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Nataliya Marinova, Boycho Boychev
AN ANALYSIS OF THE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FROM THE WORLD’S IAAS CLOUD SERVICES PROVIDERS
Abstract:
Over the last few years, interest in renting Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) has increased and this has led to the development of many new solutions of this class. The competition on this market resulted in serious changes in the business strategies of the providers of IaaS cloud services. We are witnessing an incredibly dynamic development of the IaaS market. This requires the thorough analysis of the current possibilities of the providers of such products and the direction in which they will be developing in the near future.
The objectives of the present article are to analyse the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the IaaS solutions of the world’s leading providers of cloud services and to offer recommendations with reference to choosing an effective cloud configuration.
To achieve the set goals, the study has used the Gartner’s Magic Quadrant research methodology; has collected and summarised data from the studied providers of IaaS cloud services and, based on these results has outlined parameters that can be used to analyse, compare and assess the leading world IaaS solutions.
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Angelin Lalev
METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR ENHANCING CLOUD COMPUTING SECURITY IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES
Abstract:
The article focuses on the problems of information security in the clouds from the point of view of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the limitations imposed on them with regard to information technologies. The article discusses organizational and technical protection measures that are relatively easy and cheap enough to be applied by SMEs in relation to cloud security threats.
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Rumen Vyrbanov
THE POTENTIAL OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE BUSINESS OF COMPANIES
Abstract:
The popularity of social media is constantly growing. More than 84% of Internet users have accounts on social networks and spend between two and four hours per day on the Internet. Each user has 195 “friends” on average. Spending time in the social media is already activity number one in the Internet, exceeding the popularity of activities such as searching for information search and using e-mail. It is expected that Facebook will replace e-mails as the main means of communication.
Recently the number of people, who use social networks not only to communicate but also to find information about various goods and services, is steadily increasing. Social networks is gaining increasing popularity as a powerful business tool. The business is taking its first steps in using social media platforms as an effective marketing channel.
The first part of the article examines the main reasons, which determine the closer integration between the social media and business processes within companies. These reasons include the use of social tools by the majority of Internet users; the undoubted advantages that social media can provide for businessås; the employees’ passion for social networks; and the need for a clearly developed marketing strategy for using social media. Special attention is paid to the latest data on the use of digital technology in Bulgaria and the reasons, which determine the serious lagging of our country compared to other EU countries in some of the most important aspects.
In the second part, the author outlines the main areas in which social media can help the business: marketing; sales; customer service; PR campaigns; personnel recruitment; customer relationships management; brand promotion and increase of brand recognition; training and staff development. An attempt is made to highlight some of the manifestations of social tools in each of the above mentioned areas, based on specific examples.
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FACTORS FOR SUCCESS OF THE “BUSINESS PROCESS AS A SERVICE” MODEL
Abstract:
The “Business Process as a Service” model integrates the achievements of the business process management/modelling concepts and cloud computing. It aims at rapid development of automated business processes on the basis of cloud services. The article is an attempt to refine the scope of the model by systematizing its logical and technological aspects. The advantages of the “Business Process as a Service” model, as well as some problematic aspects of its implementation are defined. Finally, factors for its successful implementation are identified.