How far has GE come in its transition to the cloud? In a post-session interview with ITbestofbreed.com, Perfetti said the technology has advanced well, to an “8 or 9” on a scale of 1 to 10. Culturally, the company is a bit behind that, at a “6.”

Perfetti’s message to solution providers in addressing the potential payoffs of the cloud? “Do some critical thinking around the three aspects” of education, communication and facilitation. He also invited them to share their ideas and insights with others through a website he has set up: perfettichallenge.com. He said he will review submissions until Dec. 1 and post them on the site.

Allen Falcon, CEO of cloud services provider Cumulus Global, of Westborough, Mass., said Perfetti’s address provided validation of what he has been doing for his small and mid-sized business clients, “and a nice reminder of what we should be doing.”

Perfetti’s initiative with GE “fits with a company of that size and scope,” Falcon said.

It’s “not difficult” to communicate the potential of the cloud to a client, he added. Yet it helps if a solution provider can understand the client’s “perception” of what the cloud is, which underscores the education aspect of his mission, he said.