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06 August 2009 / Greg Wildisen
Issue: 7381 / Categories: Features , Profession , Technology
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Clouds on the horizon

Greg Wildisen explains why law firms should embrace cloud technology

One of the phenomena of the technology market in recent years has been the growth of “cloud” computing into a multi-billion pound industry in little more than three years.

Cloud computing has a number of manifestations, but for the purposes of simplification, it is the use, via the internet, of software, processing power or storage provided remotely by another company.

In the consumer field, a clear example is Google Docs, a word processor which people can use to create and store documents online without needing to have the word processor software installed onto their own computers.
For many companies, there is a significant benefit to using this approach.

The main one is that by “renting” software via the cloud, companies have access to up-to-the-minute applications without the capital expenditure or maintenance costs. The cloud also delivers access to additional processing power without the need to buy more hardware, providing the capacity to cope with temporary spikes in demand without having to make

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

Muckle LLP—Roland Fairlamb

Muckle LLP—Roland Fairlamb

Specialist associate solicitor rejoins Muckle’s leading employment team

NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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