Here Are 8 Reasons Why Your Business Should Adopt Cloud Computing
With the myriad of benefits Cloud computing guarantees, it is no wonder that 69% of businesses are already using cloud technology in one capacity or another, with another 18% of them projecting to implement cloud-computing solutions in the near future (International Data Group). Dell has also reported that companies who have incorporated big data and cloud technologies have all enjoyed a revenue growth that is 53% faster than that of their competitors.
From more predictable costs to greater flexibility, tech-savvy businesses are jumping on the cloud bandwagon to propel their business forward.
So, what exactly is Cloud computing?
Cloud computing is a term used to describe the use of hardware and software delivered via a network (usually the Internet). The term comes from the use of a cloud-shaped symbol that represents the abstraction of a rather complex infrastructure that enables the work of software, hardware, computation and remote services. Simply put, cloud computing is computing based on the internet.
In the past, people would run applications or programs from software downloaded on a physical computer or server in their building. Cloud computing allows people access to the same kinds of applications through the internet.
It is based on the premise that the main computing takes place on a machine, often remote, that is not the one currently being used. Data collected during this process is stored and processed by remote servers (cloud servers). This just means that the device accessing the cloud doesn’t need to work as hard. By hosting software, platforms, and databases remotely, the cloud servers free up the memory and computing power of individual computers. Users can securely access cloud services using credentials received from the cloud computing provider.
What can Cloud computing do for your business?
1. Greater efficiency, reduced costs
If you are worried about the price tag that comes with making the switch to cloud computing, you aren’t alone! 20% of organizations are concerned about the initial cost of implementing a cloud-based server. However, businesses who are attempting to weigh the pros and cons of using cloud technology need to look beyond the initial price and consider the ROI (return on investment)
- By using cloud infrastructure, you don’t have to spend huge amounts of money on purchasing and maintaining equipment. This drastically reduces capital expenditure. You don’t have to invest in hardware, facilities, utilities, or building out a large data centre to grow your business. You do not even need large IT teams to handle your cloud data centre operations, as you can enjoy the expertise of your cloud provider’s staff.
- Cloud also reduces costs related to downtime. Since downtime is rare in cloud systems, this means you don’t have to spend time and money on fixing potential issues related to downtime. Google Cloud, for example, has a 99.95% uptime percentage while AWS has a monthly uptime percentage of 99.99% minimum. Talk about renewed business productivity!
- With cloud infrastructure, don’t worry about paying for features that you neither need nor want, most cloud-computing services are pay-as-you-go. This means that if you don’t take advantage of what the cloud has to offer, then at least you won’t have to be dropping money on it. The pay-as-you-go system also applies to the data storage space needed to service your stakeholders and clients, which means that you’ll get exactly as much space as you need, and not be charged for any space that you don’t.
Collectively, these factors lower your costs and yield higher returns. 50% of all CIOs and IT leaders surveyed by Bitglass reported cost savings in 2015 as a positive result of using cloud-based applications.
2. Data security
Many businesses, regardless of size and industry, have security concerns when it comes to adopting a cloud-computing solution. After all, when files, programs, and other data aren’t kept securely on-site, how can you ensure their protection? If you can remotely access your data then what’s stopping a hacker from doing the same? Data breaches and other cybercrimes can devastate a company’s revenue, customer loyalty and brand positioning. Fear not, as Cloud computing offers many advanced security features that guarantee your data is securely stored and handled.
While 20% of cloud users claim disaster recovery in four hours or less, only 9% of non-cloud users could claim the same. RapidScale claims that 94% of businesses saw an improvement in security after switching to the cloud and 91% said the cloud makes it easier to meet government compliance requirements. The key to this amped-up security is the encryption of data being transmitted over networks and stored in databases. By using encryption, information is less accessible by hackers or anyone not authorized to view your data. Most cloud-based systems have an added security measure where different security settings can be set based on the user.
3. Scale your business to greater heights
Scalability could very well be the greatest advantage of Cloud computing.
Different companies have different IT needs- a large enterprise of 1000+ employees won’t have the same IT requirements as a start-up. Using Cloud is a great solution because it enables enterprises to efficiently and quickly scale up or down their IT departments, according to business demands.
Cloud-based solutions are ideal for businesses with growing or fluctuating bandwidth demands. If your business demands increase, you can easily increase your cloud capacity without having to invest in physical infrastructure. This level of agility can give businesses using cloud computing a significant advantage over competitors.
This scalability minimizes the risks associated with in-house operational issues and maintenance. You have high-performance resources at your disposal with professional solutions and zero up-front investment.
4. Stand out from the competition
A recent Verizon study showed that 77% of businesses feel cloud technology gives them a competitive advantage, and 16% believe this advantage is significant.
While cloud adoption increases every year, not every company has fully realised the benefits of cloud computing. Those that do, and readily employ this world-class enterprise technology, will reap the valuable benefits and establish themselves as a business that’s a cut above the rest.
Businesses who choose to store their data locally are placing themselves at a distinct disadvantage when competing with those who have the benefits of the cloud at their fingertips. If you implement a cloud-based solution before your competitors, you’ll be further along the learning curve by the time they catch up.
5. Increased collaboration
As a business, collaboration should be one of your top priorities. After all, what’s the point of having a team if they can’t work like one? Cloud computing serves to make collaboration a simple process. Team members can view and share information easily and securely across a cloud-based platform. Some cloud-based services even provide collaborative social spaces to connect employees across your organization, thereby increasing interest and engagement.
While collaboration may be possible without cloud technology, it will never be as easy or as effective.
6. Centralised Management
One thing’s for sure and that is that poor quality and inconsistent reporting can prove detrimental to the success of a business. In a cloud-based system, all documents are stored in one place and in a single format. With everyone accessing the same information, you can maintain consistency in data, avoid human error, and have a clear record of any revisions or updates. Conversely, managing information in silos can lead to employees accidentally saving different versions of documents, which leads to confusion and diluted data.
7. Automatic Software Updates
Imagine this: you have a piling amount of work to do when suddenly, your office announces a company-wide software update session. When you have a lot to get done, there isn’t anything more irritating than having to wait for system updates to be installed. Thankfully, Cloud-based applications automatically refresh and update themselves, instead of forcing an IT department to perform a manual organization-wide update. This saves valuable IT staff time and money spent on outside IT consultation. PCWorld lists that 50% of cloud adopters cited requiring fewer internal IT resources as a cloud benefit.
8. Sustainability
A Pike Research report predicted data centre energy consumption will drop by 31% from 2010 to 2020 based on the adoption of cloud computing and other virtual data options.
Our environment is in shambles, and it’s no longer enough for organisations to place a recycling bin in the break room and claim that they’re doing their part to help our planet. It’s time to throw away these superficial displays of environmental awareness and instead engage real solutions that address wastefulness at every level of a business — Cloud computing.
Cloud computing will prevent 4.5 million tons of CO2 emissions from entering the Earth’s atmosphere. It supports environmental proactivity, powering virtual services rather than physical products and hardware, and cutting down on paper waste, improving energy efficiency, and given that it allows employees access from anywhere with an internet connection, it even helps in reducing transport-related emissions.
Are you ready to kickstart your Cloud computing journey?
Cloud computing adoption is on the rise every year, and it doesn’t take much to see why. It boasts many benefits that will positively impact an organisation’s production, collaboration, security and revenue. By using a cloud-based solution, an enterprise can prevent a lot of problems that plague organizations who rely on on-premises data infrastructure.
Here at 2359 Media we onboard companies — even non-tech ones, with the power of digital transformation and cloud technology. Ready to kickstart your cloud computing journey? We’d love to have a chat with you.
