resources far beyond those that can be achieved on a
local machine for a comparable price.

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Because the demand on local devices is decreased via cloud computing, its
important your end users know that they are able to take advantage of reduced costs
while having access to a greater range of services and resources. Cloud computing
essentially employs shared services to maximize the effectiveness of computing at
such a large scale to deliver a more effective and efficient solution that uses less
power comparably than all end users would use collectively. In the cloud, resources
are shared by all cloud users so they are able shifted and targeted by the data center
to meet the demand of users at specific times and locations. For example, business
hours in Asia, Europe and North America all occur at different times around the globe -
but a data center can allocate specific resources at their respective times to meet the
demand of multiple users.
Many users will be satisfied with this
explanation of a cloud computing system, as
it is more efficient than on-prem computing
and it can save money for their business.
And thats not even including the time
and salary required to hire dedicated in-
house IT technicians to manage the more
unwieldy aspects of a computer network SERVICES
that would otherwise be fully managed by a
Managed Service Provider MSP in a cloud
system. However, the final piece of the TIME
cloud computing puzzle comes together if
you were to explain how cloud computing DATA DEMAND RESOURCES
USAGE FOR
has changed the industry from an on-site,
physical hardware sales to a service-based DATA
platform model. LOCATION

To this end, it can be useful to explain to your

clients that the cloud is referred to by some as on-demand computing, because the
end user only uses the computing resources they need for the time they need it, and
only pays for what they use. This varies significantly from the more traditional model
of computing, where an organization would buy all the dedicated hardware they ever
would need to perform any and all functions they will ever need, and pay to support,
repair, replace, and augment these systems consistently and endlessly. This is a real
value for the end user, and it is a compelling argument; to be able to pay for only what
you use without the worry of buying and managing complex physical computer system
sounds like a very good deal.
Finally, its important for the end user to understand how and why cloud computing
is specifically important to managed IT services, because this is a major differentiator
from the common break/fix IT provider. Discuss with your clients that on-demand
computing has given rise to multiple -as-a-service themed models for cloud
computing IT businesses, most notably Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a
Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)all of which deliver fundamental

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cloud computing capabilities to their customers for a fee. This shift to service-based
computing is growing fast due to high computing power and performance, low cost of
delivery, and the ability to rapidly scale to meet demand. Cloud vendors are growing,
but it also appears that their clients are growing as
well. A recent report shows that companies that take
advantage of cloud and similar IT technologies have a A recent report shows
much higher growth rate than their competitors. that companies that take
This is a huge factor when discussing the cloud advantage of cloud and
to an end user, because the results are not just similar IT technologies have
technologicalmoving to the cloud literally enables a much higher growth rate
a business to perform better and more profitably,
according to this study, and they can expect to see than their competitors.
tangible profit and growth from their decision.

Laying Out the Origins of Cloud Computing

As we all know, the idea of cloud computing isnt exactly new, but for a non-technical
audience it can be difficult to connect the term to any tangible experience that they
have with computers. So, while delivering the benefits of modern cloud computing,
its important to remind SMBs that it didnt arrive out of thin air in the 21st century.
Its origins go back to the days of mainframes and terminalsmainstays in enterprise
computing for decades prior to the small personal computer/laptop. In some ways, the
cloud is essentially a return to a style of computing that is now reinvigorated with new
ideas, new functionality, and more power than ever before.
For a brief history lesson, explain that the origins of the cloud can be traced back to
the 1970s with the advent of mainframe/remote workstation systems, popularized by
IBM as virtual machines and the VM Operating System. The core idea is consistent with
cloud services todaya highly powered, centralized processing system would share
resources and time as needed with workstations or terminals.
Additionally, note that the image of a cloud and the usage of the word cloud goes
back to the 1970s to denote networks on early telephony schematics, even used in
Internet precursors ARPANET and CSNET. Advancements over the 1980s gave rise to
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the 1990sdedicated point-to-point data circuits
that allowed telecommunications companies to switch and move traffic as needed to
use overall bandwidth more effectively. Development continued throughout the decade
and into the 2000s, culminating in the first modern private and hybrid cloud computing
systems in early 2008.

