Consumers and businesses have only begun to grasp the reality of cloud computing, with online apps like Google Docs, Salesforce and Twitter. Responza specializes in Cloud Infrastructure services like virtualization, but I forsee a future with much more. It leads me to wonder just how this technology will shape the future of IT.

Not so long ago, in a land not so far away, massive computing power was only available to the big corporations like IBM. Mainframe computers cost upwards of a million bucks, far too expensive for a mom and pop shop. Technology has come a long way since then. Now, even the smallest organization can leverage ten times the computing power for a fraction of the cost. Unfortunately, however, IT management is still an expensive investment. Small businesses can’t afford to employ an entire IT department to manage this technology.

Responza’s founder, Lance Becker, has often attributed the company’s raison d’etre to providing that CIO-level of IT strategy for small businesses. We provide a corporate sized IT department for small businesses, for much less than it would take to employ one IT guy. Cloud based services run a similar route, in that sense- taking a large portion of IT “off the racks” and putting it “into the clouds”. Security concerns have slowed progress in some aspects, but the technology is already revolutionizing IT, saving businesses thousands of dollars each quarter.

What about jobs?

Your typical IT guy may feel threatened by this change in the industry- and rightly so. In-house IT jobs may soon be replaced with automated NOCs and online apps. If your IT guy wants job security, a serious re-tooling may need to take place. It’s a sad, but necessary change. The IT infrastructure is becoming more and more complicated, so really, it’s going to take more than just one IT guy to manage your infrastructure anyway.

The Silver Lining

There are several advantages to using cloud computing. You can do more with less: more applications, more availability, and more scalability with less money spent on desktops, servers, and energy. According to Richard Marcello, president of Unisys, cloud computing will produce new business models and enable startups to compete with enterprise companies. That should be great news for any small business.

My perspective is admittedly limited, but I’m curious to see how cloud computing changes the IT industry. How do you think cloud computing will affect your business? Please feel free to leave you comments below.