What will business need IT for?
I agree with you completely. IT departments, and IT professionals, should be providing more than hardware/software support. IT should be helping users to more effectively leverage IT resources, improve processes that touch IT, and define IT strategy for the future that will reduce cost and provide the services the company will need for the future. The Chromebook may well be a part of that strategy, but each IT department will have to determine if, and when, Chromebooks fit into their infrastructure plans.
Personally, I'm not completely convinced of the cloud computing paradigm. Any interruption in service to the cloud leaves you dead in the water. At least with local data storage, you can access customer data and continue to communicate via phone. Unless, of course, you have VOIP, then you are still dead in the water.
