You probably won’t go very long these days without someone mentioning cloud computing. Cloud computing is all the rage, with just about everyone throwing the buzzword around every chance they get. But what exactly is cloud computing, how does it work, and are there any benefits for your business?
The basic principle behind using cloud computing is simple enough. Instead of having all of your software, files and information stored at your business, it is instead stored at a third party server. This means, primarily, that your digital business is housed separately, and can therefore be accessed separately. To put it in a nutshell you can access your important digital resources from a phone, tablet, or laptop, anywhere, assuming you have an internet connection.
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Reducing Running Costs
Running a tech heavy business can cost a small fortune. From the equipment and software to the endless maintenance, it can all be a financial black hole. Running a companywide shared server alone can be a nightmare, which is all but required for many businesses. So why not just use a cloud service?
A considerable amount of the costs are offloaded when using a cloud service. The fastest computers are no longer needed, an expert IT team is no longer necessary, and the enormous space required for in-house servers eliminated. It all speaks for itself. Your new IT operation will work in essentially the same way as an online casino. You are able to visit a site like ZAR Casino, play the casino games and make transactions, but are never actually required to have any of the software. The software is all housed on the other end.
Enormous Flexibility
Not long ago, companies were firmly restricted by their size. Getting more employees meant investing a fortune in time and money, requiring new computers, server integration and probably increased storage capacity. None of this is necessary with cloud computing. Flexibility is the name of the game, especially considering how easy it has become to employ work-at-home individuals. All any employee needs is a simple laptop or computer, which they likely already own.
Added Security Layers
Cloud computing also comes with an added layer of security. If you work with sensitive data you can rest assured that it is all stored on the cloud. Since nothing will physically be on any of your employee’s systems, there is far less a chance of a dangerous data breaches occurring. That is, of course, assuming that you and your employees also follow security protocols.
Drawbacks
There are clearly many benefits to cloud computing, but it would be wrong to pretend that there aren’t also drawbacks. The biggest drawback is that interacting with a cloud system requires a strong, stable internet connection at all times. Although it is hypothetically possible to access the cloud anywhere, your experience will vary depending on your WiFi.
Hence, before considering switching to cloud based services you should ensure that your internet is capable. Especially if you have a big company with many employees.