“Cloud Computing” is something we hear all the time, but what does it actually mean? And what benefits does it have that can impact your business? Let’s dive a bit deeper into the cloud and see what it’s all about…
Out with the old
Traditionally, large rooms with racks and racks of servers are where your information is stored. These are expensive, take up a lot of space, and are prone to breaking and downtime. They were typically used for things such as storing data and files, emails, and running applications. There is no need for this expensive and space-consuming hardware with modern technology.
You may be thinking, my servers work just fine for me… why should I change? Although they may be working fine, they aren’t working great. Servers can be very unreliable, they often break down, require aircon and a cool space to prevent them from overheating, and so on. So although they’re probably making the cut, your business deserves the best!
What is ‘The Cloud’?
The cloud is something we hear thrown around a lot in the tech world, but what does it actually mean? The cloud can be compared to the internet, and there are many things you can access over the internet through ‘the cloud’. Some examples are email, apps such as CRMs, and file sharing.
It essentially replaces the old servers and hardware in the back cupboard of your office with something that is totally run over the internet. A term we are all familiar with is iCloud, we have all had our fair share of ‘iCloud storage full’ notifications, and that essentially means the imaginary server on our phone has run out of space (in the cloud). And the same idea applies to cloud IT solutions.
Why should I switch to the cloud?
So now that we have covered what the cloud is, let’s discuss why you may want to consider switching over to it. Data is undoubtedly one of the most valuable assets to any business and if you were to lose it you could be in serious trouble!
These servers that can overheat, go into overdrive, and break down will take all of your data with them! All your company information, customer data, and more are gone forever. Let’s compare it to the iPhone again, ‘the cloud’ and ‘iCloud’ are the same sort of thing. If your iPhone breaks (as long as you have backed up your data to you guessed it, iCloud) everything on that phone is still accessible to you and is not lost. Photos, messages, files, and more are fully recoverable when you log back into iCloud on your new device.
This is the same concept as cloud IT solutions. Let’s say one of your employee’s laptops was lost, damaged, or stolen. All the valuable data on that laptop would have previously been lost, but with the cloud, as long as it is backed up regularly (one of the benefits of choosing Astaris is we regularly monitor and automatically backup your devices on your behalf, one less thing to worry about!) they can be fully recovered, and put straight onto your new device.
What are the other benefits of the cloud?
Still not convinced? We’ve got plenty more up our sleeve…
The security we have discussed and knowing your businesses data is safe and secure no matter what is arguably one of the best benefits of using the cloud, but here are some more:
Cut your costs – Switching to the cloud means you can stop buying expensive servers and hardware, that are susceptible to breaking and require a lot of on-site maintenance. Having the cloud means if you were to run into issues, they can be resolved remotely and for a much smaller cost. Not to mention, with recent inflation the cost of running these servers can be completely eliminated, reducing your energy costs significantly!
Enhanced IT security – According to Salesforce, 94% of businesses noticed an improvement in their security after switching to the cloud. With this added security it also makes meeting government compliance rules and regulations easier, 91% of people claimed.
It’s mobile and flexible – Our last blog post talked about the challenges your IT can face when moving or expanding to new locations, imagine trying to move a room full of servers! With the cloud, your business’s data is fully mobile and can also be accessed securely from anywhere.
Those are just some of the main benefits, but there are many more. The cloud offers amazing collaboration opportunities, insights, faster data recovery… the list goes on.
How do I switch to the cloud?
Astaris’ expert team looks after many businesses operating over the cloud, and because we have so many customers reaping the benefits, it is much cheaper for us to manage your cloud network than for your business to attempt it yourself.
There are a few different cloud IT solution options to choose from, get in touch with our team today to find out which is the best option for you, and how you can make the switch.
