If you’ve been waiting for the perfect reason to join the ranks of cloud-computing users, now might be the perfect time! As the cloud continues to grow rapidly each year, it’s also moving from an elusive term to a mature solution for almost every computing need. However, here are a few cloud-computing services you should hold out for:

1. Rackspace Cloud

If you’re looking for cloud services with excellent customer support, monitoring, application infrastructure layer support and more, Rackspace is definitely a “beginner” to “advanced” friendly company. It also includes services such as server provisioning on-demand, standard image backups and a 100% network up time guarantee.

2. Force.com

If you’re developing software on an enterprise-level scale, this Salesforce.com platform has one of the fastest frameworks in the cloud. Force.com allows the programmer to create code for core business functions on demand for critical areas such as human resources, supply-chain management, and enterprise resource planning.

3. Microsoft Live Mesh

If you’re constantly on the go, you definitely need a good way to sync files between each of your devices. Microsoft Live Mesh provides cloud services to do just that. This product will not only sync your files across any piece of hardware including mobile phones, Macs, desktops, laptops, and palms, but it will also let you access files and documents from just about any electronic device as well.

4. AppNexus

Once you see what this utility can handle, you’ll never believe it only takes 30 minutes to set-up and configure. AppNexus runs programs, stores a ton of secure data, acts as a load balancer, and can work with almost any operating system. With one utility, you’re able to merge a very diverse infrastructure into one, streamlined unit within minutes. Where else could this happen but in the cloud?

5. Flexiscale

The cloud is supposed to be all about flexibility and efficiencies of scale, and Flexiscale derives its name from both goals. True to its name, users only pay for what they use, as they use it, at Flexiscale. This cloud service includes the following features:

• Supports multiple operating systems
• User-friendly scaling
• Fully automatic
• Self-adapting
• Self-service Control Panel
• Real-time configuration of CPU, memory, IP, virtual dedicated servers

6. Appistry Cloud Computing Middleware

For corporate solutions, Appistry provides the best cloud services solution. With easy-to-configure scalability and a wide variety of programming options for both internal and external clouds, this versatile product continues to increase its market share.

7. Terremark Enterprise Cloud

This new cloud-computing platform is considered groundbreaking by many. As an enterprise-level cloud service, it offers superior computing resources, instant server configuration, and instant access to critical software. By allowing large-scale IT shops to take total control of their pool of resources, the Terremark Enterprise Cloud is a more effective, more efficient, and less expensive solution than traditional in-house servers.

8. Google App Engine

This completely-free, cloud-based platform allows users to store and execute their Internet-based programs on Google’s hardware. Using the Google App Engine is easy to use and easy to scale as requirements change. Although Python is the only language supported at this time, Google plans on adding more programming languages relatively soon.

With this wide variety of cloud services and platforms, can your business afford to wait even a day longer to get in on this growing trend? If you’ve been delaying a critical project because of budgeting concerns, the cloud could be the answer to your problems.