If you hope to thrive in today’s competitive markets, you better make good use of information systems - especially cloud computing and mobile technologies. Such is the argument of this white paper. Verizon asserts that implementing an intelligent enterprise cloud and mobility solution helps stimulate the secure flow of information, both within and around an organization. As a result, businesses can transform into more competitive enterprises and become "fully aware".

1. 1
By 2015, Gartner predicts
that the typical knowledge
worker “will own several
wireless devices, will be
continuously connected
and will communicate and
collaborate in a wide variety
of ways without being tied
down to specific locations
and services.”
1
Improving Business Fluidity
With the Enterprise Cloud
Information is the lifeblood of business. When transmitted steadily and unimpeded to and
from people and systems in an organization, information provides an organization’s pulse.
The flow of information is what animates remote equipment in a manufacturing facility,
gives a field technician access to schematics that reside on a server, enables a purchasing
organization to negotiate contracts with suppliers, and makes it possible for a company to
engage with customers in real-time.
Business fluidity, where information can be accessed any time from virtually any location, is a necessary
evolution that will radically change business models. It will give organizations the ability to be more
aware and more agile than ever before—critical success factors in competitive markets.
This paper describes how new cloud and mobile technologies are helping organizations transform
into fluid enterprises where employees, partners, and customers contribute to the collective
business intelligence.
The Emergence of Enterprise Clouds
By 2015, Gartner predicts that the typical knowledge worker “will own several wireless devices, will be
continuously connected and will communicate and collaborate in a wide variety of ways without being
tied down to specific locations and services.”1
This acceleration of mobile device usage in the work place is fueling demand for multi-platform
applications, increased bandwidth, and the computing power to operate them. IT departments already
straining to accommodate diverse smartphones and laptops may reach their breaking point when the
expected wave of tablets hits their network. Gartner projects that “by 2013, 80 percent of businesses
will support a workforce using tablets.” 2
Organizations whose IT infrastructure is inadequate for supporting a mobile workforce are turning
to an off-premise, public utility-type model: the enterprise cloud. The cloud-based model enables
organizations to quickly expand their networking, computing, and storage capacity in a way that is
secure and reliable. Not only can organizations move applications, processing, and storage into the
cloud, they can enhance the distribution of data and information as well.
The enterprise cloud delivers data and applications to any connected device, whether it’s a desktop,
notebook, tablet, or smartphone. Users receive enriched, real-time information exactly when and
where they need it. These new ways of interacting with information and services help improve
decision-making and performance at both the individual and organizational levels.
Collecting Intelligence From Humans and Machines
The constant exchange between users and the systems hosted in the enterprise cloud creates
collective business intelligence that can be tracked, filtered, analyzed, and turned into useful,
actionable information. As machine-to-machine (M2M) applications gain acceptance and scale
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2. Improving Business Fluidity With the Enterprise Cloud
2
they too will contribute intelligence to the enterprise cloud. This intelligence, combined with the
intelligence that people-to-machine communications provide, will make machine-to-people
communications more effective.
Two types of enterprise cloud applications are emerging: “network intelligent applications,” which will
draw intelligence from resources derived from the wired or wireless network for use in embedded
devices; and “communications-enabled business processes,” in which a communications function is
embedded in an application to make the application more intelligent.
Network intelligent applications for the transportation industry are being developed around the world.
For example, in the U.S., there are now applications to support compliance with Comprehensive Safety
Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative designed
to reduce commercial motor vehicle-related accidents. These applications automatically gather
data from multiple and disparate sources such as independent vehicle telematics platforms, fleet
management applications, vehicle inspection reports, maintenance activities and others. Companies
can immediately access the cloud-based applications via mobile devices to produce data or records
in real-time as they are needed.
Communications-enabled business processes (CEBP) are emerging in the healthcare industry, which is finding
innovative ways to combine CEBP and unified communications approaches to create solutions suitable for
fixed and mobile devices. One is a new field force management product for home healthcare workers. This
application can combine an employee’s calendar application with location-based mapping tools to
automatically generate the most efficient site visit schedule and driving routes based on the worker’s location
and the locations of the intended home visits. It can also access a patient’s records before the worker
leaves the patient’s home or provide online resources that provide helpful information for the patient.
