Everyone is familiar with the cloud, that ethereal digital space that seems to be both the ultimate solution to every problem and the cause of many headaches. With an increasing number of businesses migrating to cloud services, you might have wondered if your company should follow suit.
Is transitioning to cloud computing truly worthwhile? What advantages does it offer? If you’re considering a move to cloud computing, 911 PC Help can aid you in the transition. Here are some reasons why cloud technology might be the ideal solution for your company
Cloud Myths
Before we delve into the benefits of cloud computing, let’s address a few misconceptions that have deterred some individuals from considering this transition. Some business owners express caution towards outsourcing hardware ownership, fearing potential service interruptions or unauthorized access to their data by cloud service providers.
However, it’s important to note that cloud providers prioritize the uninterrupted operation of their customers’ services and implement stringent security measures to safeguard data. Additionally, physical access to servers is limited to authorized personnel responsible for hardware maintenance and repairs. Therefore, your data’s security in the cloud is comparable, if not superior, to that on-site servers.
Benefits of Moving to the Cloud
Here are some of the most common reasons why companies make the move.
Your data isn’t located in one place
Before this, many businesses had a single server set up at their main office. Any satellite offices or stores had to connect to that server. If power went out at the main office, none of the other locations could access the data or apps stored on the server. Essentially, the entire business came to a stop.
Here that’s not an issue. Everything is stored on servers that can be accessed by all locations. The only reason you won’t be able to access your data is if the cloud business center goes down. However, many large cloud providers have multiple server centers and backup your data on servers at each location. If one location goes down, another steps in, so your data is always available.
Everything is easily scalable
Another benefit of using the cloud is that you can easily scale your resources as needed without buying a lot of expensive hardware that you may not need later. You can upgrade your cloud storage resources at any time. Conversely, you can also downgrade if you decide you no longer need as much space or bandwidth as you have. This lets you better control your budget as well as easily add more resources for special projects or during peak business months.
Near constant uptime
Because server centers have multiple servers and multiple locations, there’s rarely any downtime. This means that 99.99% of the time, your website or network will be available to your employees, customers, and anyone else who may need access. This boosts your efficiency because your employees are never stuck waiting for access to data. On the customer end, your website will always be available to them, so they will always have the opportunity to purchase from you or log in to their account. This consistent availability will help stop customers from going to competitors.
Backups can be restored quickly
If you have a local server go down, you have to take your most recent backup and copy all of that data over. It can take hours, especially if all of your data was lost or if you have to bring a new server online. When a cloud server goes down, often the cloud center simply redirects all traffic to the backup server for your business. Even if data has to be restored, backups can often be completed within an hour. This leads to less downtime, which again improves efficiency and customer retention.
The cloud provides incredible flexibility
With everything in the cloud, your employees can work from anywhere. This means you can open a satellite office or store without worrying about setting up a server or sharing data. It also makes it very easy for employees to work remotely. They can access your data from a job site or while traveling. You can even go fully remote, allowing your employees to work from home full time. This lets you reduce your operating expenses because you no longer need to rent an office, purchase office equipment, or pay for utilities and other overhead costs. Being officeless may not be the right move for everyone, but with the cloud, it gives you that option should you want it.
Collaboration is easy
If you have several offices or partners located throughout the region or even the world, moving to the cloud makes collaboration incredibly easy. Everyone can access the same data and same applications. There’s no need to constantly email files back and forth or worry that someone is using a different application or version of an application.
Ready to Move to the Cloud?
If you’re considering moving to the cloud, 911 PC Help can lend a hand. We have worked with many businesses to migrate their data to the cloud and bring in software-as-a-service applications. We can handle all of the maintenance that comes with using the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about the nuts and bolts of the system. Instead, you’re free to focus on doing the work that only you can do while we handle your IT.
If you want to know more or are ready to make the jump to the cloud, reach out to 911 PC Help today to learn more.