17 Nov 2008

Cloud servers 'improving firms' flexibility'

Businesses are able to cut costs and improve the flexibility of their data management through cloud servers, an expert has suggested.

Firms are avoiding high infrastructure costs by using cloud servers to improve their set-up for brief periods of time, where demand requires it, rather than paying for equipment that would be unused for large periods of time, said Dot Net Solutions chief executive Dan Scarfe.

Utility computing has emerged as a buzz word within the IT industry, referring to the process of "specking-out" data management needs to cope with temporary periods of peak usage, he noted.

"If the customer has a high data processing requirement at certain times of the day, or month, or even the year, then they can ramp-up their infrastructure just for that short period of time," Mr Scarfe said.

It comes after Microsoft's new Windows Azure system was unveiled at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles last month.