Cloud Computing enables SMBs to reap the benefits of data processing facilities.
Data Centres were once only accessible to large organizations. Today, the Global adoption of Cloud computing has made them accessible to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which are reaping the benefits at an increasing rate. Cloud computing offers access to a network of remote virtual servers hosted on the Internet (“the Cloud”). The Cloud enables organizations to store, manage, and host their applications and process data. Cloud computing offers the promise of a cost-effective, scalable infrastructure, giving companies the flexibility to respond faster to business demands.
Increase Collaboration
In the last few years, the workplace transformed into an expansive remote workforce that has shifted the IT infrastructure of most organizations. By adopting Cloud technology, SMBs can quickly and efficiently access and share data anytime from any location quickly and efficiently. Collaboration with co-workers is vital, but so too is collaboration with clients, suppliers, and business partners. SMBs can now expand their reach by opening the door to International prospects, and the Cloud has enabled SMBs to compete for talent with a more flexible work environment.
Stress-Free Scalability
As businesses grow, they often experience customer service issues due to their IT infrastructure’s insufficient processing power. Cloud services enable companies to tap into additional power and storage capacity quickly and efficiently as their business demands increase. In addition, organizations managing growth often spend substantial resources on project management to plan to expand their IT infrastructure and make significant capital expenditures on new hardware and software. Migrating from old to new systems also creates potential issues with data loss and service interruptions. With the Cloud, provisioning time is reduced from weeks or months to minutes, and the transition is seamless, saving organizations valuable time and money while minimizing any potential challenges with systems migrations.
Improve Security and Compliance
Accompanying a shift to a remote workforce creates a significant increase in potential cyber security threats to organizational networks through endpoints. Phishing emails to unsuspecting employees are the primary access point for cyber security attacks. A considerable advantage the Cloud has over on-premises servers is the segmentation of corporate networks from employee endpoints such as laptops. This isolation of your corporate network in the Cloud protects it from potential endpoint exposures.
Another factor to consider is the level of security offered by the Cloud. Most organizations would need to invest additional resources to provide the same security level as Cloud providers. For example, IBM Cloud® for financial services offers a hyper-secure environment with pre-configured controls based on industry standards and country regulations that reduce financial institutions’ overall risk. Such an infrastructure is out of reach for most SMBs on their own.
Realize High Availability
Having a business’ IP hosted in a purpose-built Data Centre offers the physical and cyber security that SMBs most likely cannot afford. From a physical standpoint, customers will enjoy the advantage of a facility with no single point of failure. The power and air conditioning are all redundant systems, offering a 99.99% facility uptime, something not available in most offices. Cloud providers also protect availability through virtualization. Virtualization simplifies backup and recovery because it doesn’t require rebuilding a physical server environment; you move your virtual machines (VMs) to another system without missing a beat. These networks are designed to routinely back up data to be used in the event of an outage, preventing the potential loss of business data or applications. These Data Centres are also prepared to get your system up and running quickly with little or no downtime.
Maximize Cost Effectiveness
As a business grows, the cost of hardware, software, and maintenance can become taxing on cash flow and, when not adequately maintained, can put your business at risk of a cyber-attack. A Cloud provider ensures your computing environment stays current, including installing security and software patches. The cost of maintaining the Cloud environment is spread over many clients, therefore minimizing the overall costs to any single organization. Utilizing Cloud services means you only pay for the services you need and don’t need to hire and train additional staff.
Instant Access to Cloud Provider Resources with an MSP
When partnering with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) for Cloud services, SMBs tap into a vast skill set. This means there is never a concern if an employee is out of the office due to vacation, sickness, or lacking the required training. Beyond this, MSPs have the skill sets that a business can draw from as needed. This alleviates the requirement to hire new skill sets that may only be required a few hours per week.
SMBs increasingly recognize that hosting their business computing environments in the Cloud ensures a current, cost-effective, and secure solution with access to resources most businesses typically cannot afford.
To discover how Cover-All Managed Cloud and IT Services and help you achieve positive business outcomes, call 1-833-268-3788, or visit https://msp.cover-all.ca/business-outcomes/.