You may have come across “clever” people in the industry (there are a lot of them!) who are keen on communicating what Cloud is or isn’t to anyone who will listen. I’m not one to speak evangelically or go on a diatribe, but I do have a position on the topic. One thing is true: More and more businesses are moving their applications to the Cloud, and it’s for good reason. Below is my candid, straight-forward view of the main key benefits of moving your technology services and applications to the Cloud.
Cloud computing is what we used to call software as a service (SaaS). The Cloud today is used for almost all types of applications. It’s activated easily and easily scalable. The idea of moving to the Cloud can sometimes seem intangible and hard to grasp, but it’s clear there 7 significant benefits in moving to the Cloud.
- Right-sizing – CIOs and IT Directors rank “operational agility” as a top driver for moving to the Cloud. If you are a business with growing or fluctuating bandwidth demands, then the Cloud is an ideal choice.
- Enhancing collaboration – When your teams are able to access, edit and share documents anytime from anywhere, they’re able to do more together and do it better. Cloud-based file sharing apps help teams make real time updates and provide full visibility of their collaborative work.
- Working from anywhere – If you’ve got an internet connection, then you can be “at work.” Plus, with a variety of mobile apps, you’re not restricted by the device you have in hand.
- Staying secure – Lost laptops are a billion dollar business problem, and it’s the sensitive data inside that can cost you the most. Cloud security can prove a lifesaver because you can remotely wipe data from lost laptops, so it doesn’t get in to the wrong hands.
- Competing in the marketplace – Moving to the Cloud allows you to access to enterprise-class technology, helping the SMB marketplace to act faster than big, established competitors, thus leveling out the playing field.
- Recovering lost files – Businesses of all sizes should invest in robust disaster recovery (DR). However, small businesses that lack the money and experience are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to DR. The Cloud provides businesses of all sizes with accessible, cloud-based backup and recovery solutions. These save time, money and include third party expertise as part of the package.
- Minimizing costs – When you run your own servers you can bet your bottom dollar there are up front capital costs. You can run a physical server yourself, and accounting sales heads can show an amortization which makes it appear that the cost gets spread over the life of the server. However, that money still needs to come from somewhere, which is money that can otherwise be invested in the business. In the Cloud, there are zero upfront costs.
When it comes down to it, your technology must facilitate flexible, reliable and agile business operations… And that’s what moving to the Cloud can do for you. The first step is deciding you want to move your technology forward into the Cloud. The next step requires you to choose the right Cloud solution for your business. Are you ready to jump?
At P2 Communications Management (P2CM), we know that the process can be overwhelming and time consuming. An Independent Communications Advisor will assist you in making the best decisions without the headache, and we hope you’ll choose us! Contact us at (703) 939-8240 or sales@p2cm.com to learn more.