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3 urgent truths about cloud computing in a mobile world in 2016
In a constantly evolving world transformed by cloud, social and mobile technologies, companies are focused on strategic platforms for streamlining processes, reaching customers and expanding sales. Cloud computing has been—and will continue to be—a big player in the game, impacting every aspect of our business processes. Global spending on Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is expected to reach $16.5 billion this year, while the global Software as a Service (SaaS) market is projected to grow to $67 billion by 2018. So what lies ahead for 2016 and beyond? Here are three facts you should know about cloud computing:
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Going hybrid is not just for cars
—Companies looking for enterprise cloud solutions no longer want to be forced to choose between their datacenter and the cloud. Businesses require a flexible IT infrastructure that can scale on demand. A hybrid cloud solution offers both. With a private cloud in a company’s datacenter, it can be more agile and manage resources more effectively. Given this fact, it’s no surprise that private cloud adoption increased from 63 percent to 77 percent, driving hybrid cloud adoption up from 58 percent to 71 percent year-over-year. This has allowed companies to take advantage of service providers that offer cloud storage, backup and recovery options with increased efficiency and reduced cost.
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Internet of Things (IoT) = cloud-based services
—From vehicles and security systems, to refrigerators and washing machines, every “thing” is now connected. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), by 2018, there will be 22 billion IoT devices installed, driving the development of over 200,000 new apps and services. This has produced a new generation of platforms, which will eventually all communicate via the cloud. From pre-configured solutions that accelerate IoT projects, to the ability to connect devices to efficiently manage multiple assets with expandable scalability, to gathering valuable IoT data and capturing insights that integrate with existing business systems—there are a wealth of possibilities when it comes to using cloud-based services to jumpstart and manage IoT offerings.
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There’s a native app for that
—Experts estimate cloud apps will account for a whopping 90 percent of worldwide mobile data traffic by 2019. That means time savings and efficiency are the name of the game when it comes to the application development process. With cloud-native apps reducing overall development time by 11.6 percent, many companies are choosing cloud-development strategies to streamline processes and boost collaboration. Growing alongside this trend are cloud app containers. They’ve emerged as an attractive way for developers to quickly and efficiently build and deploy these “born-in-the cloud” applications. By using containers, developers and IT professionals can deploy applications from a workstation to a server in mere seconds. And they can select from Windows Server containers, Linux containers and Hyper-V containers—both in the cloud and on-premises.
There’s no question—the cloud has been a game changer. With innovative security measures and a better understanding of cloud computing, more and more companies are relying heavily on cloud-based apps and platforms to boost customer demand strategies. Today’s cloud provides layers of security features and operational best practices, not to mention enterprise-grade user and admin controls to further secure an environment, beckoning companies to take advantage of a holistic, agile platform that is also secure.
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Turning business process into business advantage for organizations everywhere
Today, we are taking the first step to bring our customers new, modern, enterprise-ready intelligent business apps with the introduction of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft AppSource.
Technology is transforming our personal lives with apps and services that are simple and intuitive, and deliver helpful assistance to improve our lives.
In contrast the apps and services we use to drive business process are often difficult to use, try and deploy. Some even make you pay extra for capabilities like visualization, workflow automation and predictive insights.
We imagine a better world for business users everywhere. One where you can track leads, automate field service, drive sales and improve operations using modern, mobile, enterprise-ready intelligent business apps from the cloud that are as easy to use as the consumer apps that help us all get rides, book rooms, listen to music and take actions to improve our health.
Helping customers transform with a new approach to business process
Available this fall, Microsoft Dynamics 365 evolves our current CRM and ERP cloud solutions into one cloud service with new purpose-built apps to help manage specific business functions, including: Financials, Field Service, Sales, Operations, Marketing, Project Service Automation and Customer Service.
Dynamics 365 apps are designed so they can be easily and independently deployed. That means you can start small and pay only for what you need. Yet they work together seamlessly so, as your business demands, you can grow into additional capabilities with ease. They include built-in insights, predictive intelligence and workflow optimization, all of which will be delivered through simple, easy-to-use, mobile experiences with offline capabilities.
Power BI and Cortana Intelligence will be natively embedded to help customers achieve their business goals with predictive insights, prescriptive advice and actionable next steps.
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For example, Cortana Intelligence will enable cross-sell recommendations to help sales reps predict which products and services a customer will need. Access to IoT data inside Dynamics 365 for Field Service will enable preemptive action from field service agents by connecting asset monitoring and anomaly detection so they can take action before failures occur, avoiding costly customer service issues.
Deep integration between Dynamics 365 and Office 365 will connect the structured workflow of business apps with the unstructured work of collaboration and productivity.
