Advertising campaigns are notoriously
dynamic, demanding flexibility, scalability and attention to detail, which
should make them prime candidates for cloud computing services. As ad agencies
seek to achieve competitive advantage while exploring and making available the
very best technology solutions for their clients, they are turning to cloud
computing services in increasing numbers.
Some agencies know of the benefits that
infrastructure-as-a-service can provide, including lower costs, enhanced
responsiveness, and scalability. But IT services are now evolving to the next
generation cloud computing solutions. Cloud computing itself is more attractive
than traditional computing infrastructure, due to the fact that storage and
processing capacity may be accessed and adjusted in a very timely manner. For an
advertising campaign with little or no track record, a client could certainly
benefit from having access to such scalable resources, able to ramp
availability up or down according to campaign response.
Advertising campaigns are also subject to
review and a particular project could be deemed to be ineffective or unworkable,
even as it is being rolled out. If the campaign only lives for a month, an
investment in hardware capacity and resources at the front end could truly
prove to be expensive. If the campaign is handled "through the cloud,"
capacity and resources are accessed as needed and not as a result of any
capital investment.
While cloud computing may indeed appear to
be a marriage made in heaven for advertising agencies, there are nevertheless a
number of issues to be addressed before the agency considers adoption. There
are a number of items to think about:
- How can the agency track and
bill the usage of the cloud for each client?
- How can efficient controls be
placed over the use of the cloud infrastructure?
- How can policies and procedures
regarding security and reliability be serviced?
- How can individual solutions be
managed when multiple cloud providers are in play?
The challenge is that most cloud providers
only have one level of access to cloud accounts making it difficult to share
access with vendors, clients and internal staff. Many times, programs need
different levels of access for different team members. Some only should be able to monitor the
infrastructure while others should be able to launch new resources.
Many questions have also arisen about
security and the vulnerability of a client’s information. The selection of
cloud computing partner should be made on the basis that strict user management
is practiced. The agency must be able to set up and manage users according to
provided credentials, allowing users to retain “key” access to critical
information and service in the cloud. Within the best solutions, access can be
infinitely managed for clients, providing complete peace of mind and security.
Advertising agencies have a number of
choices when it comes to the selection of cloud computing solutions, but they
should be careful that tools, such as those provided by enStratus, ensure and
oversee their position. For example, user credentials and access keys must be
encrypted and stored externally, access must be controlled through the use of
role-based security solutions, reliability and uptime must be maximized through
the use of clustering solutions, specific to individual requirements.
enStratus is able to work with all leading
public cloud providers and private cloud platforms. Specific billing codes and
levels of reporting enable the agency to accurately assess and build each
client's project. Core-based security is specific enough to allow vendors and
clients to access and manage individual applications. As security is of course
so important, the company’s patent pending security architecture includes
encryption, intrusion detection and auto-recovery for the client’s peace of
mind.
Advertising agencies will, of course, want
to exercise control over security, management and billing on an individual
client basis. With these controls in place, advertising and marketing agencies
can move "to the cloud" and reap the benefits of increased capacity,
enhanced solutions, cutting-edge tools and cost flexibility, all of which can
help to elevate their position in the eyes of the client.
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