“HP’s decision to extend its cloud services offering is great news for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). All too often, cloud vendors focus on developing services for the enterprise, when actually it is small firms that have the most to gain from this technology,” said Charlie Cowan, CEO of cloud-service provider Keboko. “The cloud offers small businesses a level playing field with the enterprise, giving them access to bespoke applications that previously would have been out of reach. And due to their size, it’s much easier for SMEs to move to the cloud.”
However, cloud computing may carry a number of risks including an increased potential for security breaches, which can place a small business in serious legal trouble if sensitive client information is exposed. Small business owners who host information on remote servers should ensure that their companies are adequately covered by professional liability insurance.