Cloud computing—the metered provisioning of business applications over the internet or a private network—is not a new phenomenon. In the new normal economy, however, cloud computing takes on a far more critical role: Faced with tightening budgets and growing competition from new global players, companies will need access to more powerful software tools than they can afford under traditional annual software licenses. In the cloud, companies can pay for services as needed—whether it is for several months or only a few hours. “I can be a small business that can suddenly serve 20 or 30 million customers all around the world,” says Ashish Agrawal, group product manager in the digital enterprise solutions group at Adobe. The flexibility of the cloud enables companies to enter new markets quickly while slashing overhead costs.