It seems lately that there is more of a push for businesses to start moving into the elusive “cloud”, and due to this, you may be asking yourself if moving to the cloud is right for your business… but what does this actually mean? In simple terms, the “cloud” is a term for data living somewhere that is “off-premise” from your location, and that data is accessed through an internet connection instead of living locally on your computer.
You are likely already using this kind of technology without even knowing it with software such as:
- iCloud
- Gmail/Outlook
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Dropbox
- Slack
However, even though we are becoming more comfortable using cloud services in our personal lives, does it mean that it makes sense for your business?
Things to consider when asking if moving to the cloud is right for your business:
- The size of your company – smaller companies are more likely overall to benefit from cloud-based software
- What kind of software do your employees use?
- How reliable is your internet connection?
- Do you need the ability to work remotely from any location?
Benefits of Moving to the Cloud:
- Access your software and files from anywhere
- Typically subscription-based so that you will never have “outdated” software
- Subscriptions are often more cost-effective up front
- (Ex. $10/month vs. $500 to buy outright)
- Always receive the latest functionality and features (Including automatic security updates)
- Overall faster and more efficient *
- Much easier to back-up data and prevent data loss
Drawbacks of Moving to the Cloud:
- Reliant on a good internet connection, so your internet being down can result in interruptions *
- Cost is indefinite – not often that you can buy software outright
- Not all software is available as a web-based or cloud option
It’s important to keep in mind that the complexity of some environments make on-premise solutions more sensible in some cases.
Have you been considering going cloud-based but are unsure what that actually means for your business?