Talk about cloud technology is everywhere. Internet and television touts its capabilities and benefits. But many people are still wondering, “What is it exactly?”

The Basics

Actually, the cloud is not new. In its simplest terms, cloud technology has been around a long time in the form of the internet. The cloud is simply a way of allowing information to be stored remotely and accessible from anywhere.

Think of it this way. You have an office, but it is becoming too small. You don’t have enough room to store paperwork or supplies. You want to move to a larger office to allow more workspace, but the cost is prohibitive.

Instead, you consider renting a larger, shared storage space. In this shared storage space, you would have a locked closet. You would be the only one with a key to the closet. This would allow you to keep important business information private, but still accessible for you.

This is what the cloud does, in virtual terms. Hiring in-house IT professionals, and upgrading hardware/software is very costly. For most small to mid-sized businesses, using a cloud service allows them to store large amounts of information in a secure place, while limiting their cost.

Reasons to Join the Cloud

Maybe you have been thinking about transitioning your business data to the cloud. Here is a list of benefits:

  • Reduction of cost: No more onsite physical storage or internal IT.
  • Access from anywhere, all of the time: Working remotely just got easier.
  • Greater collaboration: Information on the cloud is available on-demand from multiple devices.
  • Better scalability: You can scale up or down, depending on current business needs.
  • Faster deployment: You can start using cloud services for your business in a matter of hours.
  • Improved security: Cloud security measures are often more effective than traditional, in-house security methods.
  • Business continuity: Unlimited data storage and backup limit the occurrence of downtime events.

A Win for Business

The cloud has leveled the field for businesses of every size in regards to IT capabilities and solutions. Transitioning to the cloud opens a range of possibilities for the health and continued growth of your company. This is technology designed to help your business become more efficient and effective. The only question now is, what do you want your cloud to look like?

For help answering this and any other question you may have about IT solutions, contact us!

Tags: cloud, managed service