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Is your business IT in the cloud?
The cloud is the future of business IT. It brings a huge number of benefits to businesses, which is why 96% of companies now use the cloud to some degree. But, don’t just take our word for it.
Read on for 8 of the biggest benefits of using the cloud for small businesses.
Save Money
The easy access to company data the cloud provides will save you time and money in project startups. You don’t need to worry about getting roped into paying for services you don’t need either. Most cloud services work on a pay as you go basis.
The pay as you go model also applies to data storage space. This is great for small businesses and startups as you pay for what you need when you need it. You’re not charged for higher storage packages you don’t need. Instead of wasting money, you’ll see lower costs with higher returns.
Scalability
Different companies will have different needs when it comes to IT. A large 1000+ employee enterprise won’t need the same things as your small business or startup. A cloud is a brilliant option as it lets you scale up or down with efficient, quick ease. Cloud computing service is helping the enterprise to solve business infrastructure problems effortlessly by helping professionals with Cloud Computing training to design, develop and deploy scalable solutions.
As your small business grows, you can increase your cloud capacity to grow with it. There’s no need to invest in physical infrastructure. This level of scalability gives you a real advantage over competitors who don’t use the cloud. Scalability could be the best advantage the cloud brings to the table.
Strategic Advantage
Deployment time for cloud applications is almost instant. You can have applications that are vital for growth and success online in no time at all. This gives you a strategic advantage over those who haven’t adopted the cloud yet.
The scalability we’ve already mentioned has another advantage. Smaller companies are at a disadvantage against larger ones with more in-house capacity. But the cloud levels this playing field, and there’s no need to invest in your own data centers to achieve it.
Disaster Recovery
Whether large or small, data loss is a big concern for all organizations. Keeping your data backed up in the cloud means your data is always accessible, even if your equipment is offline or broken. With the cloud, there’s a quick data recovery that covers every emergency situation. From natural disasters to power lines going down.
The cloud also has ways to help with loss prevention. If you use traditional on-site storage, you store data on the office computers. Computers malfunction and accidents happen. It could be malware and viruses, age or hardware deterioration, or a simple user error.
By using the cloud, it will remain accessible on any computer that you can access the internet on. Even if the work computer network goes down.
Security
Another major concern for all organizations is data security. Data breaches can be devastating to revenue, brand reputation, and customer loyalty. On the cloud, there is a range of advanced security features to adopt. They ensure your data is safe, secure, and handled properly.
Cloud storage providers put in place baseline protections to secure their platforms. This includes authentication, access control, and encryption. From there, you can add to these with your own measure to further secure your cloud data.
Working Flexibility
Cloud computing offers more flexible working options for employees. It’s internet-based, so staff can access data in and out of the office so long as they have an internet connection. This means they can work from home or in the office.
A lot of companies are now using this to provide more flexible working conditions for staff. It also cuts down the amount of office space you need to rent. You can see large reductions in office expenditure by allowing your staff to work from home. Hot seeking solutions will further help for the days when your staff does need to come in.
For most workers, flexible working is as simple as knowing how to access iCloud on mac! Staff can access the data network with any web-enabled device. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, you name it.
Collaboration is also still possible, with the ability to share synchronized files. Online conferencing is also more comfortable than sitting in a stuffing meeting room all day.
Good for the Environment
To have a real environmental impact these days, it’s not enough to put a recycling bin in the kitchen. Organizations need to do more if they want to claim they’re helping the environment. Superficial displays no longer cut it. It’s time to find real solutions that reduce waste at every level.
That’s where cloud computing comes in. The cloud supports being environmental proactivity. Instead of encouraging physical hardware and products, it’s all virtual. This cuts down on paper waste and boosts energy efficiency.
With more employees able to work from home, it’ll also help reduce transport emissions. Datacenters can also be more energy-efficient than servers and personal computers.
Take Google for example. In 2017, the announced achieving 100% renewable energy across all operations. This included their datacenters.
Futureproof
Improvements to scalability aren’t all the cloud can do to futureproof your business.
he Internet of Things (IoT) is growing and has big implications for business. Increased data collection means businesses will store and manage more data than before. Within a few years, most small businesses will be unable to cope with their extra storage needs.
But it isn’t only about the cloud’s storage potential. Cloud-enabled data analytics is not possible by small businesses. If companies want to succeed in the future, this level of analysis will be vital.
Using The Cloud — The Future of Business
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits of using the cloud for your small business. Cost savings, efficiency, and flexibility are all key reasons to move your IT services to the cloud and will help you gain a competitive edge.
If you found this article useful, be sure to check out our other blog posts.
