GMO Cloud

The Rise of Online Travel Bookings in Japan

Travel sites are fueling the Japanese love for travel adventure, especially among the suburban upper-middle-class. Visit any country and Japanese tourists are bound to be in every top destination, whether picturesque Waikiki beach, Taipei Tower, or the designer shops in Paris.

And although it is pretty expensive, they also enjoy domestic travel. Small hotels (especially ryokan) with English-speaking staff are at a premium, catering overwhelmingly to the local market.

In Japan, efficient transport leads to increased domestic travel. Bullet trains boast of a near perfect record on safety, overseeing seven billion passenger journeys with zero fatalities. Lateness is rarely heard of.

Hassle-free Travel

Hassle-free online travel booking systems have been attracting Japanese travelers to different parts of the world. According to data gathered by Google dated April 2012, 34% of travel inquiries were made by phone, while 54% were made via PC. Japanese firms with an online travel presence like Jalan and H.I.S. predict so much growth in the mobile gadget arena.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Justice, which takes note of every citizen that leaves Japan, in 2011, a total of 16,994,200 travelers left the country, with China, Korea and the US given as top destinations.  Industry players are attributing the rise of travel to the growing dependence on smart phones and tablets, connecting to sites like Rakuten Travel and Jalan.

Traveling with Family and Friends

The Japanese travel market is dramatically boosted by the culture of locals traveling in groups. Unlike Europeans who travel alone, the Japanese like to be surrounded with their friends and family on vacation. Packages are mostly for big groups and because of the volume, they are priced reasonably. The tours are also very organized, with schedules strictly followed. If they visit a place where hardly anyone speaks Japanese (pretty much everywhere except East Asia and Hawaii), they feel safer roaming the streets if they are part of a group.

Awaiting Low Cost Carriers

The number of travelers is expected to increase with the entry of low cost airlines, producing a more upbeat scenario for the hotel and airline industry. Middle class travelers are known to be very cost-efficient, choosing to save on airfare to spend more on higher-end accommodation. Expect online transactions to increase with the advent of the budget boom.

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About the Guest Author:

Rodolfo Lentejas, Jr. is a fulltime freelance writer based in Toronto. He is the founder of the PostSckrippt, a growing online writing business dedicated to producing top quality, original and fresh content. To know more about him, please visit www.postsckrippt.ca. Like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

How Cloud Computing Has Been Revolutionizing Companies’ IT/ICT Systems

IT/ICT systems are constantly changing with technological improvements, and the invention of cloud computing may bring about the biggest changes yet. Some of these changes can be reflected in faster and more secure operational procedures, cost-efficiency, easier IT administration and flexible IT maintenance processes.

An in-house IT structure ensures that data generation, processing and transmission are properly coordinated. In other words, vital pieces of information obtained during business activities are methodically processed and securely stored for future retrieval and usage.

However, the most common problems the majority of companies face include loss of data, dealing with unexpected volume increases and inflexibility of data retrieval. Incidentally, cloud computing is designed to help companies decisively deal with these issues. Once adopted, cloud technology can systematically prevent data loss, guarantee flexibility and scalability of the companies’ storage facilities, and subsequently facilitate the process of data retrieval.

The revolution engendered by cloud specifically brings about efficient administration of each company’s operations. Communication and information sharing among all stakeholders will become faster and well-articulated, leading to better performance and accountability from cloud-adopting companies.

Companies can now finally reduce in-house IT staff and make significant inroads into total operating costs. By transferring most computing jobs to the public cloud, their IT services can be managed by cloud technology providers, either remotely or in-house.

Company managers should also ask: will cloud computing deliver higher performance? Will it increase overall profitability? As explained above, cloud technology not only encourages smooth running of businesses, it also protects data and other vital information generated in the course of business.

In the same way, when a company’s operations are undisturbed even in times of natural disasters, there is every likelihood of increased profitability. In some cases, companies may decide to completely outsource their cloud computing services, allowing themselves to concentrate mainly on the administrative – and profit-making – aspect of business operations.

