Chromebook Is “Far From Revolutionary”

Google’s cloud-ready technology may be being billed as a “new model of computing” but actually the Chomebook concept is far from revolutionary, says Flexsys Managing Director, Adrian Smith:

“Working from a machine that accesses data from a remote location is not revolutionary but rather evolutionary. If you think back twenty years in technology, we’ve actually come full circle. Cloud-ready laptops essentially operate in much the same way as dumb terminals did up until the early 90s. No applications were hosted on the user’s machine but accessed via a server in the corner of the room. Now the kit is less cumbersome and companies are entrusting their critical data to ‘the cloud’ but the principle is certainly reminiscent of those by-gone days.

“What Google’s Chromebook does go to show is the greater efficiencies that can be achieved through switching to cloud networking. It stands to reason that without installed software and local data to load and manage, computers can become aesthetically slicker and operationally quicker and more cost effective to run. In fact, in the not too far future it is entirely feasible that smart phones will replace traditional desktop devices because so little processing power will be required to achieve comparable functionality.

“But while this is just around the corner in technological terms, bringing businesses round to a new way of working is a whole different ballgame. Cloud computing has been around for some time now and yet it’s only really started to take-off in the last year or so.

“For all the forward-thinking companies out there who are keen to establish themselves as early adopters, there are plenty more organisations who are understandably perplexed by the proposition and nervous of what a move to cloud-based services would mean for their workforce.

“A common concern is the lack of control. “Where is my data and who owns it?” is a frequent objection heard by our sales team. In reality, cloud-hosted networks across dual data centres are far more secure than the traditional set-up and much easier to reinstall should on-site disaster strike.

“There are also less obvious advantages of adopting hosted services such as the ability to restrict the unsolicited removal of data – which is a growing security concern across the board – and energy savings achieved through a reduction in processing power and increased battery life (estimated to save businesses up to £1 per day on electricity costs) – not least the upfront savings on deployment and physical hardware capex.

“Indeed, Google is leveraging the cost benefits of cloud computing to make Chromebook and alternate manufacturers’ products (soon to come to market) a more attractive proposition to the business world.
But as research firm Gartner’s Michael Gartenberg rightly points out, the stumbling block is going to be in getting people to invest in a device that looks like a laptop but does so many fewer things.

“To counteract this objection, Google has tactically adopted the pay-as-you-go-model already being championed for cloud-based IT services and support. Customers can pay a fixed monthly fee per employee, which covers the cost of the device; ongoing support; upgrades and replacements in much the same way that hosted email and desktop applications are being adopted by many businesses – most notably by SMEs, who are in the strongest position to lead the way because of their inherent agility.

“The beauty of cloud networking and the benefit of hosted email and desktop applications is that businesses can achieve everything Google Chromebook delivers without trading in their trusted desktop device – at least until the time and technology is right.”