1. Staying Power: 97 percent of the 1,400 companies named to Gartner’s Cool Vendor list are still in operation today, either independently or as part of a company that acquired them.

2. Filter the Hype: With so much marketing hype around technology, it’s often difficult to pick the winning technologies. Gartner’s purview helps them identify the technologies and trends that will stick around and grow.

3. Competitive Advantage: Gartner suggests using the list to identify and pick new or emerging technologies that have the potential of delivering significant competitive advantage.

Although I find it a little funny, Gartner points out that the Cool Vendors list can also help “larger, not-so-cool” technology vendors identify companies to partner or do business with.

To read the full report and statistics surrounding Gartner’s Cool Vendors report, click here.

"Today's SMBs are in a unique position to embrace new technologies that not only provide a competitive edge, but also allow them to improve their ability to recover from a disaster while protecting the information that their businesses depend on," said Steve Cullen, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for SMB and .Cloud at Symantec.

Cloud computing's disaster recovery capabilities are something that companies keep in mind when making the decision to install or convert systems to the cloud. According to the study, 34 percent of survey respondents said it affected their commitment to public cloud adoption and server virtualization. This held true with mobile applications as well. Thirty-six percent of respondents reported disaster preparedness influences their decisions to use mobile applications.

Evidence that cloud software is improving disaster recovery and that companies are happy with the results is evidenced by the 71 percent of respondents that reported their disaster preparedness improved with virtualization. Survey respondents using private and public cloud services also saw an improvement of 43 percent and 41 percent, respectively.

Noteworthy disaster recovery solutions that Symantec recommends users implement include integrated cloud backup for off-site storage, automated physical to virtual (P2V) backup conversion in case of a server failure and comprehensive security and backup solutions to protect physical, virtual and mobile systems.

The benefits of a cloud database and the security of increased disaster recovery preparedness are likely to continue drawing more users to the cloud.

Of the 300 business that participated in the CA Technologies survey "Insights: Data Protection and the Cloud," not a single one reported 100 percent protection from data loss.

Data loss has been a big problem for businesses still using traditional IT solutions, with 76 percent of companies reporting IT system failures, 41 percent reporting employee or human error and 35 percent reporting external IT attacks, as the main triggers, all of which can be improved by a transition to web-based storaged.

Companies have turned to the cloud to combat the problem of data loss. Thirty-six percent of U.S. companies reported to using a public cloud to store data and protect their web database while 76 percent reported storing data in a private cloud.

"It is broadly acknowledged that cloud computing can offer many benefits to organizations that require more agile and cost-effective ways of delivering IT services," said Bill Mann, senior vice president of Data Management for CA Technologies. "This survey reveals that one of those benefits is improved data protection – which remains a huge challenge in conventional, non-cloud environments."

Eighty-four percent of companies surveyed expressed confidence that their data was protected in a private cloud and 73 percent showed confidence in a public cloud.

It should come as no surprise that more and more companies are switching to the cloud for business solutions, as it is becoming more popular by the day.

According to CA Technologies, 55 percent of U.S. organizations expect to increase their use of the cloud as part of their business continuity strategy in the next year.

Coming in at the top stop is Zoho, a business management suite that offers a collection of web applications geared toward small businesses for maximizing productivity and easy collaboration.

Desk.com's customer support and social CRM is the runner up. The application allows companies to combine their customer service conversations into one desktop where service requests are gathered and prioritized. The app offers support via many platforms including email, phone, chat, Twitter and Facebook.

Third place on the list is AtTask, a project and task management app that allows the workplace to be broadcast in a 360-degree view. Its main function is to improve workflows and productivity by helping staff increase their understanding of tasks and organize their work.

The integrated business management suite, Bright Pearl, lands the No. 4 spot with its web-based business management software for small and medium-sized businesses. The software is designed to help SMBs save time, increase sales and make customers happier.

Zendesk, the popular customer support app, gets the No. 5 spot with its customer support and help desk ticketing system. The app is easily integratable with all customer support platforms, including email, web, chat and social media.

