Comments on: Response to On Site Development http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/2008/response-to-on-site-development/ Do it faster. Do it better. Do it in private -- blog style. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:55:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Daniel http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/2008/response-to-on-site-development/#comment-526 Daniel Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:17:30 +0000 http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/?p=141#comment-526 That seems like a big concern at first, but that's why SoftLayer offers redundancy in every configuration imaginable. You can have a database in Dallas replicate to Seattle and backed up in Washington DC. With a properly configured backup system, downtime can be minimized and be far less than downtime resulting from performing upgrades on multiple client machines. For a scenario where there are only 20 employees it may not be beneficial to use a centralized system, but anything higher than that deserves it, I think. The argument can be made analogous to the current trend of desktop applications moving to the web. I write my blog posts in google documents, despite having Word available 3 clicks away. I do that because I can then edit them from home, and because I know I will always have access to the newest features if I use google docs. That seems like a big concern at first, but that’s why SoftLayer offers redundancy in every configuration imaginable. You can have a database in Dallas replicate to Seattle and backed up in Washington DC. With a properly configured backup system, downtime can be minimized and be far less than downtime resulting from performing upgrades on multiple client machines.

For a scenario where there are only 20 employees it may not be beneficial to use a centralized system, but anything higher than that deserves it, I think. The argument can be made analogous to the current trend of desktop applications moving to the web. I write my blog posts in google documents, despite having Word available 3 clicks away. I do that because I can then edit them from home, and because I know I will always have access to the newest features if I use google docs.

]]> By: Chong Lee http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/2008/response-to-on-site-development/#comment-486 Chong Lee Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:02:22 +0000 http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/?p=141#comment-486 I agree on Jeff's concern. Our good friend Google thought of this issue and announced this Google Docs + Google Gear (http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2008/03/bringing-cloud-with-you.html) in March to let you edit a Google Doc on line or off line. I thought a Google Gear-enabled(or supported) Web App can be a solution. I agree on Jeff’s concern.

Our good friend Google thought of this issue and announced this Google Docs + Google Gear (http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2008/03/bringing-cloud-with-you.html) in March to let you edit a Google Doc on line or off line.

I thought a Google Gear-enabled(or supported) Web App can be a solution.

]]> By: jeffatrackaid http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/2008/response-to-on-site-development/#comment-483 jeffatrackaid Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:12:25 +0000 http://theinnerlayer.softlayer.com/?p=141#comment-483 I agree that centralizing internal business functions via a SaaS model is compelling; however, an oft-overlooked issue is disaster recovery. One advantage of a PC sitting on each desk is that you end up with a distributed type of computing platform. Consider this ... you are a mortgage broker with 20 employees using a intranet web portal with a centralized application tool. The tool crashes. All 20 employees are idle. Compare this to having 20 desktops with their own independent software. If one of them crashes, only 19 employees are idle. I am a supporter of SaaS approaches but the risks of centralized business functions must also be considered. I agree that centralizing internal business functions via a SaaS model is compelling; however, an oft-overlooked issue is disaster recovery. One advantage of a PC sitting on each desk is that you end up with a distributed type of computing platform.

Consider this … you are a mortgage broker with 20 employees using a intranet web portal with a centralized application tool. The tool crashes. All 20 employees are idle. Compare this to having 20 desktops with their own independent software. If one of them crashes, only 19 employees are idle.

I am a supporter of SaaS approaches but the risks of centralized business functions must also be considered.

]]>