Businesses should not embrace the cloud for reasons such as ‘just because’ or ‘it will be good for you’. That trick arguably only worked for our parents at the dinner table. But as a business decision-maker, no one wants to be tricked. The truth is that cloud providers have been around for over a decade; and many companies – both large and small – have embraced the cloud. The question is, “Since so many businesses are now storing their data in the cloud, why aren’t you?”
From an IT perspective, it’s understandable for businesses that have historically kept everything in-house to be resistant to moving to the cloud. The good news is that cloud storage is not an “all or nothing” proposition. Some companies might rely completely on the cloud while others might choose the cloud to simply augment and/or supplement their existing in-house file storage capabilities.
For those still on the fence, here are some reasons why the cloud-based storage solutions can work for many organizations.
- It can save money: Webroot states at least five reasons why the cloud makes financial sense. “Zero capital” is one of those reasons. Most if not all of the infrastructure costs are born by the cloud provider, freeing up valuable capital.
- It can be customized: The cloud is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Every business has different needs based on storage, budgets, and resources. As just one example, Richi Jennings, a NetApp columnist for Forbes, states that people should actually think in terms of multiple clouds with multiple functions rather than one larger entity.
- You can improve more of your operations: Migrating to the cloud could be part of a larger effort to improve your office’s efficiency and organization. Rather than investing in new servers, a company could reallocate that money for other projects such as a computer “refresh” or perhaps mobility. It might also serve as an opportunity to begin the migration of Apple Macintosh into an existing Windows-only environment.
- It can take you out of the office: One great advantage of using cloud-based file storage solutions is the inherent ease of “anytime / anywhere” file access, providing there is an internet connection.
- It can improve your security: Modern cloud-based file storage providers are extremely concerned with security. They implement strict security protocols and also provide timely software patches. However, it is a good idea to fully understand how each provider handles security or data breaches. But beyond this, it stands to reason that hardware theft or damage will no longer remain as a source of concern or worry. Eric Spellmann, who teaches businesses how to use the cloud, said that the lack of anything to steal from your physical location is a big plus of moving your data to the cloud.
- It will benefit your IT team: For a move to cloud-based file systems, there will inevitably be time spent on planning, testing and execution. Post project, however – with most of the heavy lifting for servers, software and security handled by the file storage provider – this can provide an opportunity for your IT team to focus on other areas of technological improvements for your business.
If your business is considering moving to the cloud, there has never been a better time. There are countless resources available to help safely and effectively move your data. The fact that the storage costs continue to drop while the technology continues to improve can only pay big dividends for your company.
