Authors: Jim Lundy, Mike Anderson                                 Date: December 4, 2012

Topic: Cloud                                                                   Research Note Number: 2012-42

Issues:What risks will cloud computing bring to the firm?
How should firms choose, and use, the cloud?
What external influences will help or hinder cloud adoption?
How will the value of cloud change over time?

Summary: Cloud computing will grow quickly in 2012, largely because it can be less expensive than other computing environments. The Aragon Cloud Computing Framework helps clients contemplating cloud investments to understand the forms of cloud computing, their strengths and weaknesses, and how cloud computing is likely to evolve.

Cloud computing has reached an inflection point in overall acceptance, and its growth will accelerate in 2012. Firms of all sizes, from individual users and departments to enterprise IT, get fast start-up at low cost with cloud. While cloud promises to be less expensive than other forms of computing, the specific business need and the intended cloud use will determine success, and cost will be only one of the criteria. Firms can clear up their plans for cloud by putting the right framework in place now.

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