With technology advancements marching forward at an unprecedented pace, businesses are under constant pressure to keep their IT team above the water line. Today, cloud computing represents a raft of new opportunities to businesses struggling to keep up with increasing technological demands. Whereas enterprise IT was once largely confined to company-owned data centers and networks, the cloud allows businesses to outsource their computing workloads to external service providers.
Cloud computing might sound like a gimmick to the uninitiated, but it has become the undisputed leader in modern business IT environments. In fact, cloud computing already has a well-established history.
For example, web-based email, which almost every business and individual now uses, is a good example of a cloud-based platform that’s accessed entirely through a browser and is independent of the operating system or device. Today, almost all businesses use at least one cloud service, and here’s why:
#1. You Need to Scale Up Your IT Infrastructure
Successful businesses are well aware of the challenges that come with rapid expansion, and because 21st-century companies tend to be extremely reliant on IT, it’s often technology that ends up stifling growth.
If your on-site data center can’t handle the extra computing workloads that come with more business, you’ll end up with demotivated employees and unhappy customers due to unexpected downtimes. From additional storage to extra bandwidth, scalability is crucial for giving your business space to grow.
A purely on-premises infrastructure has its inherent limitations. A fast-growing businesses need to invest in more servers, workstations, redundant storage systems and other hardware that all take up space and require more power, cooling and maintenance. If you’re not equipped to meet the demand, you’ll be unable to scale up your operations. Outsourcing to the cloud, however, presents an unlimited degree of scalability.
#2. You Need to Reduce Operational Overheads
It’s no secret that computing hardware is extremely expensive, especially when it depreciates in just a few years. You can easily spend tens of thousands of dollars upgrading or replacing your existing hardware to meet growing demands, and you’ll likely have to do it all over again in the not-so-distant future. You’ll also need to pay for the in-house expertise necessary to maintain, upgrade and troubleshoot your systems. Above all that, you also need to pay for significant increases to electricity bills.
If you’re having a hard time keeping up with ever-increasing operational costs, the cloud presents the perfect solution. Of course, you’ll still need on-site hardware, but the requirements should be greatly reduced. For example, cloud computing services may include access to virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs) where the bulk of the computing workloads are taken off-site. In such cases, all you need is a network of lightweight computers that need only enough power to access the internet.
#3. Your Business Lacks the Necessary In-House Expertise
Big corporations can afford to have dedicated IT departments that take care of their technological resources around the clock. For smaller companies, this simply isn’t an option. If your IT staff can’t keep up, you’ll have serious problems on your hands.
Unless you have the time, expertise and other resources to tackle any problem that might arise, you’ll run into severe issues with downtime and cybersecurity sooner or later. As cybersecurity threats are rising, this is not a risk you can afford to take.
Cloud solutions allow you to outsource your IT infrastructure to the experts. At the very least, a managed services provider (MSP) will offer round-the-clock monitoring to ensure that your network is protected from potential attacks. A more comprehensive package, on the other hand, will provide ongoing IT consulting and more to fill in the knowledge gaps that could otherwise lead to costly human error. By outsourcing your helpdesk to the cloud, you’ll always have the expertise you need whenever you need it.
If any of the above scenarios seem familiar, then it’s probably time to rethink your IT strategy. The benefits of migrating to the cloud are enormous, not least because they allow you and your team to shift their focus to the core operations that keep your business moving forward. To find out how Dyrand Systems can help make technology work for you, give us a call today for a free assessment.