SpartanTec, Inc. Wilmington: Is Cloud Computing Really Better For Business?

Cloud computing is becoming a popular term. The cloud, to put is simply, is used for applications, storage and business servers.

Cloud technology is being adopted by businesses of all sizes to cut down on overhead and shrink costs. The term cloud computing is still a bit misunderstood, and not all markets can understand the different uses.

The cloud computing market will nearly double its 2021 revenue of $260 billion over the next two-years. Businesses should be more aware of the dynamic nature and use of hosting services as technology evolves at an exponential rate. Businesses need to be aware of the changing market and how it is affecting their competitiveness.

What is Cloud Computing?

The cloud, generally speaking, is simply a consequence of quick internet connections, as well as bigger adoption of the internet connectivity. The internet was slow and costly in the early days for personal and business computing. Many applications were stored on internal servers that did all the heavy lifting, from saving Word documents to running specialized software.

Individuals and networks only used the internet to search, visit websites, and send emails. Email domains were stored on huge stacks of hardware in dedicated server room at large companies.

A Gmail account is free and can transfer large files at lightning speed. It also gives users access to a range of tools, including Google Docs and Spreadsheets, translations, and cloud storage services.

All of this free software has a catch: your device must have internet access to view, edit and save files in the cloud.

Mobile data networks are so fast and reliable that even individual smartphones can create more complicated spreadsheets with Google Spreadsheets than an entire company server could manage a few decades ago.

This means that businesses no longer need to license expensive hardware or software in order to run their specialized business operations. Cloud solutions enable businesses to scale easily, stay up-to-date on the latest software updates and run extremely powerful programs.

No more noisy, hot rooms with stacks upon stacks of servers to run popular software. Software is available for free or very cheaply on any device that has an internet connection.

Businesses are instead investing in large amounts of dedicated, secure cloud storage that allows them to run complex software and operations using a triangulated system of software and hardware. This also gives them far greater flexibility and uses cases.

Cloud Computing: How it Works

Prior to cloud computing, businesses could run out memory on their dedicated servers. The release of a new version of software can mean buying a new set of CD-ROMs, installing the software on all machines, and hoping that the files from the old versions would work with the new software.

Security was your decision. It got worse the longer an application had been in the marketplace or if you had set up multiple servers with the same digital address.

Everything, from saving Word Docs to running complex specialized programs, happens through a triangulated group of computers and online addresses. This means that applications and data alike “live” in one place, rather than on one machine, which is susceptible to damage, corruption, becoming slow, and obsolete, and requiring expensive manual transfers.

Cloud computing is the use of the internet to accomplish virtually any task that would have previously required a dedicated machine, software offline, and plenty of hard drive space.

Cloud Computing: Why Businesses Should Switch

Cloud computing offers a wide range of benefits to businesses. Cloud computing can be a smart move for businesses. But as with all large changes, there are many benefits that must be clearly defined and implemented.

Top picks for cloud computing benefits:

Cost Savings

Cloud computing can be a cost-saving tool for your business in many ways. A consistent subscription model allows your business to have access to software updates rather than sinking expense into software licenses that will soon be obsolete.

It also lets businesses keep important capital during the growth phases and pay a minimal monthly fee rather than huge outlays on hardware such as servers, memory banks, and software like software licenses for all their employees.

Additionally, cloud subscriptions offer a greater opportunity to reap the benefits of hardware that is cheaper and more efficient than incremental upgrades. Businesses can upgrade their hardware, while their older models are rapidly becoming obsolete.

Space Savings

The cloud allows you to free up space that was previously used for servers. This saves you on utilities, rent, as well as floor space. The cloud also allows you to store your essential business information on-site, which is one of the biggest benefits.

Safe, sound, and accessible

Multiple ways the cloud protects data It is protected from natural disasters, coffee spills, and other catastrophes that could damage computer hardware. Additionally, it typically has far greater information security levels than a business can manage on a daily basis.

Cloud-stored software and information is often stored in multiple places at the same time, making it virtually unaffected by disasters and much easier to recover in case of hacking. It can also be accessed anywhere.

This allows for greater flexibility in working remotely, collaboration across offices, and even the possibility of moving offices without disrupting business processes.

Level Playing Field

Businesses of all sizes can now access world-class software through subscription models and scalable options.

No matter if you are a small business with big ideas or a large business that used to give software out selectively in order to save costs, the cloud era has made software more accessible to everyone. This is great news for employees looking to gain experience, improve cybersecurity, and businesses looking to be competitive in the market.

Cloud Computing Solutions Make Sense

Cloud computing is undoubtedly the future of computing, in addition to the tangible benefits. The sunk cost fallacy delays its implementation and lowers a company’s competitiveness in the digitally-changing landscape.

It also offers employees meaningful benefits like remote work and benefits for the entire world such as reduced energy consumption and real estate consumption. The only question now is when you can switch to cloud computing.