In a perfect world, your data would be stored in an unbreakable, always up-to-date, secure, inexpensive location. You’d never have to worry about downtime, security breaches, or outgrowth. Sounds like some mythical, too good to be true technology, yeah? Spoiler alert, it’s not. Meet cloud services.
If you haven’t explored using the cloud as an option for your business, it’s time to start. Approximately 90% of organizations use the cloud in some way, with 50% of these organizations using it as their preferred solution. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2020 cloud deployment of software solutions will be the default option.
What we’re getting at is, there’s never been a better time to move away from your on-premise servers to the cloud. Here are the biggest benefits:
Save Resources
Having an onsite server is a money and time suck. Choosing an on-premise server basically means loads of upfront, repair, and hardware/software licensing costs as well as time spent trying to figure out what the heck went wrong when it crashes. You won’t exact maintenance costs until you need to have repairs done, making it hard to budget for what your actual server costs will be. Additionally, the life of an onsite server is a maximum of two to three years and the cost of replacing servers isn’t cheap.
With cloud services, you won’t need to worry about any of this. Opting for the cloud means you’ll have no capital expenses. And, a fixed monthly cost to use them will let you budget accurately. Plus, you won’t need to worry about your server going down or completely dying in the middle of a key project. Take that, Murphy’s law.
Less Maintenance
When your server is down, chances are that the majority of your staff won’t be able to complete projects. If you have an on-premise server, you’ll need to have a dedicated IT staff onsite for ongoing maintenance and repair for when issues do arise. When something goes wrong, it can take a few minutes or a few hours (or even days!) to fix. With the cloud, you don’t have to worry about having a team onsite for repairs and downtime is virtually nonexistent. If there is a problem, your cloud services provider will take care of everything.
Excellent Security
With an on-premise server, you’ll need a dedicated staff onsite to manage its security. With the cloud, you can avoid this extra cost. Regardless of how large or small your business is, the cloud provides your company with enterprise-level security and data protection. Plus, there is a team of experts frequently scouring the IT world for new cyber threats and making frequent updates to security measures so you never have to worry about being the victim of a cloud-based data breach.
Increased Mobility
With an on-premise server, mobility options are limited without the complex deployment of virtual private networks (VPNs). Additional security and maintenance are required for employees to be able to work remotely while still having access to your onsite server. Cloud services easily accommodate your staff working offsite with no additional costs or setup.
Scalability Options
When your company grows, your server will need to as well. With an on-premise server, growth is complicated. Scalability requires new equipment and additional setup. Plus, you’ll need to make space for your larger server. With the cloud, scalability is extremely easy and requires no extra equipment or valuable office space… simply order the additional resources you need and only pay for what you use.
Moving Forward
Once you’ve experienced what the cloud offers, you’ll understand why those who make the switch never look back. If you’re interested in further exploring cloud services or talking with an MSP experienced in providing cloud solutions for their clients, please reach out. We’d be happy to discuss with you all of the ways in which adopting the cloud will benefit your business.