Cloud Computing in The Hotel Industry
Enterprise Information Management Systems
September 15, 2010
Cloud Computing in The Hotel Industry
Problem Statement Is the hotel industry ready to move forward with technology and use cloud computing to run its operations? The emergence of cloud computing and reliable networks has led to an opportunity to dramatically alter the cost/performance landscape for the hospitality industry through the sharing of many technology services across multiple hotel companies. But many questions exist about the model. Are hoteliers willing to give up enough control to make the model work? How could the hospitality industry use a shared services model to generate greater operating efficiencies? What are the opportunities for vendors in this space? (Squires, 2010, p. 50)
Challenges & Opportunities The hotel industry in general has always been a few steps behind with respect to information technology system, it was one of the last industries to become computerized. The reasons behind such an odd way of doing business are the size of property, the amount of information, and the difficulty to interface with previous information regarding the past history of their guests. Who can use cloud computing to run a hotel? What is cloud computing? When is a good time to start using this technology? Where should the IT department be located? Why is it a good idea for the hotel industry? How can it improve the daily operation of a hotel? Any hotel can run its operation using cloud computing. Cloud-computing services--which allow users to send e-mail, store documents, conduct business transactions and perform various other functions via Internet-based networks--are becoming increasingly popular with individuals and companies. (Shimbum, 2010, p. N.A.) Explained to me by my computer engineer friend,
References: http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC Documents &type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A234997686& source=gale&userGroupName=plan_smcl&version=1.0 Horizons widen for cloud computing. (July 8, 2010). Yomiuri Shimbun/DailyYomiuri. , p.NA. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=IPS&docId=A230941128&source=gale&userGroupName=plan_smcl&version=1.0 Mell, P.& Grance T.Version 15, 10-7-09 National Institute of Standards and Technology, Information Technology Laboratory n.d., 2008, p1. http://blogs.amrresearch.com/.a/6a01053599ae6e970b0120a547f95e970b-800wi n.d., 2009, p.3 http://lonewolflibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/cloud.jpg n.d., 2010, p1. http://www.wyse.com/cloudcomputing/Wyse-cloudcomputing diagram.jpg "New Research Shows Hotels are Ready for Shared Technology Services." Express Hospitality 16 June 2010. Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Collection. Web. 12 Sept. 2010. Document URLhttp://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A229733920&source=gale&srcprod=PPTH&userGroupName=plan_smcl&version=1.0 Smith, R. (Sept-Oct 2009). Computing in the cloud. Squires, M. (May 2010). Hotel tech executives want cloud solutions. Lodging Hospitality. , 66, 5. P.50(1). Retrieved September 10, 2010, from via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A227750172&source=gal &userGroupName=plan_smcl&version=1.0