Why get into the corporate cloud?
Once upon a time, business documents were stored on a server in-house. Quite often, the server room was an investment in itself, requiring air conditioning, shed loads of security and an on-site IT team to keep an eye on your hardware.
As with many things in the IT world, times have moved rapidly on, and instead of clunky servers and storage, more and more businesses are turning to cloud services to protect their invaluable files and apps. So, what are the top reasons to get your files and apps out of the server and into the cloud?
Clearly, there’s the physical benefits. Without the storage devices being in your office, there’s no chance that any damage can occur from coffee spills, power surges or theft. If your business relies on portable storage, there’s less risk of it going missing or being buried under a pile of papers. The remote access offered by cloud storage means that your files and apps are available within minutes, wherever you are.
Improved efficiency comes as standard with cloud computing. Get online in seconds, and have that file or app on your screen, day or night. Cloud providers are always online, so if inspiration hits you at 3am, your cloud provider will be there too. No more waiting for your IT technicians to get to the office.
File and app sharing is a real bonus too, whether that’s to staff in another office, or with controlled access to customers and suppliers. Collaborating is a piece of cake with cloud, even with the biggest files which you couldn’t normally fit into an email.
Security is something which you can depend on your cloud service provider giving you as standard. Obviously, password protection comes as standard, no matter which provider you choose. The best providers will encrypt any data you’re using in the cloud and in transit between your computer and the cloud. High end providers will allow sophisticated access control, so that you can be selective about which members of staff or business partners can open particular files and apps.
Save yourself the headaches which come with physical servers and storage, and see how cloud solutions like OneDrive and Azure can work for you.
