Owner:

Our accounting system runs on a server here at the office. If we put this CRM system in the cloud, does that mean we just install it on a VM server running in the cloud?

You:

We could$$that would require relying on

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services offered by the cloud provider and building out our own cloud environment to host the application. While it's a viable option, it might not be the most efficient for what we need. We could instead consider some kind of application subscription.

Owner:

If we use someone else's application, though, then how do we maintain security and control of our customers' data? Who else would have access to that data?

You:

Cloud security relies on a

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responsibility model where the provider handles some security responsibilities, and we handle other layers of security responsibilities. For compliance purposes, we can make sure our data is encrypted and stored in a U$.$S$.-$based data center. We can also research the provider's security measures and protocols, and make sure they conform to relevant security regulations.

Owner:

Okay, I can see how that would work. What about as our business needs grow? How soon will we have to switch to a new system that can handle more demand?

You:

In most cases, cloud services are

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so they can keep up with our changing needs.