Cloud Hosting

Cloud computing has become the talk of the town, especially within the healthcare niche. The adoption of this state-of-the-art tech innovation has been escalating at a frenetic pace. One recent research study suggests that the global market for cloud technologies in healthcare is projected to reach $64.7 billion by 2025.

The reason behind its recent exponential growth is simple though. If healthcare businesses were simply service providers before, today they're true progressive institutions that depend on their IT infrastructure and departments to gain better clinical, administrative, and financial insights. This helps them make informed decisions.

And that's not all - as patient expectations change with each passing day, and new payment models get added to the equation, cloud technology has become vital to drive efficiency and improve patient care.

There are several things that have been made possible in healthcare due to the rapid adoption of cloud technology.

Most cloud platforms offer better infrastructure and services than individual on-premise storage systems set up by healthcare facilities.

Renting out rack space in a data centre would cost you only a fraction of what it would to set up and maintain an in-house system at such a scale. Additionally, there are substantial savings on technical upgrades, staff, and licenses.

On-premise data centres not only necessitate an investment in hardware early on, but they also come with ongoing costs of managing physical servers, spaces, and cooling solutions among other things.While EHRs have become mainstream in healthcare, storage of data on cloud servers is set to become the new normal, explains Dr Vinati Kamani in one of her recent articles. The use of cloud computing in healthcare saves up on the additional server costs, wherein you only pay for the computing capacity you use while ensuring the safety of sensitive PHI at the same time, she continues.

Therefore, by carefully choosing a cloud hosting platform that will fit the needs of their particular practice, healthcare leaders can easily lower the costs associated with data storage and concentrate both their efforts as well as budget on making the patient experience seamless.

Cyber attacks and thefts have been on the rise in the healthcare space of late. Now is the time that practices and hospitals alike need augmented security protocols that safeguard sensitive patient data.Healthcare leaders are swiftly moving toward hybrid cloud environments which offer the benefit of both private and public cloud to achieve optimum compliance, security, flexibility and the ease to move applications between the two.

In a press release issued by Nutanix, the CIO of the Anne Arundel Medical Center, Dave Lehr said: As a healthcare organisation, were responsible for managing critical clinical and IT applications such as EHR and PACS as well as making sure we have an infrastructure that is secure and scalable to support changing needs such as hybrid cloud-based disaster recovery."

We knew that the right hyperconverged infrastructure would allow us to manage these workloads on a single, cost-effective solution, Lehr continues.

A number of cloud vendors now also offer compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Opting for a compliant cloud service can further ensure that the sensitive patient data within your systems remains protected and adheres to HIPAA rules at all times. This can help you avoid any hefty penalties and keep your facilitys reputation from getting tarnished.

The rapid adoption of collaboration tools like video conferencing and enterprise messaging since the COVID-19 public health emergency hit us last year has presented immense potential towards positively influencing healthcare teams and leadership.

The cloud-based software behind these applications helps ameliorate the clinical workflow and enhances patient care, irrespective of the providers or patients physical locations.

Today, with the developments happening on the cloud technology front, the data collected from remote patient monitoring devices can also be uploaded to the healthcare facilitys dedicated cloud server or the user's private centralised cloud. The platform then keeps a record of all the monitored data which can be retrieved for analysis by the medical personnel during treatment.

The utilisation of cloud storage for storing data from electronic health record systems (EHRs) has helped revolutionise collective patient care, making it less complicated for care providers and their staff to retrieve patient details at any given point in time, even from a remote location.

The majority of cloud platforms also employ essential security features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and access controls, that can provide patients with a greater sense of security when it comes to sharing credit card details or social security numbers.

Web-based software also makes it easier for physicians, staff members and patients to access patient portals and employ mobile health applications to receive important health information, such as lab test results, medication reminders and activity trackers.

All in all, cloud computing has presented us with an unprecedented opportunity to make value-based, patient-centric healthcare a reality.

The advantages mentioned above only scratch the surface of cloud technologys true potential. Only those forward looking healthcare leaders that are ready to embrace this technology will know how much more it has in store for healthcare.

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How is cloud computing revolutionising healthcare? - Healthcare Global - Healthcare News, Magazine and Website

Cloud web hosting is no more considered a futuristic technology, as it is now becoming a very serious alternative to conventional servers and turning out to be a cost-effective storage solution, which is not just flexible, and reliable, but also scalable at the same time!