Many of these applications are enhanced by the capabilities offered by the enterprise cloud.
Accelerating Mobile Access
Mobile broadband networks, used in conjunction with enterprise cloud applications, are important
enablers of these new services. Already, 3G-based mobile broadband networks have stimulated demands
for sending data to and from cloud-based services and established interdependency between cloud and
mobile services. The 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, now being deployed by operators around
the world, will accelerate this trend by providing substantially better mobile data speeds, consistent
connections, and coverage employees will need to access enterprise cloud applications.
Video will play an important role because LTE networks will be able to easily accommodate streaming
of high-definition video to smartphones, tablets, and other devices. The convenience of remote
video transmissions and video interactions between personnel made possible by LTE is expected to
transform how many work tasks are conducted and how business decisions are made.
For example, a utility company could give a technician a video-enabled mobile device for use while
examining damage to a transmission tower. That technician could stream video of the damaged area to
an engineer who can review the video, access the damage in real time and collaborate with the onsite
technician to resolve the issue. The utility company can avoid the time and travel costs that traditional
approaches would consume and quickly bring the unit back into operational condition.
Envisioning the “Fully Aware” Enterprise
As organizations adopt the enterprise cloud and the new generation of enterprise applications it will
facilitate, the culture of the organization will change. The organization as a whole and the individuals
within it will become more aware of the business information the applications generate. They will have
better capability to act on that information in ways that benefit the organization. These benefits will
extend throughout a business’s ecosystem as the fluid exchange of information extends to business
partners, suppliers, customers, as well as employees.
Thanks to the intelligence of the enterprise cloud, mobile decision makers can instantly access an ever-
expanding wealth of data that can be turned into actionable insights. This information provides users
with greater awareness and understanding of their working circumstances and the contexts in which
they are working. As a result, employees will be able to make better decisions for their organizations
and organizations, in turn, will better serve their customers and shareholders.
The constant exchange
between users and the
systems hosted in the
enterprise cloud creates
collective business
intelligence that can be
tracked, filtered, analyzed,
and turned into useful,
actionable information.

3. Improving Business Fluidity With the Enterprise Cloud
3
The impact of this type of awareness—already powerful at an individual level—will be amplified when
aggregated across an enterprise. When the many individual components in the organization share a
heightened awareness of business conditions, they can drive action on their business strategies more
aggressively and influence global opportunities accordingly.
Business Operational Models Will Change
As new enterprise cloud services take hold, organizations will begin to develop new and innovative
operational models.
One model that will profoundly change how corporations operate is the concept of “dispersed
expertise.” According to this new model, a company could establish remote teams of high-value
professional experts. These individuals could provide customer care services, engineering expertise,
radiological diagnostics, or other types of services using a mobile video conferencing application.
While this is just one operational model that might emerge, it illustrates the type of innovation that
will be possible with the advancements in cloud and mobile technology. It highlights the level
of services that can be obtained, the conveniences that can be created for business partners and
customers, and the cost-control that can be achieved.
The Concept of “Work” Will Change
The pervasive use of mobile devices has already expanded the traditional notion of work so that it includes
not only activities performed by onsite employees during traditional business hours, but also work that is
performed at other time periods and from remote locations. Expect further shifts in the concept of work when
employees can interact with each other and business information from more types of devices and enterprise
cloud applications. Companies should make an effort to anticipate this conceptual shift, the operational
changes resulting from this shift, as well as the general changes in work culture that are sure to emerge.
Traditional Computing Architectures May Become Obsolete
The increased acceptance of cloud-based applications that can be used by any device in the field for
information access or content creation will prompt companies to shift away from some legacy business
architectures. For example, use of on-premise hardware and software may be replaced in some cases
by Internet-based approaches that can be more easily used via a range of devices and thin clients.
Internet-based applications will also perform better on small-sized devices compared to solutions
that use middleware to convert traditional content for non-traditional devices. These approaches will
contribute to improved productivity and help control equipment and software licensing costs.
Data Storage and Analysis Will Be Easier
The amount of data accumulated by business and industry will continue to increase as remote metering
and other various mobile and wireless enterprise applications push information to the cloud. Whether
a company uses a private cloud or adopts secure and encrypted public options that enable it to
maintain control over its data, cloud-based storage will be easier and cost effective for business to
install and maintain over traditional approaches.