Rounding out the top 10 best cloud apps are Clarizen, Mavenlink, Get Satisfaction, Netsuite and Knoodle, according to GetApp

"Cloud-based apps open up new productivity gain opportunities for small businesses and startups," said Christopher Primault, CEO of GetApp. "GetApp, as the largest independent marketplace that helps small to midsize businesses discover, evaluate and manage the perfect business apps for their needs, is proud to share every month which particular apps have received traction."

What do you guys think? Does your IT department embrace and encourage employees to build their own applications? Do they have strict rules or policies in place to prevent or police you? Do they empower you to do your job better? Share your thoughts!

SMBs like SaaS because of the simple installation, minimal configuration, on-demand availability and integrated web-based data backup, according to a recent CloudTweaks article. Using SaaS for core business processes has helped SMBs grow their business, and the capability of SaaS solutions to easily integrate with existing systems and expand as needed within the company's business infrastructure is a key feature.

When choosing a SaaS solution or developing a customized one, there are a few things that SMBs are focusing on. First is the size of the SMB's target market. SMBs want to build SaaS models around the demographics of their target markets, so keeping in mind the market size is important when choosing a new solution. A second key focus for SaaS is how the service integrates with the company's business platform. A new SaaS model must be able to connect with the business' clientele and easily cross functionalize internal information.

Financial and accounting services that can be easily implemented and combined with other business processing solutions are a leading service solution among SMBs. Client relations management SaaS solutions are also important to SMBs as they focus on managing their sales and client activity. Other SaaS products in high demand include email list management services as well as project management and administration tools.

As the industry grows, the next wave of SaaS systems will be focused on apps and services that enhance business operability and integrate cloud database solutions into a single company-wide framework. SMBs have been the leading purchasers of SaaS solutions, and with the seamless integration that SaaS systems can provide, this demand is expected to continue.

Mobile communications providers operate on different bands but the overlap between internet and mobile capabilities has led providers to expand beyond basic mobile telecommunications services. Mobile providers are now capitalizing on the ways they can provide and develop applications that mirror web capabilities on mobile devices.

Mobile prerequisites

The success of cloud computing's migration to mobile will be dependent on the following six key factors, recognized in a recent study by Heavy Reading entitled The Mobile Cloud: Ready or Not, Here It Comes.

1. Mobile broadband – Mobile communications providers have actively deployed mobile broadband devices, making mobile internet access readily available for mobile cloud users. The study found that in 2011 mobile users accounted for 67 percent of broadband access.
2. Traffic deluge – Demand for mobile broadband access is outpacing available connectivity. This could slow the pace for mobile cloud migration.
3. Mobile device evolution – Mobile communications providers have consistently released new versions of mobile devices with increased cloud database capabilities. As mobile cloud demands gain complexity, communications providers will have to continue developing innovative devices to keep pace.
4. Advanced mobile networks – 4G and LTE networks are meeting the current demand but as the mobile cloud grows, enhancements to these networks will be needed.
5. Applications – Mobile cloud applications will have to be developed that mirror cloud applications for mobile users.
6. User empowerment – Mobile providers will need to empower mobile users with the understanding of applications in order to encourage migration.

As the mobile cloud market evolves, mobile communications providers will be called on to enhance their capabilities within these six main areas in order to capitalize on the demand and meet the expected growth projections for mobile cloud services.

According to a Gartner study, 25 percent of new business applications are expected to be delivered by citizen developers in 2014. Providing employees the capability to add IT applications autonomously is a benefit for those who need added web applications to fulfill their business responsibilities more efficiently.

Another added benefit of citizen development is that it reduces the amount of IT time and development. Many IT departments are focused on larger infrastructure builds with less time to work with employees on individual applications. Empowering employees to implement IT applications individually reduces the time and strain of development for IT departments.

