Cloud technology makes it possible for IT resources to get delivered over the Internet, rather than requiring organizations to have these applications and infrastructure on-premises. The remotely distributed nature of cloud computing has transformed many areas of business technology, with on-demand access to storage, compute power, development platforms, business software and even full infrastructures.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
The shift to cloud computing offers many benefits to companies of all sizes, unlike on-premises solutions that favor enterprise-level companies.
Increased Productivity
Cloud computing has a positive impact on productivity in several ways. Since everyone logs in to the cloud service, you don’t have to worry about a workstation not having that piece of software. Everyone uses the same solution, which promotes consistency throughout the organization. If the cloud provider has a problem with hardware failure, it has other servers or data centers in place that are ready to pick up the slack. This reliability makes a big difference for end users who may be accustomed to frequent outages with their software.
Better Collaboration
Another advantage of getting everyone on the same applications is that it improves collaborative opportunities between teams and departments. Many companies are discovering the power of cross-disciplinary cooperation, as this approach allows them to get more out of their available resources.
Increased Security
IT security ends up in a depressingly low position on some business budgets, because it’s not a primary focus on that particular company. Cloud service providers, on the other hand, have to maintain top-notch security so they can ensure smooth delivery to their clients. You often gain access to better security hardware via the cloud vendor, which helps keep your systems and data safe.
Data breaches represent a major problem for businesses across all industries, especially as more sophisticated attacks get developed.
Routine Backups and Disaster Recovery
Unplanned downtime has a significant negative impact for modern companies. Without access to critical data and applications, no one can get their work done. Depending on the nature of the problem, workers can go hours or even days without getting their duties accomplished. They have to rush around once the systems come back up and put in long hours.
Disasters come in many forms, and make it difficult to maintain business continuity. When key parts of your infrastructure are located in the cloud or have cloud-based backups, you can speed up the recovery process.
Decreased IT Costs
All of the money you spent upfront on hardware and software is now available again, as cloud computing services typically operate on an on-demand or monthly subscription cost. The indirect expenses related to on-premises hardware and software, such as electricity, heating and cooling, and maintenance, also get freed up.
Flexible and Scalable Infrastructure
You never know when one of your marketing efforts goes viral or a big-name influencer mentions your brand. Businesses have been elevated to massive success following these situations, but only if they’re prepared with a scalable infrastructure. Cloud computing turns provisioning into a seamless process. In a matter of minutes or hours, you have the increased capacity required to keep up with your newfound growth rate. Since you typically pay for what you use, if the demand levels out after the initial spike, you can scale back down to save on costs.
Seamless Updates
Software and hardware deployments may get put off for months or years due to the complexity of rolling changes out to your infrastructure. The cloud removes this problem by handling all the updates on their end. When they make software changes, it deploys to everyone at the same time without extended downtime. If the servers need an upgrade, they deliver services through other hardware until those are ready.
Better Mobility
Mobile devices are a key component in modern businesses, allowing employees to work from more locations. Salespeople can bring up the latest presentations while they’re at a client site, field service workers get updated schedules without coming back to the home office, and travel-heavy positions have access to the same applications that they would when they’re at their desk.
Smartphones, tablets and the Internet of Things has made mobility a must-have feature in business infrastructure. Cloud platforms support these efforts by making remote access simple and easy.
The Benefits of Working With an IT Consultant
The popularity of the cloud leads to a large marketplace, which can be overwhelming when you start looking into solutions for your organization. An IT consultant experienced in your industry and market can guide you to the right options for your long-term needs.
The IT consultant will have a strong understanding of the typical expenses associated with each cloud category, the top applications and platforms, and how you can work them into your existing operations. If you have trouble getting users to adopt the new solutions, the IT consultant can help you put together a change management plan or assist with the training process.
Few technologies have had as big of an impact on the modern business environment as the cloud has. Every business benefits from the lower costs, increased productivity, better collaboration and everything else that it brings to the table. Get started today with the expert help of an IT consultant.