10 Benefits of Cloud Computing and its Advantages for Businesses

Cloud computing at its very foundation provides companies with access to the core infrastructure, features, functionality and files of a cloud network, without having to purchase, store or maintain the system on their own devices or premises.

Almost every organisation can reap the benefits of cloud computing in one way or another and there’s never been a better time to migrate to the cloud so your business can take advantage of the top 10 use cases available. 

Always on available storage

Keeping essential documents in a centralised online storage location makes it easier for everyone to access them, anywhere in the world.

Cloud storage is instrumental for organisations whose staff require access to the same information to do their work. It enables new means of collaboration and efficiency amongst a company’s workforce.

The cloud provides an easy way to store all your necessary data.

Users can rent cloud storage at a low price which can be scaled in line with the users requirements and means you can say goodbye to expensive external hard drives.

Cloud backup resiliency

Backing up files in the cloud is by far the most reliable way to ensure their availability.

The reliability inherent with cloud backup solutions comes from holding multiple copies of files and storing data in different locations. This layer of resiliency means that your data will not be lost in the event of an unexpected outage at one of your or your provider’s data centres.

Disaster recovery solutions

Having your data protected in the event of a disaster is crucial. Preventing as much data loss as possible is critical in terms of time, money, and efficiency. The cloud provides a much faster, and cost-effective disaster recovery solution than traditional solutions could ever offer.

Inherently, most catastrophic events are unplanned which is why any disaster recovery plan should factor in any worst-case scenarios. Before the days of cloud computing, companies would have to distribute and collate various backup tapes and drives and then transfer the data to a central location to spin up a new infrastructure instance to continue working. Now, this can be done at the click of a button, or even autonomously.

Cost savings

Gone are the days of investing in costly external hard drives to store critical information.

Companies can save as much as 40% annually by migrating virtualised workload instances in the cloud.

Another consideration is that most cloud solutions provide the user with advanced security systems, cutting-edge hardware, and software as standard. Chances are this equates to a superior setup compared to what the user has on-premises, or originally budgeted for.

One of the main virtues of cloud is that costs are directly in line with usage.

Consistent updates

The software is continuously being improved and evolving to increase things like speed, capability, security, efficiency, and reliability.

Compare this to a traditional on premises style deployment, to benefit from updated hardware would require the user may need purchase updated hardware to enjoy the recent improvements.

Business continuity and business intelligence

Ensuring business continuity in the event of a disaster presents significant challenge for most organisations. When a single minute of downtime can cost the company more than the cost of implementing a backup and disaster recovery solution, business continuity management becomes a priority.

The cloud can be leveraged to provide recovery and business continuity solutions. You can rely on it to keep your data and applications active even if a disaster physically impacts your business. With a solid business continuity plan and the right cloud solutions in place, you can minimise the effects of potential disruptions.

In addition, the availability of cloud-based BI systems became the catalyst for some of the most revolutionary changes in businesses. Complex data analytics, processing, and reporting systems are now available over the web, and for a reasonable price. Investing in a single license, this can be transferred to multiple users, with very little in the way of installation or setup.

Improved collaboration

People can work together more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

Globally, we send around 105 billion emails every day. Everything from client corporate emails, newsletters, greetings, and reminders make their way into people’s inboxes across the world. None of this would be possible without traversing cloud infrastructure.

Imagine working for a large international company with locations across the world. Whether the offices are in India, China, Australia, Ireland, Brazil, or America, every employee has the same access to relevant information when using the cloud.

Cloud collaboration tools offer important advantages to employees. They can make use of file versioning or real-time editing any time. They can access data, applications, and services remotely from any device. All that boosts their productivity and, eventually, company’s profits.

Increased capacity

The cloud removes the guesswork of knowing if a user will have enough resource to build or decommission an application.

Clouds can burst up and down, depending on what the business needs.

Performance and speed

The cloud commoditises enterprise-grade technology, removing the financial hurdles and making it available to smaller companies. This form of utility computing makes emerging technologies available to businesses at an affordable price point.

You can access high-performance hardware and software to improve your operations. The opex-based delivery model makes cloud resources accessible to businesses of any sizes. You just need to pick the solution that best meets the business’s requirements.

Data security

Keep your data secure and make sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands.

Cloud backups are an ideal solution to ensure business continuity and always-on availability of your files. All clouds offer some degree of encryption, deterrent, and compliance, but private clouds remain the most secure from outsiders. Even so, you must beware of internal attacks.

Shockingly, around 41% of data security breaches come from inside threats, so those responsible for a companies IT must be very vigilant about how they monitor their users.

If you are looking to further explore the advantages of moving to the cloud, you can contact us to arrange a free consultation, alternatively sign up to join the In Cloud to continue receiving our industry leading invite to stay in the know about all things cloud computing.