CLEVELAND, Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The time has never been better to discover the advantages of cloud computing. What was once a service that gave companies a competitive edge has evolved into an IT essential for much of Corporate America.

On Sept. 18 the Amplify Panel Series will break down the current state of cloud computing during an 11:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. panel discussion at the DoubleTree Cleveland Downtown-Lakeside. Tickets for the luncheon — presented by Contempo Communications, Cleveland Business Connects (CBC) Magazine, and BlueBridge Networks — can be purchased at www.cbcmagazine.com/amplify2013.

Cloud computing revolves around the sharing of computing resources rather than relying on local servers to handle applications. Among the questions that will be answered by a five-person Amplify panel are:

• What is cloud computing?
• Why has cloud computing become an IT essential?
• What makes an organization an ideal candidate for "the cloud?"
• How does one choose a provider?
• What are the economics of moving to cloud computing
• How does one adapt and utilize cloud computing?
• What types of security and compliance issues are there?
• What are some successful case studies of various migrations of computing platforms to the cloud?

Cloud veteran JJ DiGeronimo will facilitate the panel discussion. As the global director of VMWare, she manages the market strategy for the company's cloud and software-defined datacenter. She is also the founder of the Purposeful Woman and Tech Savvy Women organizations and the author of "The Working Woman's GPS."

The panel is comprised of:

• Jane Alexander, chief information officer, Cleveland Museum of Art — Alexander is responsible for the development and deployment of the museum's groundbreaking technology initiatives. Under her direction, the CMA completed Gallery One and the revolutionary ArtLens mobile app that has transformed the museum into one of the most technologically advanced art destinations in the world.
• Kevin Goodman, managing director of business development, BlueBridge Networks — Goodman leads the business development-sales and marketing role at BlueBridge Networks, a cloud-based data storage and recovery company headquartered in Cleveland. BlueBridge recently launched its own utility cloud computing solution for regional and national adoption.
• Timothy Opsitnick, founder and general counsel, JurInnov Ltd. — Opsitnick is an internationally recognized expert in electronic discovery and cybersecurity. Established in 2000, JurInnov provides organizations cybersecurity, computer forensics, and eDiscovery solutions.
• Michael Stovsky, chair, Benesch Innovations, Information Technology and Intellectual Property (3iP) Practice Group — A member of Benesch's executive committee, Stovsky has for seven consecutive years been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America in Information Technology Law.

Individual tickets are $45. A discounted rate of $35 is available to PAID subscribers of CBC Magazine. VIP tables of eight are available for $450. To register, visit www.cbcmagazine.com/amplify2013 or call 216.831.9557.

The presentation will feature an interactive audience response system (provided by Assessment Technologies) that will allow the facilitator to pose questions to all attendees, with immediate results.

Sponsors for the event include: Assessment Technologies, Cedar Point, Corporate College, Pease and Associates, DoubleTree, Allen Graphics, CBC magazine and Clear Channel.

Since 2006 the AMPLIFY Speaker Series has offered attendees the opportunity to network with business leaders while learning about relevant topics that affect their businesses and industries.

About BlueBridge Networks, LLC

BlueBridge Networks' best-in-class Datacenter Services including Work Group Recovery, Virtualization, Infrastructure Solutions, Cloud Computing, Disaster Recovery and Managed Storage and Services maximize the opportunity for businesses to get their messages across, save cost and remain highly available for their customers. With a network of state-of-the-art, geographically diverse collocation facilities located in Cleveland, Mayfield Heights, and Columbus, BlueBridge maintains the highest standards for uptime, quality and service, backed by the most powerful Service Level Guarantees in the industry.

We hang our hat on what we call The BlueBridge Difference. We are innovative because we stay ahead of the trends and have a team of the region's best and brightest IT stars. We are passionate because we believe in our company, teammates and clients and truly enjoy coming to work every day. We are stewards to our clients because they trust us with the backbone of their business, which we do not take lightly. We also take pride in being acknowledged for our excellence in operations, customer service and philanthropy through several awards and honors. For more information, visit its website at http://www.bluebridgenetworks.com.   

SOURCE BlueBridge Networks, LLC