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The Cloud Todayas a Utility?

A variety of cloud computing options exist for businesses and consumers today, with
more and more organizations offering cloud services and more end users adopting
cloud-based architecture to meet their needs. Moving to the cloud is a priority for
businesses today in order to maximize their IT needs and reduce costs. This migration
is dramatically changing the relationship between IT providers and their clients, shifting
from a hardware-based, break/fix model of delivering IT management to a service-
based deployment of cloud-based software and services built on infrastructure not
owned or maintained by the client.
Modern cloud computing, in its structure and delivery of service, is quite like common
utilities such as electricity; one may not know where and how their cloud services
are actually located or even how they work, but they are delivered consistently to the
end user every day. They are generated at a massive central location, and service is
delivered as needed to customers, who only pay for what they use.
In this respect, moving to the grid in the early 20th century is much like moving to
the cloud today. Instead of being responsible for generating ones own electricity, for
example, the grid system revolutionized the world with its simple, cost-effective, and
reliable delivery of service that just cannot be outdone by independent efforts offline.

OUD
CL
E
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T

The same is true for the cloud; the total cost of ownership for comparable on-site
services, as well as the maintenance and upkeep of hardware and infrastructure,
makes locally deployed options unviable. Additionally, the energy expenditure and
processing power needed would be prohibitive at best for most small- to medium-sized
businesses. Cloud computing represents an opportunity for SMBs to take advantage of
greater services at a low, predictable price.

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This idea of cloud services as a utility can transform the way an MSP discusses their
business, as well as how a client views managed IT services. Instead of feeling as if
they are paying a flat fee for what was once an ad-hoc expense, managed IT services
delivered through a cloud-based (SaaS) platform are closer to that of their needs
for running water and safe, reliable electricity; its just a necessary part of running a
business in todays day and age, and it is consolidated, delivered and priced as such.
This powerful idea represents perhaps the most important point surrounding how cloud
computing is evolving the way we use computers today.

Answering Questions about Cloud Security

The most common reasons listed as a barrier to entry to cloud adoption are security
concerns. There are many misconceptions that come with cloud computing that seem
to revolve around the transmission and/or storage of data from one site to another, and
the receipt of information and processing delivered to a local machine from unknown
sources. Because the general public are not usually privy to the security policies, best
practices and risk mitigating efforts of SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS companies, they tend to be
unaware of the extent that cloud platforms are secure (or whether any real actual threat
may be posed to their infrastructure and information).
Remember, it can feel natural for SMBs to feel less safemuch of how the cloud is
deployed, implemented and managed is out of the hands and management of the
business. Additionally, when it is considered that data can be stored on servers that
are shared with competitors data, public cloud options appear less secure than a local
option. And then theres the increasing amounts of media reports on data breaches that
seem to crop up daily. Taken together, it would appear that cloud is empirically unsafe
compared to a local option.
However, this is not necessarily
so. Cloud companies are BILLING INFO NEEDED: Click file to view your statement.

investing heavily into security, Click!

with data encryption and rigorous
processes to ensure hackers are
kept out and information cannot
be accessed by unauthorized
users. Its important to also
explain to your clients that a
majority of breaches are internal
employees, having no direct
correlation to whether that data
was stored locally or in the cloud.

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 NEW! Connect with us on Spiceworks Explaining the Cloud to Your Clients

Additionally, you may be faced with having to explain to your clients the differences
and various characteristics of public clouds and private clouds. One of the most
contested debates in cloud security revolves around public clouds versus private
clouds, and whether there is a less- or more-secure option. The major differences
an end user is interested in are that with a public cloud, services are shared across
multiple servers at the data center, and to optimize space and optimize processing
power, data is stored on the same servers as other end users and businesses. Private
clouds dedicate independent server space and other resources to specific clients,
ensuring there is a physical and digital gap between one organizations information
and the next. This is particularly helpful for organizations seeking HIPAA and PCI
compliance, but does not indicate a more secure system. In fact, because of the
extent and impact that a public cloud breach would have on not one but many end
users, many public cloud providers pay even greater attention to public cloud security,
making public an even more secure environment than any local system could be.

