Industry Focus

NATURAL RESOURCES The sky's the limit The benefits of cloud software are becoming increasingly realised by the architecture, engineering and construction sectors. What was once pie-in-the-sky now promises to change how we do business WORDS: CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG As many companies are noticing, there's no end to the uses of cloud computing. For Sydney-based software and services company Total Synergy, 'the cloud', as it's known, is revolutionising the way we do business. No fewer than 5000 architecture, engineering and construction professionals use Synergy business management software every day across Australia, New Zealand, the US and UK. Total Synergy CEO Scott Osborne says his company has traditionally offered its clients on-premise business management software on a file server in their office environment, but this has been extended to a cloud platform to allow access to timesheets, expenses, projects, contact lists and cloud support. "Moving to cloud means reducing a reliance on hardware, data backups, IT support and reduces overheads. It also mobilises a workforce from being potentially desk-tied and increases its accuracy in recording time, reporting and communicating," says Osborne. "Cloud solutions are generally rented or paid by subscription, which means there is no capex by nature. Opex is predictable with a monthly fee and all technical upgrades and enhancements are usually covered by that fee. "Other benefits our clients are seeing are things like improved profitability and cash flow through simplified recording of time on projects, more accurate recognition of time spent, better assignment of project overheads to relevant projects rather than absorbing 8 Industry Focus them as office overheads, and efficiency in communication." Osborne summarises the key benefits of cloud computing technology as: • Mobility and flexibility—users can operate the software from their smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and anywhere there is an internet connection. • Connectedness—cloud software moves users away from being tethered to office infrastructure. • Safety and security—disaster recovery is seamless when data is held in and backed up to the cloud. Investment and resources injected into data security by major cloud infrastructure providers mean it is more secure than on-premise security. • Test and development—for new app developers, the opportunity to develop and test in a cloud environment allows huge flexibility at low cost to develop and test new products, features and functions. • Data—the ability to aggregate, combine and analyse it. • Scalability—cloud space for storage, development, processing capability and number of dedicated servers can be switched on or off by the month and is virtually unlimited. Cloud technology allows workers to enter and record working hours and expenses while still on site; use mobile devices to find and map addresses and map current project contacts; and take specification notes on a project, such as recording defects, as well as enabling live updates of projects and documentation. In addition, Osborne says the technology is cheaper to both develop and use. "One of the benefits of cloud computing is flexibility in licensing, payment and investment options. It is cheaper to develop as we can run up test/development environments in minutes," he says. "In terms of the future, we are looking at unification of data and communications in real-time access. Cloud software enables a mobile workforce with full productivity in the palm of their hands, which leads to efficiency of resources so workers don't need to be in the office to do the full job. "Cloud technology will lead to a life without restriction or borders where the only limitation will be the number of hours in the day." "Cloud technology will lead to a life without restriction or borders where the only limitation will be the number of hours in the day."

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