There can be a tendency with Cloud solutions for the actual business case to be lost in the hype. There are no shortage of novel ways to use the Cloud to make improvements to many aspects of your IT, but in our experience, getting the basics right first is often the best approach to migrating from legacy, on-premise solutions to a cloud-based infrastructure.
Two of the most common basics which can quickly deliver efficiency improvements and cost savings are Backup and Collaboration.
A robust backup strategy
Backups and archives should be on the minds of business owners everywhere. Data is the fuel on which companies operate these days, but when breaches and digital disasters are so normal, it’s hard to forget that it only takes a second to lose everything. Ensuring your files are stored in as many places as possible has always been the best way to combat the threat, but it’s never been quite as cost-efficient as is it is now.
In the past, firms would’ve been required to invest heavily in physical infrastructure to ensure their data was recoverable in the event of a disaster. Now, though, hard drives and discs have been replaced by the cloud. By using the web to archive files and store data, firms can benefit from unrivalled versatility and scalability.
Using the cloud in this way still requires work – maintenance, integrity checks, etc. – but no more than the solutions of yesteryear would’ve demanded.
Collaboration
Innovation is undoubtedly the way forward for most businesses. The focus should be placed firmly on progression, and finding new ways to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers and other businesses. This is where collaboration comes in, and it’s something the cloud can help with massively.
Businesses exist across huge areas these days; the times when all work was completed in one single office space are – or at least should be – over. By using the technology available, it’s possible to bring the ideas of people in completely different locations together without the need for expensive and time-consuming travel. This doesn’t just concern major operations either – if an important document has to be drafted and it’s clear that it would benefit from the input of two people in different locations, the work can be carried out in real time for maximal efficiency.
While the cloud’s potential doesn’t stop at storage and collaboration, they’re two of the most popular reasons for a business to begin moving over. Improving efficiency and reducing costs are the motives behind most investment projects, and going by the benefits on offer here, the cloud is no exception.
