Cloud computing to create more than 20,000 new jobs for Philly by 2015, not just in IT, says report

Graphic Credit: Microsoft and IDC research

Cloud computing is projected to create 20,000 new jobs in the Philadelphia region across numerous industries by 2015, not just information technology, according to new analysis by analyst firm IDC and Microsoft.

The report’s findings indicate that professional services, education, process manufacturing and retail, in addition to information technology, are key industries that stand to see an uptick in job creation as a result of the efficiencies that accrue from cloud computing and cloud-based services, according to John Gantz senior vice president of Research at IDC.

Cutting across so many industries is a quick way to make the numbers seem fuzzy, but the report’s focus is more to suggest the opportunity for savings and hiring in other ways, despite efficiencies elsewhere.

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Philly’s top 10 cloud computing apps according to Evolve IP

One of the worst-kept secrets in the business world is the slow migration to the “cloud.”

That is, applications hosted on the web rather than on a desktop. For example, Gmail is email in the could, Salesforce is sales software hosted in the cloud. Unlike most other new trends in business, this one is actually being led by the big guys.

“What makes the cloud different than most disruptive technologies is that there isn’t widespread adoption among small businesses,” says Bill Jefferis, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at Evolve IPEvolve IP. The Wayne-based company – who we profiled last year – earns its living by hosting applications and telephony for businesses.

However, now small business are beginning to catch up and spend the time and effort to migrate data to the cloud.

“Most people are thinking about it,” he says, “but not everyone’s doing it.”

Because the company has two local data centers and a mostly local customer base, Evolve IP is in a unique position to let us know what are the trends in Philly’s cloud computer preferences.

So, as interest in cloud applications continues to rise, we asked the smart guys at Evolve IP: What are the top 10 cloud applications hosted on its servers?

The answers (in no particular order) after the jump.

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Sponsored post: How Philly Businesses Can Better Float in the Cloud

Event Highlights for March 15-21, 2010

The big event this week isn’t in Philly at all. But Philadelphia has quite a presence in Austin, Texas, this week for South by Southwest, for sure. Our reporter Sean Blanda is hot on the trial, chasing down Philly’s representatives. He’ll follow-up with a report later this week.

That said, there’s some great opportunities here in Philadelphia, too. Join Microsoft’s Malvern branch for its CloudCamp unconference to discuss the growing cloud computing industry and Philly Startup Leaders hosts a fishbowl of City of Philadelphia’s Digital Philadelphia vision with city officials.

All events listed on the event calendar are free to attend. Be sure to check our complete calendar for more.

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StartPhilly: SemperCon’s cloud computing

This post originally ran on Start Philly. It is re-purposed here with permission, as part of a previously announced partnership.

In talking with people in technical fields, day-to-day verbiage can sometimes come across to the layman as robotic jargon. That’s when the interpreter comes into play.

When SemperCon‘s CEO described his work as “cloud-based,” it took some dissecting to understand his reference to the Internet.

SemperCon first appeared on StartPhilly at the beginning of the year, with a contribution by President and CEO, Rick O’Brien.

O’Brien started this software development enterprise for young startups or already established companies. SemperCon works closely with its clients to build web-based and mobile Internet applications that leverage its motto of “always connected, cloud computing capabilities”…

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