Based on three Case Studies: Salesforce.com: Cloud Services Go Mainstream on page 203; How Secure is the Cloud on page 321; and Enterprise Applications Move to the Cloud on page 358 of Laudon & Laudon’s textbook.
Please answer to the following six questions:
1. How does Salesforce.com use cloud computing? Define the Cloud Computing delivery models and services provided by Salesforce.com.
2. What kinds of business could benefit from switching to Salesforce and why? What factors would you take into account in deciding whether to use Salesforce.com for your business?
3. What people, organization, and technology factors contribute to security and control problems in the cloud?
4. If you are in charge of your company’s IS department, what issues would you want to clarify with prospective cloud vendors? Would you entrust your corporate systems to a cloud computing provider? Why or why not?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud-based enterprise applications?
6. What management, organizations, and technology issues should be address in deciding whether to use a conventional ERP or CRM system versus a cloud-based version?
4 pages
Laundon, K. and Laudon, J. “Management-Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm” 11th edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, Pearson Education, 2007
