What are the Cloud Subscription Tools?

The tools that are represented within the TMD Cloud Substitution Toolbox Drawer are:

1. Office 365 Online Productivity Suite

2. Visio Pro for Office 365 for Architecture Diagrams

3. Online Knowledge Tool for All Technologies

4. WebEx Conferencing for Worldwide Collaboration

5. Adobe Creative Cloud for Content Creation, Editing and Collaboration

6. The Atlassian Suite of Agile Development and Collaboration Tools

These tools will support the ability for an Architect or the skilled Developer to present ideas, and their concrete representations, to an audience in ways not possible in the past.

There are primarily five areas of expertise that a Technologist in the modern era needs to be proficient:

1. Knowledge on Emerging Technologies

2. Ability to Document your Ideas on Technologies

3. Presentation Skills to Present your Ideas to Audiences

4. Communicate Collaboratively with Groups anywhere in the World

5. Create and Demonstrate your Creative Technological Thoughts with Others

The Cloud Subscription Tools is a collection of online services that provide The Modern Developer with an affordable solution to what used to be out of reach for the individual Architect and Developer.

For a relatively low month commitment to your Art and Science you can have available at your fingertips all the tools required to learn, document, describe, collaborate and delivery any creative technological idea you can conceive.

Office 365

Office 365 is an enterprise-grade Web-based version of Microsoft’s Office suite of applications.

Office 365 is delivered to users through the Cloud and includes Exchange Online for email, SharePoint Online for worldwide collaboration, Lync Online for unified communications, and a suite of Office Web Apps, the Web-based versions of the traditional Microsoft Office suite of applications.

Office 365 users also have the option of accessing the applications in Microsoft Office 2010 Professional via a monthly subscription.

Office 365 is part of Microsoft’s new concept of their Software Plus Services strategy, combining the advantages of cloud-based remote computing software options with the company’s traditional base of on-premises software offerings. 

One advantage of Office 365 is that it is regularly updated approximately every 90 days without companies having to pay any upgrade fees.

In addition to targeting enterprise customers with Office 365, Microsoft is seeking to meet the needs of small businesses for affordable enterprise-level office applications by pricing Office 365 at a low per user, per month, cost.

Cloud Subscription Tools – Office 365

Visio Pro for Office 365

Microsoft Visio Pro for Office 365, available as a subscription through Microsoft Office 365, includes the same features, stencils, and shapes as Visio Professional 2013.

In addition, it allows each user to install Visio on up to five PCs running Windows 7 or Windows 8.

It also adds Visio On Demand, which lets users temporarily install Visio on any PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8, and it automatically installs the latest updates, both feature and security, for the duration of the subscription.

Visio Pro for Office 365 has all of the same stencils as in Visio Professional such as:

1. Business diagrams, such as ITIL, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, PivotDiagram, Six Sigma, and value stream map

2. Engineering diagrams, such as electrical, circuits, and systems

3. Flowcharts, such as IDEF0 (Integration Definition for Process Modeling) and Microsoft SharePoint workflows

4. Process diagrams, such as BPMN, Business Process Model and Notation, 1.2 and BPMN 2.0

5. Maps and floor plans, such as HVAC, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, plumbing and piping plan, and space plan

6. Network diagrams, such as Active Directory, detailed network, and rack

7. Software and database diagrams, such as database notation, website map, and UML (Unified Modeling Language)

There are over 60 built-in templates, many with updated shapes from previous Visio releases.

Cloud Subscription Tools – Visio Pro for Office 365

Pluralsight Training

Pluralsight is the global leader in high-quality online training for hardcore developers.

The Pluralsight Training Library provides developers everywhere with instant access to a rich collection of online training courses delivered by world-renowned industry authorities.

Pluralsight has a YouTube video that addresses the question: What is Pluralsight?

Pluralsight provides flexible and cost-effective subscription plans for individuals and businesses starting from as little as $29 a month.

It is impossible to keep up with the rapid changes in our technological world as a professional without a tool like Pluralsight. 

The training can help you uncover a whole world of new opportunities.

Online training that you can access from mobile devices allow you to capture the “Lost Moments” of your life through short training modules that will reward you with a real advantage in your career. 

Cloud Subscription Tools – Pluralsight Online Training

WebEx Online Meetings

WebEx provides on-demand collaboration, online meeting, web conferencing and video conferencing applications

It has an easy-to-use interface that you can use to meet online with colleagues to discuss work and share files and applications in real-time.

Using WebEx, technologists can meet to collaborate on documents without leaving home or the office.

WebEx host software runs on all platforms.

A Voice Over IP, a land line or cell phone is required for online meetings.

WebEx allows collaboration with colleagues across your organization, or anywhere in the world.

Your teams can meet online and share files, information, and expertise anytime.

WebEx solutions increase productivity and keep the Modern Developer connected to the world for a very low monthly cost.

Cloud Subscription Tools – WebEx Online Collaboration

Adobe Creative Cloud Tools 

Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) is a service from Adobe Systems that gives users access to a collection of software for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and Cloud Services.

Creative Cloud is hosted on Amazon Web Services.

Adobe Creative Cloud is provided using the Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model.

It is a monthly subscription service based on the Internet Cloud delivery model whereas Adobe Creative Suite (CS) is purchased via a perpetual software license. 

The CC is downloaded once from the Internet, installed directly on a local PC and used as long as the subscription remains valid.

While online updates and multiple languages are included in the CC subscription, the CS requires a fee for access to new features and services in only one language.

Both products can coexist in the same environment, are compatible and available as a set of applications installed individually or collectively.

Adobe first announced the Creative Cloud in October 2011. 

Initially, they maintained the perpetual license model and released another version of Adobe Creative Suite (CS) the following year.

Cloud Subscription Tools – Adobe Creative Cloud

Atlassian Tool Suite

Atlassian is a technology delivery suite of tools as an Australian enterprise software company that develops products geared towards the professional  software developers and engagement delivery managers. 

The company is best known for its issue tracking application, JIRA, and its team collaboration tool, Confluence.

Atlassian serves over 25,000 customers globally and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia and has offices in Amsterdam and San Francisco.

As of May 2013, the company has over 600 employees.

On Valentine’s Day of 2014, Atlassian president Jay Simons announced the opening of an Austin office that will eventually employ 600.

The Atlassian suite of tools provide the functionality for the Modern Developer’s Product Delivery Tools for a very low monthly fee:

1. JIRA

2. JIRA Agile

3. Confluence

4. Zephyr

5. HipChat

6.  Crucible

Cloud Subscription Tools – Atlassian Suite of Delivery Tools

In Conclusion 

The Cloud Subscription Tools offer the Modern Developer a tool set of creative and delivery applications that are affordable to the committed Technologist.

These tools provide all the applications require taking your ideas from thought to reality at a monthly cost that is reasonable.

You can keep up on new technologies with Pluralsight and develop with you newly acquired skills with others using the Atlassian suite of tools.

Content for expressing your ideas are created using Office 365 with Visio and supporting content can be developed with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of tools.

All of you creativity can then be shared anywhere in the world with WebEx.

Unleash Your Inner Creative Dragon
with the Cloud Subscription Toolbox Drawer

Wisdom Pearl # 140 – Tools of the Trade

The Right Technology Tool

… For the Right Technology Solution Job

…… Always be Diligent in Keeping Your Development Toolbox Up to Date