Cloud computing consists of using a remote network of servers or databases to store, process, and manage data. Traditionally, businesses would keep their data “in-house” using physical servers and databases housed in their own facilities. Essentially, the “cloud” means you no longer have to use this physical space or purchase your own hardware, you can leave that up to someone else who specializes in this area, and worry about the things you do best.
That said, there are many reasons businesses turn to the cloud. Here are three of the top reasons cloud computing has become so popular.
Scalability
Think about this, your business is growing rapidly. You’re signing up new customers everyday at a rate you’ve never seen. You can barely hire staff quickly enough to take sales calls, create marketing materials, or even manage payroll. There is so much on your plate that your IT infrastructure may be the last thing on your mind.
In a technology driven age putting IT last on the priority list could hurt your prospects for the future. Building infrastructure takes time, money, and staff. Or – at least it used to.
The cloud allows you to scale your IT infrastructure quickly and cost-effectively with minimal staff. This is possible because cloud computing companies are the ones who hire staff to manage datacenters and hardware among other things, allowing you to focus on growing your business without the IT headaches.
Reliability
The IT talent market is extremely thin. There are more IT related jobs open than there are people to fill them. This has caused a high demand for big time talent, making it much more difficult to obtain the right talent – especially if you’re a small business or a startup.
One of the best parts about cloud computing services is the ability to hire experts without actually hiring experts. We’ll explain…you see, cloud computing companies hire IT experts that have knowledge in a vast number of areas. They’re able to manage databases, servers, software, and datacenters. The best part? They’re all under one roof. Even though it’s not your roof per se, they essentially work for you. Not to mention there are multiple people who can help when you need it.
This builds a confidence that you can rely on your IT infrastructure because it’s being managed by team of experts who know how best to support you and your business.
Cost-Effectiveness
According to IBM, 25% of businesses see a reduction in IT costs after moving to the cloud. Not only that, more than half (55%) saw an increase in overall efficiency and half saw an improvement in employee mobility.
All of this leads to a more cost-effective IT infrastructure, which just adds to the already scalable and reliable environment you’ve just assembled.
Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the cloud are small to medium sized companies that expect some sort of rapid growth. In this case, money is often at a premium, so any solution that allows for cost savings is a good – of course, as we talked about, cost-effectiveness is just one of the many benefits to the cloud.