Is your data in the cloud?

“Cloud computing” refers to using Web-based technology to manage information, data and documents. There is no software to install or hardware to keep up with, and you can access your information from any computer. Although Web software can be daunting for associations, especially those with fewer than 10 people on staff, there are several benefits to cloud computing. Since your data is available “in the cloud,” you can authorize as many administrators as you like.

To be sure, Microsoft Excel and Access are valuable pieces of software, but when you’re managing several hundred or thousand members, plus other things such as dues payment and event registration, those tools can become a bit outdated and cumbersome.

Cloud computing is gaining even more momentum as we head into this decade. The Obama administration’s budget for fiscal year 2011 includes this provision:

Adoption of a cloud computing model is a major part of the strategy to achieve efficient and effective IT. After evaluation in 2010, agencies will deploy cloud computing solutions across the Government to improve the delivery of IT services.

Federal spending on Information Technology will account for $79.4 billion of the budget, which is a 1.2 percent increase from 2010. Federal CIO Vivek Kundra has been a longtime advocate for cloud computing and believes it can improve data sharing and promote collaboration among federal, state and local governments.

Of course, the federal government moving to cloud computing is a much bigger — and expensive — undertaking than it would be for your small-staff organization.

However, I think this situation speaks to the larger issue of the world moving to cloud-based systems. It’s no longer practical to keep unwieldy databases on your hard drive and nowhere else (although I do recommend having a back-up in case of the very rare catastrophe). No matter how small your organization is, cloud computing can save money long-term and promote the sharing of data and information.

(Image credit: Flickr)

Rumors had been swirling among tech geeks for months (nay, years!) and Wednesday, their suspicions were confirmed with the announcement of Apple’s iPad, a hybrid iPod Touch/laptop. Although it doesn’t have the iPhone’s ability to make phone calls, it  has a ton of other capabilities, and could rival Amazon’s Kindle with its iBooks application and through contracts with publishers.

There have been mixed reactions about the iPad. Some are enthralled; some don’t quite understand the purpose. “It’s a bigger iPhone that can’t make calls,” I’ve heard.

However, keep in mind this is just the first version of the iPad, and if the product takes off, there will surely be many more versions to come. Apple is setting the stage for a very different type of computing experience.

I think the iPad could truly have some amazing implications for small-staff associations down the road (and so does our Director of Product Experience Kevin Patrick!).

I’ve written before about cloud computing, and this product could take that to a whole new level – especially because it syncs perfectly with Macs, PCs, iPhones, and iPod Touches through Apple’s MobileMe Storage. As technology moves to Web-only, devices such as the iPad will become even more mainstream because, as Jobs said, you’re literally “holding the Internet in your hands.”

The iPad and its subsequent versions could be extremely beneficial for small-staff associations. The amount of hardware needed at events would drastically diminish. For smaller meetings, all check-ins could be done instantly just by passing the device around the room.

I’d be willing to bet than many association management software companies are in the midst of developing iPhone and other smartphone apps for their products, especially amidst the buzz about mobile technology for associations in 2010.

But the iPad will also have access to Apple’s App Store, and will be able to run about 140,000 of them right away. Apps can also be synced with the iPhone or iPod touch, which could greatly streamline communication among staffers.

Although the iPad clearly won’t replace laptops (at least for awhile), the possibilities are still numerous. People who travel constantly and prefer not to carry their laptops could greatly benefit from owning an iPad, and I think the iPad dock, which includes a keyboard, is pretty spiffy.

In all honesty, I think the real “magic” (to quote Steve Jobs) of the iPad will come later, especially once developers begin creating apps for it. Additionally, I’d love to see Apple add a camera and video-chat capabilities (which would be amazing for small associations working remotely), as well as multitasking.

The release of the iPad is just the beginning. Right now, I think the device would be most beneficial at events – no matter how big or small. Exhibitors could easily run demos with iPads. It would make blogging-on-the-go a snap. Multimedia could be used in presentations more easily, and attendees could use iPads for receiving event updates and news.

Samuel J. Smith wrote an excellent post about the iPad for events and I agree with many of his points. Be sure to check it out – I especially love his idea for creating e-versions of meeting newsletters and exhibitor guides. Multimedia could be included in those, as well.

How would your association use an iPad? What are your initial thoughts about the device?

(All iPad images via Engadget.)

I’ve written a lot in this space about social technologies and how they can benefit your organization. But as we’re all interacting “in the cloud” (i.e. online), are you neglecting the backbone of your organization: your database?

Of course, no organization would function smoothly without an organized, up-to-date database. It helps target your marketing and can improve customer service and member relations. Don’t let your database languish in the pre-Web era – there’s nothing wrong with keeping information in the cloud. There are many, many association management software companies and although initial costs may seem high, using a third party vendor can save you a ton of time and money down the road.

The December issue of Associations Now had a great article about cloud computing. I thought the inset about five “critical considerations” had great advice. It’s crucial to get information in writing from your vendor about disaster recovery, security and risk management. Additionally, if you’re going to be using your system for payment processing, be sure it is PCI Compliant so you don’t end up with fees from credit card companies.

There are tons of benefits to using an online software system that is tailored for associations. Just a few include:

1. If some staffers telecommute or travel a lot, they’ll be able to access your database from anywhere
2. The vendor will take care of updating the system for you, rather than your organization having to manage updates
3. Research, development, design are included with a Software-as-a-Service vendor because they serve so many different organizations. The vendor will be able to give you the lowest possible quote thanks to economies of scale.
4. Scale up or scale down easily. Many vendors offer different features in their products that can be turned on or off at any time.
5. Associations will require fewer IT staffers.

Although it’s important to keep back-up copies of your data in case of an emergency, our culture is rapidly moving toward a system of keeping all our information in the cloud. (Google’s future operating system is a step in this direction.) Why should your data be any different?

(Image via Flickr.)

Happy Friday! Unfortunately, the weather is pretty dreary in Atlanta — I hope everyone else’s Friday weather is more uplifting!

To begin what I hope will turn into a recurring Friday feature here, I’m going to share a few of my favorite association-related links from the week.

Maddie Grant compiled some comments from people who couldn’t attend ASAE. Budgets seemed to be the biggest concern, which wasn’t too unexpected. Some people also said ASAE didn’t provide education for their core duties, which may or may not have been true. Regardless, I think the number of learning labs at ASAE was great, but there weren’t enough time slots. Offer fewer learning labs at a time, and the problem is (hopefully) solved.

Over at TechSoup, they discussed why small- to medium-sized organizations should care about cloud computing. This is basically what our membership management software provides, and we think technology can really help small organizations become more efficient and organized.

Peggy Hoffman wrote about how chapters can leverage social media, which I loved because this is one of my objectives. Every organization has different needs, but social media is a great tool to keep your members more engaged and recruit new ones, as well.

With what I thought was a great metaphor, Wes Trochlil compared new processes in data collection to the failed “Clash for Clunkers” program. Launching a new initiative can be difficult and time-consuming, and it’s important to do the right amount of testing and research.

In a comment on a previous post here, Robert Swanwick referred to one of his blog posts about a virtual meeting. There are some great tips and thoughts about hosting a virtual meeting on a tight budget that small-staffs can absolutely learn from.

Have a great weekend, and feel free to share more links below!