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For example, a sales person receives an email, and can respond directly in Office with a quote that is created based on information from both Finance and Sales apps, stored back to the right app, with right pricing, discounting, etc. All without the user having to leave Outlook.
Adapt and innovate in real-time with a common data model and extensible business application platform. Dynamics 365 apps will:
Use a common data model, shared with Office 365, to simplify data management and integration across apps and business processes.
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Offer tech-savvy business customers/analysts, aka “citizen developers,” (using PowerApps, Power BI and Microsoft Flow) and professional developers (using Azure platforms services) a consistent business platform they can use to compose new apps and easily extend and modify existing ones.
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Come with connectors that let you integrate with applications and services from Microsoft and our partners – including custom APIs and on-premises systems.
A place to find new apps and better ways to get things done
We are also introducing Microsoft AppSource – Microsoft’s new destination for business users to find and try out line-of-business SaaS apps from Microsoft and our partners. At launch AppSource contains more than 200 business SaaS apps, add-ins and content packs, including exclusive new industry-specific business apps from:
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AFS™ “Retail Execution” – An end-to-end solution for CPG organizations to use as they engage with their customers in the field, covering visit and merchandising, sales, asset management and audit as well as a full suite of BI and analytics.
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AvePoint “Citizen Services” – Government organizations can automate incident reporting, response and resolution, so employees can solve issues faster and serve citizens better.
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Veripark “Next Best Action” – Financial institutions can maximize the lifetime value of each customer and deliver a first-class customer-centric experience by making the right offer, at the right time, via the right channel.
Managed Solution is a full-service technology firm that empowers business by delivering, maintaining and forecasting the technologies they’ll need to stay competitive in their market place. Founded in 2002, the company quickly grew into a market leader and is recognized as one of the fastest growing IT Companies in Southern California.
We specialize in providing full Microsoft Solutions to businesses of every size, industry, and need.
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For More Information on Microsoft and other Cloud Solutions, Contact Us at 800-208-4037
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Pokemon Go to get more Pokemon, trading, and customizable PokeStops
By Darrell Etherington as written on techcrunch.com
Pokemon players will eventually be able to fill out their collections via trades, which is very good news for people eyeing region-specific Pokemon like Australia’s Kangaskhan from the other side of the world. Niantic CEO John Hanke revealed at a San Diego Comic Con panel that Niantic is indeed working on adding trading (and new training features) to their game, as well as customizable PokeStops and more Pokemon from later generations of the Nintendo franchise. He also said Niantic is thinking about adding the ability to breed Pokemon, too.
One of the most interesting things Hanke discussed that we might see implemented soon are custom PokeStops. The idea, as described by Hanke, is that players could get alternate items that would function like Lures (which you add to PokeStops to attract more Pokemon to the area), but that would change the Stops in different ways. Hanke suggested, for instance, than an object could turn a PokeStop into a healing location, essentially making it a temporary PokeCenter. You could also imagine items that help a PokeStop attract a certain type of Pokemon, like an all-electric Lure, or something that sets what kind of items the PokeStop provides to trainers that activate it.
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New Pokemon are confirmed to be on their way, too. Currently, only the original 150 Pokemon included in Pokemon Red/Blue are present in Pokemon Go for trainers to catch, but Hanke told the panel that the company is “looking forward to finding interesting ways” to incorporate Pokemon “beyond first generation” into the Go realm. It sounded like Hanke didn’t have any very specific timeline on when this would happen, or what it would look like – though his wording did suggest the introduction of other Pokemon won’t be as straightforward as batch updates with entire subsequent generations added.
Hanke also briefly mentioned that trading features are currently being developed. Trading has been a feature of Pokemon since the original generation of games, and it makes sense for Go: You’ve likely already had the experience where you’ve doubled up on some kind of Pokemon while out with a friend and wish you could just swap with them for something you need to get a different one to evolve. Breeding, too, is another Pokemon series staple, which makes sense as a more targeted way to generate Eggs for players to hatch.
Training improvements could be welcome, too. So far, the only way to improve Pokemon in Go is by catching others of the same kind and exchanging them for seeds, which you use to power up a basic CP stat. Fighting your own team’s Pokemon at team-owned gyms is also called ‘training’ in game, but essentially just nets you some experience and improves the gym’s power ranking. A better training mechanic that gives you alternate ways to improve your existing Pokemon would be very welcome.
The main reveal of new stuff for Pokemon Go at SDCC was putting actual faces to the silhouettes of team leaders in the game. Valor, Mystic and Instinct are headed up by Candela, Blanche and Spark, so now we’re not just blindly following some shadowy figure. But the roadmap is far more interesting, even if we have to wait “months” or even “years” per Hanke’s projected timeline for new Pokemon, and likely around the same for any other new features.
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