The business world’s appetite for cloud computing services shows no signs of slowing down. And those who made the switch don’t seem to look back either: a Forbes survey reported that 74% of CFOs believed cloud computing technology had the most measurable impact on their business
But is cloud migration worth it for your own business? And what are some true facts and figures about the benefits of cloud computing? We’ve gathered all the answers below.
1. Cloud computing software is always up-to-date
Traditional IT infrastructure required constant upgrades of hardware and software. This “rip and replace” mentality meant prohibitive costs, and an overwhelmed IT department every three to five years when systems needed an upgrade.
With cloud computing, this is all a thing of the past. Since services are hosted entirely by third-party companies like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, they take care of all the maintenance, bug fixes, and other annoyances. All you need to do is click on update, restart your computer, and reap the benefits: you’ll have the very latest technology available at your fingertips in seconds.
2. The rollouts and integrations are faster and simpler
In addition to the point above, typical cloud-based solutions roll out new software updates drastically faster than other companies. For instance, while you had to wait yearly for the new version of a standard on-premise CRM solution, most cloud-based platforms offer updates on a monthly or even weekly basis.
Similarly, web apps are designed to integrate with each other. This flexibility and versatility allow organizations to pick and choose solutions that make sense for their business model, and even to hire developers who can build customized solutions with tailored web apps.
3. It’s more cost-effective than traditional IT
A study of 1300 organizations in the UK and US found that 54% of them increased profits through cloud services. But why exactly? Well, as we’ve already seen IT updates are simply cheaper. Investment in data centers is also drastically reduced, and you save on the purchase of expensive equipment or facilities.
Moreover, cloud computing also generally requires a smaller IT team. With a traditional setup, the staff needs to be on call for all stages, from installation to support, but with a cloud-based solution, most of the support is accessible to everyone online via the cloud provider.
4. Improved flexibility and scalability
With cloud computing services, flexibility is baked into the system. No more wasted capacities during idle times, or shortages during peak times. Your fluctuating bandwidth demands can be met, whether you need to scale up or down. And since cloud-services are heavily automated, this can also be done without any manual intervention.
Of course, this flexibility is reflected in the costs. Your company only needs to pay for the infrastructure and capacity it needs at any given time. For instance, you can easily scale your IT operations by increasing the performance of your servers one month and go back to a lower tier the next. All this without purchasing any new equipment.
5. Better business continuity
One of the greatest advantages of cloud computing is its ability to store and retrieve huge amounts of data. This makes it an ideal technology for disaster recovery. While businesses of all sizes should have appropriate backup solutions in case of data loss, this often proves to be an expensive mission for IT departments.
Now thanks to cloud technology, even the smallest businesses can enjoy a future-proof backup solution that saves time and reduces large upfront expenditure. You can safely move from one on-site server that is prone to failures and multiply your backup solutions for later recovery.
6. Increased collaboration and remote productivity
Cloud computing can benefit the lives of managers and the IT department, but of course those of employees themselves. By sharing storage, workflows and online tools, staff members can improve productivity by taking their projects on-the-go via smartphone, tablet or laptop, with enough flexibility to work on-site and in the office.
7. Less electricity and paper = Greener Solution
Another way in which cloud technology can help you reduce your IT expenses is energy efficiency. By reducing the operations on your company’s hardware, you also directly impact your electricity bill. This means cloud computing is also a greener solution than traditional methods, especially since large providers can optimize their data centers more precisely than hardware manufacturers for on-site servers.
8. Better business agility
Smaller businesses that move their operations to the cloud can benefit from the latest technology at a faster rate. This gives them the ability to access enterprise-grade technology at a fraction of the price to compete with the bigger fishes in the pond.
In fact, many cloud-based solutions can be tested and tried to see if they really meet your needs, as opposed to traditional IT solutions that needed expensive overhauls. This new way of working increases your agility as a company in a fast-paced technological world.
9. Cloud computing makes you more competitive
The cloud computing world is evolving fast, and it’s now more the norm than the exception. According to 451 research, 69% of enterprise infrastructure is now cloud-based, or a hybrid that mixes public and private cloud tools.
Businesses who have yet to take that leap will simply be left behind in terms of access to new technologies. IoT (Internet of Things), Virtual IT or Mobile are all markets you will have trouble accessing without a robust cloud infrastructure that promotes fast integration.
10. It is safe and secure
One of the main concerns for traditional IT teams was the security of cloud computing. However, in recent years, the standards for information security have drastically been scaled up, due to demands from customers and increased scrutiny from regulators.
In fact, the security measures that can be taken by Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services are of such high standards, that they can be impossible to replicate for smaller businesses.
Key takeaways
Cloud migration, while sometimes daunting, is now imperative for most businesses. Those who want to build a future-proof infrastructure that is more intuitive, safer, and more cost-effective need to act now, lest they are left behind by more agile competitors.
However, it can be a daunting process. Luckily, Sirma makes it as easy and intuitive for you thanks to our migration experts. We will guide you at every stage of the process, whether you’re interested in cloud servers, virtual private cloud solutions or fully customized cloud infrastructure solutions.
To see how Sirma can help your business transition to cloud services that include disaster recovery, high availability and email archiving technology for complete peace of mind, just contact us today.
