Don’t let fear keep you from harnessing the power of the cloud
When cloud computing was first introduced, many companies didn’t understand the capabilities of this new technology and were extremely fearful of placing data on an external server mainly for security reasons. As technology has improved and as the business world has become increasingly reliant on remote teams and off-site workers, accessing critical company data from the cloud has become crucial.
While some firms still fear the cloud, many of these fears can be assuaged with proper enterprise security and robust policies put in place by IT personnel. The reality is that to keep pace with the rapidly changing business world, organizations need to utilize cloud solutions to avoid being left behind. To help companies understand the necessity and inherent stability of cloud platforms, here are several fears that are holding some organizations back from fully utilizing the cloud.
1. Performance
Some companies worry about the performance of software or systems that are accessed outside of the company’s internal network. Many individuals assume that onsite systems will perform much faster than cloud based systems.
The reality is that cloud based systems are often much faster than in-house solutions. Cloud providers have a vested interest in utilizing the latest in technology to ensure their solutions are faster, smoother and more efficient than those you may have on premise.
Another performance benefit of cloud solutions relates to dealing with remote workforces distributed across large geographical areas. Cloud solutions with servers located around the world allow companies to quickly scale regardless of the location of their employees.
2. Security
How safe is data stored in the cloud? Many companies believe they will be more susceptible to data breaches when data is stored in the cloud as opposed to local in-house servers, but cloud providers have extremely tight security policies in place to ensure that a company’s data is secure. Large cloud providers do not want to run the risk of losing large clients based on a data breach and will do everything in their power to ensure their systems are regularly updated based on new security threats. When you use a cloud service provider, you’re able to focus on your own business while they handle the security.
3. Upgrades and testing
Internal hardware and software upgrades for a business can be time consuming and extremely frustrating for IT professionals. This process can result in lengthy downtime and frustrated employees who are not able to perform their daily responsibilities.
By utilizing a cloud provider, you’re relying on a team that performs rigorous testing prior to releasing any major software or hardware upgrade. This robust testing process is simply not feasible for small companies, which is why relying on the cloud is becoming much more attractive.
Fear of the cloud is often fear of the unknown
Before you discount cloud solutions, it’s important that you understand how cloud technology and security actually work. If you’re unsure what benefit moving to the cloud would have for your business, or how your data would be protected, let’s talk.
