The Cloud Imperative: The Foundation of a Truly Intelligent Enterprise

In 1963, the American psychologist and computer scientist J. C. R. Licklider wrote a series of forward-thinking, perhaps even visionary, memos that he addressed to the "Members and Affiliates of the Intergalactic Computer Network." Just over half a century later, his foresight sits at the center of a global transformation as organizations strive to become truly intelligent. This transformation is both driven and underpinned by cloud computing technology – itself arguably representing a further iteration of Licklider's early theories. Simply put, cloud computing makes it possible for users to access data, applications, and services over the Internet and ultimately provides the foundation for the intelligent enterprise which is ready for tomorrow's world. The cloud eliminates the need for costly hardware, such as hard drives and servers – and gives users the ability to work from anywhere.As such, cloud software offers several distinct advantages that help sharpen a company'scompetitive edge: It speeds up processes, makes them easier, and above all smarter – all aiming at realizing a company's intelligent enterprise.