Why not let the cloud maintain your server? Photo by panumas nikhomkhai from Pexels.
You might not know it, but your business is probably already into cloud computing. If you use Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, Slack, or one of the hundreds of other online software products, you are using Software as a Service, or SaaS. That’s cloud computing.
If you have been hesitating about taking the plunge onto the cloud (to mix metaphors) because you feel like your business is too small, it might help to realize you are already there. The same things that make Office 365 or Google Apps sensible options for even small businesses make other cloud services a good idea as well.
It’s Easy to Add Capacity
Many cloud services are available on a pay-as-you-go or pay per user basis. These include SaaS services like those mentioned above, but also Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS platforms. IaaS allows you to purchase things like storage space, networking, and virtualization. As your business develops, it is easy to add capacity without investing in expensive hardware that you may not fully grow into or outgrow too quickly.
You Don’t Have to Worry About Upgrades
You worry about your business. Let your IT management company worry about the upgrades. Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels.
When you transition your network and software applications into the cloud, upgrades are done automatically for software products. Maintaining and upgrading hardware is done by your cloud IT company. You and your employees, don’t have to worry about it. That’s a big stressor to take off your plate.
The Cloud is Probably More Secure than Your Network
Cloud computing companies can pour funding into making sure your network is hard to hack. That’s probably a lot more resources than you can muster, as a single small business, for network security.
You’re Always Backed Up
A reputable company providing managed IT services will automatically back up your data on an ongoing basis. And it will back it up to several locations, at least one of them off-site. That means that you can get back up and running with a recent back up almost immediately if you do suffer data loss.
You Can Access the Cloud from Anywhere
Not everyone has enjoyed working from home this last year, but many employees have fallen in love with working in pajama bottoms. Employers who can offer flexibility and work from home options will have an advantage from now on, especially in another emergency. And even if you plan on returning everyone to the office, it just makes sense to have your software and network available to your staff wherever they happen to be.
Real-Time Collaboration
Let your teams collaborate from anywhere. Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels.
Cloud computing makes it possible for your staff to work together anywhere. Employees can provide Real-time updates from the field, and teams can collaborate on documents and projects with ease.
Because cloud computing is so scalable, there is no such thing as a business that is too small. If your business isn’t taking full advantage of the many benefits of this shift in technology, you are in danger of being outcompeted. Moving online might seem like a painful upfront cost, but think of it as an investment that will more than pay for itself over the years.
