Why move to the cloud? Are there benefits of moving to the cloud? These questions are swirling around in the business space like never before. But there’s plenty of confusion as to what the cloud is. The definition isn’t always clear, and many business owners don’t grasp the full potential of making a move away from their current setup.
Now, maybe you know this and maybe you don’t, but cloud computing allows your data and programs to reside on the internet instead of on hard drives in your company’s computers. To access these programs and data, you need to have an internet connection. An example of popular cloud-based programs and services are those offered by Google through their Google Drive. Another popular cloud-based service is Spotify.
Functionality and flexibility
Cloud-based computing brings you both functionality and flexibility. You benefit from storing immense amounts of data whenever you want or need to because the cloud is such a vast space capable of handling tremendous volume. With that said, you should note that cloud-based computing for home use is different from that used with businesses. Companies will need to choose whether they should go with Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (or PaaS), or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) when moving to the cloud.
That’s why we’ve chosen to pull back the curtain and provide information that could help you make up your mind. The seven main benefits of moving to the cloud, which you may not be considering, are …
Bridging the gap
As the remote workforce grows exponentially, the gap between leveraging the cloud and managing on-premise data center infrastructure is closing. The whole migration process continues to simplify as the technology involved in the workplace evolves. In fact, over time, it’s expected that cloud-based computing will gain prominence while local, on-premise infrastructure will decline.
Switching expense models
Moving to the cloud also provides financial gains and other business benefits by switching from capital expenditure models, which are long-term and tied to on-premise computing, to the cloud’s more operational, fluid model. For example, cloud-based models offer pay-as-you-go billing where you only use what you need when you need it. Plus, you can always scale up when the need for more resources arises.
Future-proofing
Moving to the cloud now is an exercise in positioning your company for future success while enabling you to meet your immediate business needs. You don’t have to pick a service or product now and then find yourself stuck with it for years to come. (Remember the pay-as-you-go) fee structure under which most cloud-based services and products operate.
In essence, the cloud allows you to leverage new technology without the need to immediately update your existing infrastructure.
Discovering where to start
Moving to the cloud isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s not “all or nothing.” You can choose to start small to see if this service or that works well for your company. For instance, you could try switching to just one key piece of cloud-based software and then analyze cost and performance against an existing piece of software you run locally. No rule says you have to commit to the cloud all at once.
Reduced processing times and increased efficiency
If you provide services or products to multiple customers or clients, then cloud migration could make a lot of sense for your business, due to the increased efficiency you’ll realize. The cloud speeds up infrastructure, as well as acquiring technology and its subsequent setup. An example of increased speed and efficiency might be integrating your bank accounts with cloud-based accounting software. Everything is synchronized and automated for greater accuracy, which ultimately produces a seamless experience.
Enhanced Disaster Recovery and Security
By transferring your processes and data to the cloud, you can take advantage of the incredible amount of time and money that cloud service providers invest in highly trained personnel and top-of-the-line security tools. Remember that trying to stay up-to-date with all the latest security updates yourself can be a challenge at best. Doing so is prone to human error, costly, and can eat up time you don’t have.
When it comes to disaster recovery, you want security against disruptions and other disasters. The cloud offers resilience and redundancy. If one data center goes down, another one immediately takes over. Moreover, reducing downtimes during system upgrades and maintenance should be an obvious benefit.
The cost of migrating to the cloud isn’t so high
Business owners don’t tend to consider that their current data management costs are often hidden in their salaries, utility fees, or even their rent. Because of that fact, some think that cloud-based data management is an added cost. It isn’t. Remember that most cloud-based fees are “pay-as-you-go.”
Of course, that means you only pay for what you actually use. Often, that means companies realize substantial savings in the long run. If you don’t believe that, simply perform a cost-benefit analysis and compare your current spending with any investment you might make on migrating to the cloud. You’ll quickly see if the move is right for you.