While there are issues like privacy concerns with the technology, there are a large number of benefits of cloud website hosting that are converting the critics into enthusiasts at a fast rate.

Here we mention some of the most important benefits of cloud hosting -

Cloud hosting is capable of handling immense server load effortlessly...

This is achieved with the help of additional updates, adding hardware, and the use of technologies related to loading balancing. There is no worry about the website going down due to a particular server crash, which was hosting your website, as there always are other servers picking the slack at the right time. It means that a website hosted on cloud infrastructure has very rare chances of crashing out.

Cloud hosting makes use of centralized management of network services and servers, which makes things very easy to manage and ensures impeccable operation without compromising on the quality.

Cloud hosting services are billed just like an electric meter, which means you pay for what you use and nothing is spent towards any sort of monthly rentals; this is probably the biggest advantage of cloud hosting. With the help of this technology, the websites that see variable traffic no longer need to cough out cash on dedicated resources like high bandwidth and server space.

In this system, you get billed for the amount of traffic you receive, and the number of resources you use rather than a very high predefined limit.

As there's a vast network of servers, the user can have almost infinite hosting solutions whenever the need arises... In other words, you can create servers with as much capacity as you want; these can also be accessed through online control panels, for example, API services.

Deploying cloud hosting solutions is like a cakewalk, and it can be done at a fraction of the cost that you'd shell out on an identical on-premise hosting solution. You don't need anything like hardware, implementation, or software licensing. To top it all, you do this in a record time that can not be beaten by any other kind of hosting solution.

The use of virtual pooling of available resources makes the entire system very efficient and the performance of individual resources like software, servers, and networks also adds up to the performance.

By outsourcing the server and storage needs to a third party, which offers cloud hosting, a company can free up the internal resources and reduce their burden. This way, it can make use of the resources in a more efficient manner for its core operations without worrying about storage and servers.

Just as in the case of other conventional forms of hosting, cloud website hosting providers also offer 24x7 customer support, which is extremely important in this type of service.

Well, it is an old thing to say that cloud computing has numerous advantages right from being inexpensive, scalable, elastic to be quick. But, one of the least discussed advantages, despite being a very important one, is how it has changed the disaster recovery process for big and medium-sized enterprises.

Disaster recovery is now obviously more inexpensive, and it helps in lowering the pressure on enterprises to bring in the right disaster recovery plans for their entire infrastructure. This is yet again a strong reason for you to offer cloud hosting solutions to your clients if as a web hosting provider you want to cater to big enterprises or companies that deal with risky and confidential data. With cloud computing on your side, you can now offer much faster recovery to your clients at a much smaller cost compared to what you would have to spend on the regular disaster recovery process.

So, what is it that makes clouds different in terms of disaster recovery? We know that cloud is based on the concept of virtualization and its route to disaster recovery is very different. In a virtual environment, all of the servers along with applications, operating systems, data, and patches are encapsulated in just one virtual server or one software bundle. This virtual server can be easily backed up to an offsite data center and can be spun upright on one of the virtual hosts in just a few minutes.

As this virtual server is independent of any hardware, the applications, operating system, data, and patches can be accurately and very safely transferred to any data center from any data center without the need of reloading every server component. This drastically cuts down the disaster recovery time when compared to the conventional methods in which the servers are required to be loaded again with applications and operating systems and it should be properly patched to the last used configuration that is in production before all the data is restored.

When you introduce the concept of online connectivity between two different data centers plus the cost-effectiveness of this form of disaster recovery to your clients, it would only astonish them for good. You should know that in such an environment there is no room for tape backups as they can't be justified in terms of recovery speed and cost-effectiveness.

With cloud computing, disaster recovery also becomes very easy and viable, since all the backups can be taken within no time. As there is SAN-to-SAN replication involved in between the sites, disaster recovery for hot sites with a short recovery duration also becomes a cost-effective and attractive option. This was something rarely available with conventional disaster recovery methods because of the testing and cost challenges.

Yet another big advantage of cloud disaster recovery is its ability to deliver multi-site availability. SAN replication provides a very rapid fail-over along with offering the ability to come back to the production site after a disaster event or disaster recovery test is done.

