Chris Boorman

USA

IT Professional

I'd summarize by saying that companies must focus on their "data".

As Clive correctly points out, all companies have a mass of fragmented data spread across their environment that is difficult to access and often incorrect, duplicated, inaccessible. There is enormous waste managing this.

Cloud computing will simply make matters worse since any cloud service is yet another case of fragmented data - this time blatently outside your control.

Companies must use this downturn to put focus on ensuring their data is correct, that they have the single view of their customer / product / employee / etc and that they start getting in control of their data assets winthin the traditional enterprise, beyond the enterprise in the clouds and between enterprises.

It's called "data integration". Go google it!