Cloud-based storage will make it easier for business analysis, trending and reporting and to draw
from and merge data from operational segments of a business in ways that were not previously
contemplated. The analyses drawn from the robust and cross-referenced data sources will give
companies new insights into the state of their businesses and better capability to anticipate future
conditions that might affect their operations and competitiveness.
Business processing platforms that facilitate the exchange of cloud-based data between trusted sources
will be used to securely connect authorized companies, suppliers, vendors, and customers to business
data and analytics. This access can improve the quality and pace of decision-making for the participants.
When accomplished on an enterprise scale, this will help improve overall business functioning.
Developing an Enterprise Cloud Strategy
The fusion of mobile and cloud services that is creating the enterprise cloud is certain to have substantial
and transformational impact on business. It will create a new, “fully aware” enterprise, new business
operational models, new work cultures, and render some costly traditional systems obsolete. These
changes are certain and already beginning to occur. If they haven’t done so already, businesses should
begin considering ways to embrace the enterprise cloud and the new opportunities it will bring.
Thanks to the intelligence
of the enterprise cloud,
mobile decision makers
can instantly access an
ever-expanding wealth
of data that can be turned
into actionable insights.

4. Improving Business Fluidity With the Enterprise Cloud
4
Because the development of an enterprise cloud strategy is a complex undertaking, businesses do
need to employ best practices as they conduct their due diligence to identify opportunities and
risks and create their migration strategies. Conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Evaluate the capital and
operating expenses your company now requires for its IT systems, services, and support and compare
those expenditures against cloud service options. Identify your company’s next major IT capital
expenditures—such as your anticipated need for new storage and server infrastructure —and create
a plan to transition those components to the cloud. Determine how cloud services will enable you to
change your operational model and the tools your employees will need to be effective in their jobs
once the new infrastructure is brought into the cloud.
Develop a mobile strategy to take advantage of the wave of opportunities that the enterprise cloud will
unleash. One approach is to categorize employees according to their mobility or information needs.
Identify those who will benefit the most from new or better applications and the types of devices and
services that will serve their needs. Develop profiles for the solutions you need to develop, segment the
options according to the types of features they must offer, and identify those that represent the highest
priority, are easiest to implement, and those that might need further development or optimization.
Create a pilot group to develop and test the types of devices and applications you want to bring into
your business and select employees from across your organization to participate in the program.
These participants can help identify communications bottlenecks and business problems that could
be solved by enterprise cloud solutions. Their involvement will generate goodwill in the company and
encourage acceptance of the changes you’re about to make.
Consider how new, enterprise cloud-based business processes will affect the customer experience and
how the exchange of information between suppliers, partners, and customers will in turn affect that
experience. Investigate ways to provide new customer care solutions. Consider how customer information
can be better accessed and used by your company via the new applications you will introduce.
Finally, develop or update security and mobility policies and processes to address the new communications
models. This will be especially important for intelligent enterprise cloud services that generate large
volumes of data transmitted between devices and data storage environments. Solutions are available
to maintain data integrity and control access when you launch your new services.
Conclusion
The secure flow of information within and around an organization—stimulated by enterprise cloud
applications and services that involve a broad range of information sources, access methods, and
end-points—will transform business. It will impact operations, worker behavior, and a company’s
competitiveness. Recognize that transforming an organization into a business that uses and delivers
information in new, fundamental ways is an ongoing process. The process should become part of the overall
continuum of business, part of an organization’s DNA, and should be pursued as a core competency.
Verizon, leading innovators in the development of new IT infrastructure and services that will create
the mobile-minded and fully-aware enterprise, can provide the professional services and partnerships
companies need to pursue these transformative strategies.
To learn more, contact your Verizon representative for more information or visit verizonbusiness.com/
thinkforward.
1 “The Communicating, Connected, Real-Time Mobile Worker of 2015,” presentation by Nick Jones, Gartner, given at the Gartner Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit,
September 16, 2010.
2 “Gartner Top Predictions for 2011: IT’s Growing Transparency and Consumerization,” presentation by Daryl Plummer of the Gartner Group. December 15, 2010.
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