So, isn't it quite evident how disaster recovery with cloud computing can be very advantageous to enterprises! And, if you haven't tried out its benefits, it's about time you started testing waters and made a switch to cloud-based systems.

So, what does all of this mean to a cloud hosting provider? Well, it simply means that the benefits of cloud website hosting aren't unknown to your potential customers anymore, and you won't have to convince your customers to opt for cloud hosting. Therefore, this is just the right time to enter the cloud market if you've any plans of doing so over the next few months, or even perhaps a year or two!

Diane H. Wong, writer, DoMyWriting

Originally posted here:
Benefits of cloud website hosting - ITProPortal

Shares of Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) have climbed 59% over the last year,but one analyst still sees significant upside.

Rosenblatt Securities analyst Hans Mosesmann has a buy rating on the stock, with a $165 price target.That's 109% above the current quote. Mosesmann's stock ratings have a 71% success rate, according to TipRanks, so his calls are worth digging into.

Let's see what's driving Micron's business to determine whether the stock is worth buying today.

Image source: Getty Images.

Micron is one of the leading manufacturers of the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) products used in consumer PCs and mobile devices. Its products are increasingly being used in cloud servers, industrial, and other enterprise applications. DRAM makes up nearly three-quarters of Micron's total revenue.Micron is also a leading supplier of the non-volatile, rewriteable (NAND) storage products used in solid-state drives (SSDs), which make up 24% of the business.

Micron reported record revenue in the fiscal third quarter, with its top line advancing 36% year over year to $7.4 billion. But the key to Micron's business performance is pricing. It's operating in a nichewhere only a few manufacturers, most notably Samsung Electronicsand SK Hynix,compete to meet the demand in the marketplace. Thiscan sometimes cause swings in pricing when too much supply becomes available, and this situation can pressure profits.

Micron is currently experiencing an upswing in selling prices, however. In the recent quarter, Micron's gross margin improved significantly year over year, jumping nearly 10 percentage points to 42.1%. This is a result of DRAM average selling prices increasing by 20% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a strong demand environment.

During the fiscal Q3 earnings call, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra provided more insights on Micron's near-term outlook for the supply and demand situation. Mehrotra cited "strong demand across almost all end markets," including PC, data center, smartphone, and 5G. Mehrotra said that Micron can't meet current demand in automotive, and also pointed to strong demand in industrial markets.

The semiconductor shortage is causing demand to exceed supply right now, and this could last into calendar year 2022.But even when the supply shortage is eventually resolved, that will push demand up even further, as Mehrotra explained.

For the fiscal fourth quarter, Micron expects revenue to increase sequentially to approximately $8.2 billion, with gross margin reaching 47%, plus or minus 1%. Management didn't provide guidance beyond the next quarter, but it expects pricing to remain tight into calendar year 2022. All of this points to rising demand and improving profitability for Micron's business.

MU data by YCharts.

The consensus analyst estimate has Micron's gross margin improving from 39% in fiscal 2021 to 50% next year.Based on analyst estimates, this would translate to earnings per share of $5.93 in fiscal 2021, with a significant jump to $11.36 in fiscal 2022.

For Micron's stock price to reach $165, it would have to trade at 14.5 times next year's earnings estimate. That's not asking too much when the stock currently sells for a modest 13.2 times the consensus estimate for fiscal 2021 earnings.

It's also important to know that Micron has met or exceeded the consensus earnings estimate for 12 straight quarters. Plus analyst estimates have been rising recently for revenue and earnings looking out to fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023.This could mean that investors are still underestimating the strength of the demand trends for Micron's products.

Keep in mind that Micron has been a volatile stock in the past, but the company has delivered profitable growth, even if it has been lumpy. The stock has delivered a 950% return over the last 10 years, but given the swings in memory pricing that often occur, this is one stock you want to get right when you buy shares.

Given management's outlook that supply will remain tight into next year, the secular demand trends in 5G wireless and cloud servers, and the stock's low valuation, the chances are good that investors could double their money with this tech stock.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Is Micron Technology Stock Headed to $165 a Share? - The Motley Fool

TOP 100: IBM makes big move toward transformation

A recurring theme that weve heard from companies on the 2021 Washington Technology Top 100 is transformation, both for themselves and for their customers.

But few companies can claim as a dramatic a transformation as the one happening at IBM, which is spinning off its managed infrastructure services business into a new $19 billion-annual revenue company to be called Kyndryl.

