Cloud computing is the buzz word of the moment however there are significant technologies which have direct application for improving the business bottom line. These technologies are probably already at work to some degree within your own business, or with those partners and customers with you are already dealing, however it makes sense to take a look at some of the key players and the types of technology they provide so you can affirm your own understanding.

Checkpoint – Security Software

Checkpoint started off life as an Israeli security solution provider, but the software technologies they developed gained global recognition and today the company is based in the United States.

Checkpoint also formed lucrative partnership with Nokia, best known as the Finnish cell phone manufacturer. Nokia developed the server hardware for Checkpoint to run on whilst performing its security function, though Checkpoint has decoupled from this relationship to a large extent.

Checkpoint is probably the world’s most recognizable name in firewalls today.

Blue Coat – Security Hardware

While Checkpoint focused on software and found partners to deliver the hardware to run its application on, Bluecoat became best known for hardware security solutions which also ran impressive security software. Blue Coat does not focus on the perimeter or gateway security, though it does provide excellent security solutions for them. Blue Coat solutions deliver internal as well as external network protection; the “under siege” mentality of many network managers leads them to overlook the fact that the internal part of the network is exceptionally vulnerable to internal threats, or once an external attacker has gained entry.

RADVISION Ltd. – Video Telephony

RADVISION is the industry-leading developer and supplier of video telephony solutions as the telecommunications space becomes increasingly converged. Voice, data and video are all on a path top being managed and available within the same solution, running over the internet backbone as opposed to the traditional hard-line telephone networks. Voice Over IP (VOIP) was just the start of the internet telephone revolution and video calling is going to become just another everyday occurrence for everyone.

ClearCube – Removes the bulky PC from the desk

Clearcube does away with the need for a space consuming computer kept on every employees desk, but there is more to just saving space; ClearCube saves you money. This is a thin-client solution, which means that the user logs onto a server to access their desktop and applications – they have a mouse, a screen and a keyboard which works in exactly the same way as a desktop PC. The processing is actually going on in the server room which may be in the same building or a different part of the country – this means user support no longer requires physical access to the desktop, just the server and this saves a lot of helpdesk support resources.

The application of technology to your business should never be underestimated, and while these companies represent a selection of very powerful tools and solutions, they are in fact just the merest tip of a very large iceberg of developments. It pays to stay abreast of technology developments because firstly, things are changing extremely quickly and secondly, the next seemingly innocuous development may be the one which delivers the competitive advantage you have been looking for all this time.

Author Bio: Lawrence Reaves is a strong believer in Washington DC IT services such as Washington DC cloud computing. For these services, Lawrence recommends PLANIT Technology Group, a Juniper Networks Partner. PLANIT Technology Group can be found online at: PLANITTech.com .

Category: Business
Keywords: washington dc it services, washington dc cloud computing, juniper networks partner