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About the Guest Author:

Jerry Olasakinju, a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree holder, is a passionate researcher and writer whose interest in everything computing is unparalleled. He blogs about his literary works at http://jerryolasakinju.blogspot.jp/

How National Borders and Jurisdiction Affect Cloud Computing

While a cloud without borders is the ideal, certain issues with jurisdiction can complicate the use of cloud computing for a multinational. The main selling point of cloud is that it allows users to connect to each other and their data regardless of where they are. Unfortunately, national borders and jurisdiction mean quite the opposite, and learning what they mean to your cloud is an essential part of establishing a cloud solution for your company.

The cloud allows data to transcend national borders

As has been seen in companies such as Shell and Apple, establishing a strong cloud network allows hundreds of thousands of employees to access data and cloud services regardless of worldwide location. For an energy company this is especially important. For the mobile-reliant Asian market, especially South Korea and Japan, being able to have full access to data and services anywhere you go is not absolutely essential. Pair this with a redundant system that is streamlined specifically for retrieving and storing data effectively, and you have a system that is hard to pass up.

The cloud is global by definition: regardless of where your company is, all you need is access to the Internet. However, global access unexpectedly means that a local cloud provider is the safest. Making sure that your cloud provider is close to your company’s headquarters can save you numerous tribulations with international jurisdiction and national borders.

How the cloud interacts with national borders

With more governments getting involved in regulating and using the cloud, the discussion over national borders and privacy laws has started to affect cloud services providers. This is especially true in areas that have dense national borders such as the European Union. However, the Asian market (with its wildly differing political systems) and the North American market, affected by regulation such as the Patriot Act in the United States, also has its own obstacles to overcome.

Companies in different European states, particularly France, have invested heavily in local cloud service providers. While data remains available anywhere, headquartering of data is especially important. For example, the Japanese corporate giant Fujitsu has headquartered its cloud services in France, with servers in Germany and corporate offices in Japan. This leaves data out of reach of the US Patriot Act while allowing the Japanese business to effectively cater to European clients.

Where your cloud data resides matters

For many small and mid-size businesses, considering the headquarters of data is not a priority. Performance and price are usually the most important considerations. However, increased regulation and intervention by federal governments has led many IT professionals to more greatly value the location of cloud services providers. Apart from matters of security, working with a cloud services provider that shares your culture is crucial.

Oft overlooked is the role of culture in cloud computing. Many companies will give preference to cloud service providers located in their own country, their own language, their own time zone, and a shared cultural background. This stands in stark contrast with one of the main selling points of cloud technology: global appeal. Taking these considerations into account, IT professionals should most carefully consider:

1. Where data is stored,

 

2. Where cloud services company has its headquarters, and

 

3. What their government’s policy is on data that crosses national borders

 

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Nida Rasheed is a freelance writer and owner of an outsourcing company, Nida often finds herself wanting to write about the subjects that are closest to her heart. She lives in Islamabad, Pakistan and can be found on Twitter @nidarasheed.

Cloud-Based Video Conferencing Brings New Capabilities to Industry

Traditionally, video conferencing has been available only to major names, involving as it does large upfront costs. However, the landscape is changing with the advent of cloud. All of a sudden, you can set up video conferences with clients, collaborators and people you have never met before – at a far lower price!

Conferencing is not limited to merely talking. You can share documents and videos, work collaboratively, invite additional members and record what is being said for less than $50 per participant per month. Cloud-based video conferencing, still outrageously underused, is – coupled with 3G services – transforming corporate communication.

Cloud services have brought about Unified Communication solutions to finance, healthcare and others. It does not matter if you are in a boardroom or on the move: a simple network connection enables you to be part of the conference. This is the power of cloud-based video conferencing.

Here are some of the key benefits of the technology –

 
• Costs – Traditional, boardroom-based video conferencing equipment involved very large capital expenditure, running into several hundred thousand dollars. There was also a need to get dedicated ISDN circuits or other connectivity. With cloud-based video conferencing, all the action occurs in the cloud and the user simply needs broadband connectivity and a device that can support a browser.

 

• Skilled manpower – Traditional video conferencing systems needed qualified manpower to manage the set-up, security and connectivity. Cloud-based systems do not need any skilled manpower at the user premises.

