What does cloud computing mean?
Cloud computing is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local service or a personal computer.
What are the security advantages in a cloud computing-based system versus a local service?
Hosting your data in on remote servers is practically more secure for most clients. Sometimes we can naively believe that we can keep tabs on our own data better than some company manage many servers. We fear that putting our data in the cloud, under the responsibility of another company will make us vulnerable to hacking, but there are real risks associated with managing our own data too, and arguably it is more dangerous to keep your data on your own computers, in your own office. From time to time we hear of large companies being hacked, but reputable companies have teams of staff that are focused on keeping your data secure. They know that if they expose your data, they may put their entire business at risk.
What about the cost of using a cloud-based approach compared to using local servers?
There is no doubt that if you evaluate “real” costs of maintaining your data locally, you will find that cloud hosted servers enable mass-scale computing power and reduce the maintenance costs; there should be significant savings using a cloud hosted server. It is true that some small businesses manage to run their business for a while without investing in their local system(s), but sooner or later the small business will pay in either lost data, exposed data, or lost business.
What are some of the other advantages in cloud hosted systems?
There can be significant advantages in efficiency for most businesses. Users can access their data remotely allowing work to continue both in the office and off-site, both in-country and around the world. Your data is available everywhere you have an Internet connection. Collaboration is also encouraged as workers are able to access the same files. Schedules can be shared and managers can communicate and share with workers without having direct communication because you are working together without necessarily being in the same location.
Where would we start?
Cloud-based systems start off very simply, for example by setting up a DropBox Business account to share files within your office. Of course, systems can become more elaborate as required. We encourage clients to share their current office workflow and let us help them evaluate their systems and determine where to start. Feel free to contact us for more information.