IBM will remain a $59 billion-annual revenue company focused on hybrid cloud adoption, digital transformation and other areas of innovation such as artificial intelligence-related solutions.

We are really returning to our roots as a core technology company, said Steve LaFleche, general manager for the U.S. public sector and federal market at Big Blue.

IBMs revenue today is about 65 percent services and 35 percent technology. ButLaFleche said that once Kyndryl is an independent company, IBMs revenue mix will flip to 65 percent technology and 35 percent services. The split is expected to happen by the end of this year.

For 2021, IBM is ranked No. 33 on the Top 100 with $1.1 billion in prime government contracts.

LaFleche said the split will have little impact on the federal business because most of the managed infrastructure business with public sector customers takes place in the state and local market.

A secondquestion that was top of mind going into our conversation was how does IBM distinguish between managed infrastructure services and its cloud offerings. Why dont they fit together?

LaFleche said it's rather simple: think of the managed infrastructure services as the people who run data centers and network operations, which makes it about hourly rates.

IBMs focus is on our hybrid cloud platform, LaFleche said. The software platform, some of the underlying integrated hardware that enables clients to modernize. Well keep that as part of IBM.

The company has positioned itself to help customers accelerate their digital transformation journeys, modernize applications and implement intelligent workflows.

We will not be running data centers or networks or storage farms or any clients on-premise infrastructure, LaFleche said.

Big Blue's journey began several years ago and can be tracked through the kinds of acquisitions it has made. Topping that list of course is the $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat in 2019. Much of IBMs hybrid cloud strategy is built around Red Hats Open Shift offering.

That is the foundation of our open hybrid cloud platform, LaFleche said. From there the company has invested in its software stack that sits on top of that platform and the company is retooling its services business to focus on accelerate adoption of the cloud platform.

Big Blue is also incorporating Open Shift into its System Z mainframes and IBM Power Servers.

This will better enable our clients to move to this open hybrid cloud world that we see as the predominant architecture for the foreseeable future, LaFleche said.

The opportunity is huge in the federal space because parts of many agencies are moving to a hybrid cloud environment, but the majority have not. Much work remains to be done.

IBM wants to help federal customers keep what they need on-premise in a private cloud but at the same time help them move what they can to a public cloud. This will be particularly important as agencies add mobile front ends to systems and improve how they interact with citizens.

Those kinds of moves require a hybrid cloud approach, according to LeFleche.

And IBMs strength is really in that hybrid multi-cloud arena, LaFleche added.

Earlier this year, IBM won an $850 million Navy contract for enterprise resource planning support services. That is an example of the kind of opportunities IBM is pursuing in the federal space. The contract is known as NETSS, short for Navy ERP Technical Support Services. It consolidates several existing contracts.

Thats exactly the type of work we want to see, LaFleche said. Anything that involves applications and application modernization and moving those applications forward.

Outside of Red Hat, many of IBM's other acquisitions have brought in capabilities such as Taos in the United States and NordCloud in Europe. Those deals happened earlier this year and focused on hybrid cloud consulting.

These companies are services companies that help clients modernize applications, move them to a hybrid cloud in an open way, LaFleche said. So they can run on IBMs cloud, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure. Its very agnostic.

Earlier this month, IBM acquired a DevOps consultancy and enterprise Kubernetes certified service provider. That deal for BoxBoat extends IBMs container capabilities, which are critical to a hybrid cloud implementation.

While its acquisition strategy moves forward, IBMs partnering strategy has evolved as well. IBM has forged relationships with AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google. Big Blue also partners with Workday, Salesforce and Palantir.

We have embraced a broad ecosystem but with a common mission -- we want to help drive this open hybrid cloud platform. Were not just partnering for empty calories, LaFleche said.

The pace of modernization and digital transformation is picking up in the government market. Part of that is driven by the COVID-19 pandemic which forced agencies to work remotely. Now they see a real benefit of a flexible workforce whether there is a pandemic or not, LaFleche said.

Theres a big pull in the marketplace and the technology is there and the skills to modernize these applications are there, LaFleche said. We are at a moment of time where everybody says, its time to go.

Posted by Nick Wakeman on Jul 16, 2021 at 12:42 PM

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TOP 100: IBM makes big move toward transformation - Washington Technology