APMA News - April 2012 - (Page 62)

Technofile Head in the Cloud? QUESTION: I keep hearing about “the cloud.” What is it and how could it benefit me and my practice? ANSWER: “Cloud” computing refers to technology services (e.g., software, data storage, and management) that are offered via remote servers to users who access them through a Web browser. The model is different from traditional computing because you as a user don’t have to install or store anything on your local computer hard drive or devices. A good analogy is utility companies: You don’t have to generate your own electricity on site at your home or office because it is generated by a utility that bills you for your power usage. Cloud computing offers the same benefit. DISASTER RECOVERY Data stored on the cloud will still be there in the event of a catastrophic event like a fire, flood, or robbery at your office. Potential Pitfalls PRIVACY CONCERNS Cloud computing is relatively new, and there are still some questions about the security of cloud services. There are organizations devoted to defining best practices for cloud computing in order to maintain security. The remote servers used in cloud computing are stored in many different physical locations, which are kept secret and usually heavily secured. Most reputable service providers have strong security policies and practices in place, but you should ask any cloud service providers how they protect data. Also be sure Potential Perks for your Practice COST Cloud computing is designed to lower IT spending by essentially outsourcing many of your major IT costs. For example, if you access software via the cloud (which is called a “software as a service” model), you’ll never have to pay to purchase new versions of that software and install them on desktops, laptops, or other devices in your office. That software will be maintained on the cloud by the service provider. Storage is another area where cloud computing can offer significant savings over storing (and backing up) data on hardware in your office. Just like with the utility company, you only pay for the amount of storage you currently need, so you don’t waste money on unused data storage. CONVENIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY Cloud computing allows you to access your technology resources through any Web browser. On vacation or business travel? You’ll still be able to access all your office applications as long as you have Internet connectivity. SCALABILITY Cloud computing allows you to adjust your server and storage needs quickly and easily. For example, if you know you will experience significantly higher traffic to your website during a given time period because of a special promotion or the addition of new services, you or your IT team can quickly adjust your cloud-hosted website’s capacity. Many service providers allow you to scale up or down automatically based on traffic or demand, which means you pay only for what you use. 62 APMA News April 2012 On vacation or business travel? You’ll still be able to access all your office applications as long as you have Internet connectivity. to have your attorney review any service agreements to ensure your service provider meets HIPAA and other standards for data storage. Cloud servers can be located anywhere in the country, or even the world. Geographic location of the servers can have legal implications. Depending on the type of data you want to store on the cloud, you may wish to negotiate a limit on the geographic area where your data can be stored and processed. DISASTER RECOVERY As noted above, an incident involving your physical office space would not affect data stored on the cloud. However, a disaster at a cloud server location could affect that data, so it’s important to have some redundancy for critical information. Cloud computing may be a useful tool for your personal or practice computing needs. Check with your IT professional to learn more, or investigate cloud service providers. Some very familiar names, including Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Verizon, offer cloud services, and other, smaller organizations are in the market, as well. n

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - April 2012

APMA News - April 2012
In This Issue
Contents
Gen Z and myFEET
Dr. Caporusso’s Inaugural Speech to the House of Delegates
The Nuts and Bolts of Your House
Residency Genesis: A Priority for the Profession
Forum Builds Profession-wide Consensus on Student Recruitment
APMA By the Decade: 1942–1951
Profiles in Progress: Postgraduate Education
2011 Podiatric Practice Survey: Insurance Plan Participation
Infection Control Issues in the Podiatric Setting
Committee Member Acknowledgements
Federal Advocacy Forum
APMAPAC Chair Report
IT Consultant
Visit the Nation’s Capital for The National
Annual Scientific Meeting Preliminary Program
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Form
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
Website Wisdom
Technofile
Small Business 101
APMA All Stars
In Short
Worthy of Note
Affiliates Corner
List of Affiliated Organizations
Insurance Advisor
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Awards Nominations
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
10 Questions
Your APMA

APMA News - April 2012