Cloud computing is a hot topic of late, with many IT professionals certainly all ears when learning the benefits that are inviting for all types of operations and business.

And utilizing the cloud is not just a trend - it's very much a business practice that has helped organizations to both develop and grow.

"Cloud computing has radically simplified business computing over the last 3-5 years, and it's just the tip of the iceberg," said Stuart Nottingham, Director of Technical Services for Management Applications Inc., of Raleigh, N.C., which has been providing companies in all industries with accounting software, ERP solutions and other consultative network and business services for more than 20 years. "Our customers are always quite pleased at the ease of use when implementing any application, including accounting software."

In short, cloud computing can:

• Drastically increase flexibility.

• Provide more deployment options.

• Significantly reduce costs.

And that's just for starters.

A closer look at some of the many improvements over the past 3-5 years that Nottingham mentions above are:

• It's A Hot Topic - Nottingham notes that many organizations were looking to move systems for accounting, HR, sales and otherwise to a third party provider in attempt to reduce equipment, storage and cost issues, so were in a sense moving to the cloud already "before it was called the cloud," according to Nottingham. So as this is occurring more, it's more top of mind for IT professionals, which obviously spurs interest in further improvement the cloud.

• More Options - Before cloud options, in-house storage included hardware with applications on top, which comes with it the usual maintenance and upkeep issues, not to mention costs. Now with the cloud, "more options are available on both how applications are deployed, but also how they're consumed," noted Nottingham.

• Flexibility - The cloud adds another deployment option for companies. Many companies opt for a combination of local vs. cloud, but a trend toward more cloud is obviously happening.

• Speed - "Everything's brought to market quicker with the cloud," said Nottingham. With a couple clicks of the mouse, an application can be deployed on the cloud. And with the cloud, "everything also feels faster, because it is," added Nottingham.

• Cost Reduction - Nottingham notes a recent study which tracked IT spending of companies who went to the cloud four years ago. Operating costs were reduced in every case.

And perhaps above all, the cloud has simply eased the IT operating burden and it's associated headaches with automating functions even more. Nottingham points to one client whose IT team was able to focus on key internal issues, such as improved security, once it deployed the majority of its applications to the cloud.

But there's more! Running low on storage on the cloud? Simply add availability from another consumption model.

Expanding globally? Previously this involved travel to those locations, physical setup, and hoping it worked. Now with the cloud, in-house data centers are eliminated (or streamlined) in virtually any corner of the world.

So that's a thumbnail look at the power of the cloud. If you're not utilizing this yet, look into it today. "There's really no downside," recommended Nottingham.