Cloud computing represents a fundamental change in the way consumers and businesses are using their computers and mobile devices, and it is a trend that small businesses cannot afford to overlook. “Cloud” is just another name for the Internet, and thus cloud computing really refers to any services and applications that are hosted and accessed via the web.  In the software world, this is also commonly referred to as Software-as-a-Service or SaaS.

Cloud computing allows small businesses to remotely manage and store information, and access customized software or services from virtually any device with Internet access. Small businesses can also use cloud computing technology to boost their storage capacity via online storage services and create online backup and archiving accounts.

Cloud computing allows small businesses to save on expensive hardware, software, and maintenance costs since data and applications are being held on remote servers. Users can access their business services and applications through almost any device with an Internet connection including laptops, mobile phones, and PDA’s. It is also easy to add new users to the system when you need them.

In September, Sage announced that it was conducting a pilot of a full-featured, cloud computing edition of Sage SalesLogix which will be available commercially in early 2010.  With that date right around the corner, we thought now would be a great time to breakdown exactly what the cloud edition of Sage SalesLogix will offer you.  

1. Upgrade Control – You are no longer tied to an outside vendor’s upgrade schedule or obligated to add unwanted features during an upgrade.  With the cloud computing edition, you can trigger an upgrade on your schedule.
2. Deployment Flexibility – Receive the benefits of a hosted, on-demand solution with the option of migrating to an on-premise deployment at any time should your needs change.  Likewise, if you already own an on-premise deployment of SalesLogix, you can seamlessly migrate to the cloud edition.
3. Customization Flexibility – Adapt your SalesLogix CRM software to your unique sales, marketing, and support processes and take advantage of industry-specific versions without the restrictions that are common in other SaaS offerings. 
4. Buying Flexibility – Whether you want to purchase a perpetual license or a subscription, Sage SalesLogix cloud edition allows you to pick the purchasing manner that best fits your needs and financial goals. 
5. Data Ownership – Although it seems obvious, the ability to retain ownership of all of your data and processes is actually somewhat rare in the SaaS world, so it is a great feature of the new edition. 

If you’d like more information on Sage SalesLogix please feel free to contact us.  You might also be interested in the new demos below.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Newsletter and Articles, Product News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.