For companies that support citizen development, building a thorough support program to manage the activity of citizen developers is important. When building a citizen developer support program there are a few key things to keep in mind. Creating policies that outline best practices for security and performance is at the top of the list. Additionally, procedures for tracking reproduced applications and application life cycles can be important. Delineating delegation of responsibility procedures for failed projects can also help ensure proper application development and infrastructure management.

Building a thorough citizen development support program around these key areas will help companies manage citizen development while still allowing employees the freedom to implement and build citizen applications that improve company and personal performance.

1. Building a customized cloud database solution can allow the company to incorporate its enterprise business processes into the system. Companies can anticipate their technology and processing needs and create a system that provides efficient results. This is a benefit over many retail systems that don't provide direct solutions and require inconvenient workarounds to achieve processing goals.

2. Building customized systems allows companies to control the design and feel of inputs and outputs. As the cloud application builder, the company can choose the system's organizational structure and the layout that matches its particular style and processes. This can greatly enhance the system's usability because users are familiar with the structure that has been implemented and they recognize the architectural design based on their company's style.

3. Customized applications require less training. Since the system is internally built, employees are involved in the development process and aware of how the system is organized. They can grow with the system and learn as the system is implemented. Additionally, customized solutions are more intuitive for users, further eliminating the need for training.

4. A major benefit for cloud databases is that they are accessible from anywhere through the internet. They also provide for mobile device access as well, which is a convenience for many employees. Web accessibility can set a company apart and provide an advantage in many ways. Companies with cloud databases can provide more timely responses. They can also access company information more easily for client meetings and presentations.

5. Cloud applications can provide businesses with cost savings. Cloud computing storage is often less expensive than traditional storage methods. Cloud computing works on a pay-as-you-grow basis, which allows businesses to pay only for the services they need and plan for expanded growth in the future. Additionally, applications hosted on the cloud typically experience less downtime, resulting in fewer disruptions and losses to the business.

6. Companies love the flexibility that cloud computing provides. When they need more bandwidth, it can be instantly added because of the capacity available on the cloud. Companies can also plan for future expansions and enhancements and easily integrate new services as dictated by business demand.

7. Cloud databases allow for easier server maintenance. Security and system updates can be done automatically, requiring less time and resources.

These benefits explain why cloud computing has grown at such a fast pace over the past few years. Migration to the cloud is expected to grow as many companies continue to capitalize on these benefits. According to a Market Research Media study, the global cloud computing market is expected to grow at a 30 percent CAGR through 2020, eventually reaching $270 billion.

This projected growth is evidence that companies understand the benefits of cloud computing and see the rewards it can bring to their business.

In a New York Times article, Kotis Design, one Seattle-based custom apparel company sites using the cloud because of the sophistication and flexibility that cloud based solutions could provide. The news story further delineated the benefits that have caused businesses to migrate to the cloud with functionality and efficiency at the top of the list for most small businesses.  

The numbers come from a global survey of 3,645 IT decisions-makers in eight countries and shed light on why companies choose to deploy cloud databases and how companies are adapting to their cloud computing services.

Only 14 percent of companies downsized after adopting the cloud and 20 percent hired more cloud experts. Additionally, 65 percent of companies chose cloud subscriptions lasting one year or more. This implies companies are expanding and enhancing their cloud computing solutions.

Companies are seeing real results in their cloud adoption strategies. Ninety-three percent of companies reported at least one area of improvement within their IT department. Fifty-two percent reported increased data efficiency and utilization. Forty-seven percent said they witnessed lower operating costs after implementing cloud computing. Eighty percent experienced improvements within six months.

The survey also suggests that employees are happy with the cloud computing infrastructures that have been implemented. Seventy-four percent of small businesses said that no one in the company resisted moving to the cloud.

Additionally, companies are not overly concerned about security in the cloud. Only 25 percent of companies expressed more concern about data security after adopting cloud services.

Finally, U.S. federal government agencies are following the cloud trend as well. Forty-eight percent of U.S. government agencies moved at least one workflow to the cloud; and the U.S. federal government's call for a cloud-first policy is expected to follow with further government cloud integration.