 

• Managing protocols – In traditional systems, companies either used a common system or ran into huge difficulties with protocols and standards. This problem is alien to cloud based systems. All issues of transcoding and changing formats is handled by the cloud service provider.

 

• Security – In all video conferencing systems, security is a major concern. Hackers have long known that they can actually enter corporate boardrooms simply by hacking into the system.  Cloud-based video conferencing systems boast better security handled by expert professionals.

 

• Flexibility – Since just a high speed Internet connection is required, cloud-based video conferencing system is far more flexible, allowing for a large degree of location independence. A user on a high speed mobile telephony network can be connected with ease using a smartphone or a tablet.

 

• Ability to add additional users – Boardroom-based video conferencing involved major capital expenditure. Cloud-based systems can just purchase or rent another license, with typical costs being $50 per month per user.

 

As with all other types of cloud computing applications, you get access to the latest equipment, software and capability. Setting up requires practically no work and the quality of video and audio is a match for any traditional model. In these difficult economic times, cloud-based video conferencing has given businesses – both big and small – new capabilities in corporate communications.

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About the Guest Author:

Sanjay Srivastava has been active in computing infrastructure and has participated in major projects on cloud computing, networking, VoIP and in creation of applications running over distributed databases. Due to a military background, his focus has always been on stability and availability of infrastructure. Sanjay was the Director of Information Technology in a major enterprise and managed the transition from legacy software to fully networked operations using private cloud infrastructure. He now writes extensively on cloud computing and networking and is about to move to his farm in Central India where he plans to use cloud computing and modern technology to improve the lives of rural folk in India.

Profound Changes In Japanese Culture Aided by Social Media

Japanese culture traditionally values cooperation: the many over the individual. While there are certainly advantages to this, conformity and repression of individual voices are among the negative side-effects. However, social media has given Japanese youths in particular the tools to express themselves as individuals, triggering a profound change in Japan’s traditional values.

Social media has given a voice to young Japanese activists

Japan has an extraordinarily high suicide rate, particularly among the younger population. Japanese cities have also started to face economic problems, with some (like Yubari, a former mining city) declaring bankruptcy. A recent investigative report by the BBC has uncovered that more young people in Japan are turning to Twitter and other social media networks to speak their mind, and by doing so altering Japan’s rigid social structures.

Social media has also had an effect on the interaction of Japan’s government and its people

Japan’s government has traditionally tolerated little interaction between elected officials and their constituents. The lack of activism in Japanese society has also led to a lack of individual participation and dialog with government officials. Yet social media has started to change this. Initially set up to communicate with the public after the natural disasters of recent years, the Japanese PM’s social media presence has expanded dramatically in 2012-3. The prime minister’s office decided to keep these social media tools to establish a dialog with young Japanese citizens. The office now uses social media for numerous purposes.

Social media has empowered Japanese women and ethnic minorities like never before

Japan, and many other Asia-Pacific societies, are clearly dominated by men. Japan in particular has been known for having a “glass ceiling” that is quite difficult to surmount.  Women in Japan are marrying later, earning more, and excelling in fields traditionally dominated by men.

So, how does social media factor into this progress? Polls have shown that more women and minorities use social media websites than the prevailing population in the United States. A similar phenomenon is occurring in Japan. Social media has allowed voices that would normally have gone unheard to find an outlet to express opinions and interests on a public platform.

Traditional communications media, especially television and radio (still hugely influential in Japan), have not been particularly adept at portraying the interests of women and minorities.

Social media has allowed women and minorities to discuss arts, culture, and news in a space that is their own. This has allowed Japanese women to connect with each other and has had a net positive effect on the country’s female employment. While women and minorities have been traditionally hushed, Twitter and Facebook has allowed them to speak without fear of censorship. Now that’s a significant change of which every company seeking business in Japan should be aware!

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Nida Rasheed is a freelance writer and owner of an outsourcing company, Nida often finds herself wanting to write about the subjects that are closest to her heart. She lives in Islamabad, Pakistan and can be found on Twitter @nidarasheed.