Small businesses that could only dream of one day having their own data center can now share some of the largest modern data center resources in the world with fellow subscribers. And, now that many companies are cutting IT budgets and laying off workers, the idea of cloud computing has become an even greater attraction.

Benefits are the economy-ofscale savings, the relief of not having to deal with maintaining and protecting their own servers, and a built-in remote access solution for scattered work groups.  Over one million businesses are now saving big money by dumping their old servers and moving shared files online.

Google Apps, a collection of applications for word processing, spreadsheets, email, and presentations, runs on servers in Google's data centers around the world.  Anyone that signs up for a free account can create their own Google group, organize shared files, create shared calendars, and invite others to collaborate. Most pay nothing, while others opt to pay $50 a year for the optional advanced features.

Larger businesses are also joining in. Genentech has 17,000 employees and now enjoys the benefits of having someone else maintain the servers their company uses for shared information across multiple locations.  While security concerns would make the Cloud a less desirable alternative for some types of businesses, others see the cost savings in light of current economic conditions as the driving factor to consider.

Is this the time for you to move your business into the Cloud? Perhaps. It depends upon the applications you need for your business. If your needs are mostly e-mail, documents, and spreadsheets, you may want to open an account and start trying it out. (It’s free, so why not?)  If QuickBooks is holding you back, look at Intuit’s online QuickBooks subscription as an alternative to their desktop software.

An experienced IT pro can evaluate your business needs and help you weigh your options.  If going to the Cloud will result in a significant reduction to your expenses, it’s well worth having your IT pro guide you there with a migration plan, as well as a contingency plan for backing out if needed.