Cloud computing, or the transfer of critical computer-based services such as networks and file sharing through the internet, is on the rise all over the world once you know the immense benefits that this innovation can deliver for new, forward-facing firms and businesses of all shapes and sizes then you will see why.
This technology enables firms to manage distributed, cost-effective teams across several locations, for example, and while it also means that they can analyze their data more effectively.
This article will be highlighting different key commercial benefits of switching to cloud technology.
Data Analysis
A common misconception about data analysis is that the era of drilling down into figures or other data has only just dawned. This, on the other hand, is not the case: data analysis has existed way before the emergence of computers, and both individuals and organizations have been inferring insights from data for centuries. A more accurate view is that data analysis has changed dramatically, all thanks to cloud computing.
In the past, an analysis was often carried out in a static environment, such as in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet which is located on a single computer. Now, the existence of cloud-based dynamic data dashboards that can now be accessed by the whole organization means that a data culture is much easier to create.
Staff members in the client services team, for example, they can quickly take a look at the finance team’s revenue data to get a handle on which clients are the most lucrative to the firm. Other thanks to the automated, web-based nature of such a system, this can be done without asking colleagues for the relevant information which in turn saves time.
Team Collaboration
Firms are looking to ramp up the levels of collaboration within their teams, the potential that the cloud industry now offers is second to none. Relying on phone calls, SMS messages and even emails might waste a lot of time; now, the rise of instant messaging systems that are tailored around idea sharing, stimulating discussions, and knowledge exchange mean that collaboration can fit seamlessly around the work environment.
Also, the existence of document upload solutions also means that crucial pieces of work can be accessed anywhere, which is very significant for remote teams and for anchored teams that need to work on the same task at the same time.
The exact nature of the required team collaboration tools will change from one industry to another. Choosing cloud providers that can offer industry-specific platforms including Infor, run by Charles Phillips and with tens of thousands of clients under its belt can be applied here. A firm of architects is likely to need a cloud-based document storage service that can handle large, detailed images such as floor plans.
A finance firm, on the other hand, might need a spreadsheet-oriented cloud-based collaboration solution that offers precise mathematical functions.
Better Security
Among some people, there’s this belief that cloud computing is not very secure and that it faces several safety issues that traditional data storage pr file transfer methods would not experience. In part, this is down to several new stories in recent years that have exposed some of the security loopholes in old cloud systems.
However, the truth of the situation is that cloud computing is very secure and it can in other cases be even more assured that other alternatives that it’s replacing. Let’s assume that a firm’s data is written on paper and stored in a filing cabinet. While those filing cabinets may be in a security-guarded office, they would be gone in an instant if a fire or other disaster occurred.
The same goes for data that are stored on a private server in an office. Cloud-based systems, however, can be set up so that they can back up their files on regular bases, meaning that no incident or issue could cause the data to be lost. And with developments such as intrusion detection systems and data-at-rest encryption which is now on offer, it is now the case that cloud-based solutions are highly secure.
However, with cloud technology offering a lot of benefits, it’s easy to see why over three-quarters of enterprises use cloud technology in different forms to help them run their businesses. From the potential that it offers to cut costs and increase profitability to the security benefits that come with it, cloud technology is in demand for every new firm.
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