As more and more organizations deploy cloud-based IT services this year and beyond,
it is clear that the way users engage with their computing needs is evolving at a rapid
pace. For the hesitant SMB or average end user, it can no longer be avoided; cloud
computing is here to stay and with it comes a host of safeguards to ensure high levels
of data privacy and security. However, a point that must be stressed is that the final
portion of cloud security remains with the end user, and the extent which they manage
their passwords, their devices, and access into the cloud networks that are so carefully
guarded. And, after cutting through the misconceptions and misunderstandings of
cloud computing, it becomes apparent that despite the myths, the cloud has major
benefits in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness, and now security, making it a more
stable, viable and secure environment for organizations to conduct business every day.

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Its important to discuss this technology with your existing clients as well as your
prospects, because although they pay (you) for it, they may not entirely grab what
it is they are paying for, and that leads to not understanding the exceptional value
they have with a fully managed MSP model. Through careful, measured discussions
about the ins, outs, and benefits of cloud technology, youll not only bolster your
business, but your brand as welltransforming you from their IT provider into their
technology advisor and a key figure in the scope of their business that they can trust
to deliver honest information and advice. This is the relationship that will make you an
indispensable part of your clients business and open the doors to future growth in the
scope of products you can offer.

Continuum in the Cloud

Backup and Disaster Recovery Platform for MSPs

Were committed to maintaining the strictest security standards in everything

we do, which is why we chose to align our backup strategy with IBMs Cloud,
SoftLayer Infrastructure. Continuum partners can let their clients know that
Softlayer provides the infrastructure for Continuity247, our hardware-agnostic,
fully managed backup and disaster recovery platform.

Softlayer provides a high-performing public cloud thats safe, secure, and

compliant with multiple industry standardsincluding HIPAA. The data centers
that host Continuity247 are SAS 70/SSAE 16-certified, which assures
adequate oversight over the information-processing controls. This enables
Continuity247 to be a foundation for end-users to build policies and practices
for data processing and storage that are SAS 70/SSAE 16 compliant.

Because of this solid cloud infrastructure (IBMs Cloud, Softlayer Infrastructure),

clients that use Continuity247 receive the regulation and security of a public
cloud with an added layer of protection of a private cloud within.

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In addition, business-grade encryptiona process where your clients data is

encrypted as soon as you start backing upis a must-have security feature in
any backup solution. Continuity247 takes this one step further by restricting
access to this data with an encryption key maintained only by the Managed
Services Provider (MSP). Data is encrypted both at rest and in motion through
all stages of data storage and transfer.

Its also important to know that the technology powering Continuity247

wasnt retrofitted to support the cloudit was built in the cloud, for the cloud.
Continuity247 features single-pane-of-glass management, allowing you
to easily manage all of your clients backups from a central location.
From there, you have remote access to appliances, protected machines (with
Continuum Remote Management and Monitoring (RMM)), and the cloud.
Additionally, Continuity247s Continuous Data Protection (CDP) technology
minimizes the amount of storage used on the appliance and in the cloud.

To put Continuums cloud-based BDR platform to work for youas well as a

650+ certified NOC team to provide fully-managed services like backups and
disaster-recovery tasksrequest a free trial today.

Its time to embrace the cloud!

Were here to help every step of the way.
Request a trial for Continuity247 today
and lets get started:

Continuity247 works out well in my market and for the type of

customers that I have. They are not interested in speeds and feeds.
Theyre interested in outcomes. ...and with Continuity247, I know
you guys have my back. So that helps me sleep at night.
-Wes Monk, Digital Data Communications

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