Why are so many businesses moving their software services to the cloud? Quite simply -- cloud computing increases efficiency, frees up IT resources with dynamic software updates, shortens downtime time caused by a disaster or business outage, helps improve cash flow with flexible scalability, reduces or eliminates data center infrastructure costs, and so much more.
Simply put, cloud computing is computing based on the Internet. It provides shared processing resources, data to computers and other devices, and access from anywhere and at any time via the Internet. Cloud-based workflow and file sharing applications help teams make real-time updates and provide full visibility of their collaborations. It is no surprise that Forrester Research published in its findings that public cloud adoption in enterprises will cross the 50 percent mark for the first time this year.
Cloud infrastructure provides operational agility by effectively supporting fluctuating workloads. The beauty of cloud computing is that the servers are off-premise and your solution partner takes care of them for you while rolling out regular software and security updates – so your IT staff can focus on revenue-generating projects to grow your business.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] has stated that more than 40% of businesses never reopen after a disaster. Most of the companies that lost their information technology for nine days or more after a disaster filed for bankruptcy within a year. Obviously, FEMA is focused on natural disasters, but there is a correlation between a company’s downtime resulting from a disaster and its ability to financially recover from it. Keep in mind, downtime comes in all shapes and sizes and can result from natural disasters, operational failures, or even human error.
Cloud-base services provide a backup-and-recovery solution that reduces downtime, staffing, and offsite data backup resources. IT managers no longer lose sleep worrying that a hardware failure or staff mistake will result in loss of data.
Cloud computing cuts out the high cost of hardware. You simply enjoy a subscription-based model to gain access to enterprise-class technology. With cloud computing, companies can reduce the size of their own data centers — or eliminate their data center footprint altogether. The reduction in the numbers of servers, software costs, and staff can significantly reduce IT costs without impacting an organization’s IT capabilities and provide advantages over competitors.
With so many large organizations focusing on strategic digital initiatives, offloading computer resources to a solution partner is considered a competitive necessity.
Author: Barbara Blick
Account Executive
Labels: UP Best Practices
