Data from a recent Gartner survey shows that 62% of SMBs (small and midsize businesses) are already taking advantage of cloud computing, whilst 33% are either looking to plan for cloud or evaluating how it could bring ROI/Increase productivity within their business model. Through this article I will not be suggesting that you should be on cloud just because everyone else is doing it, rather, as always, I will be suggesting the benefits that cloud already has given to small businesses for you to make a more calculated decision for what’s best for your business.
It’s no secret that cloud has opened more than a few doors in the small business sector, especially in Australia. Providing the capability for massive information processing tasks for companies of all sizes. Jesse Nieminen, co-founder and chairman of Viima, a management software company, has said; “The cloud is just like electricity a hundred years ago. It makes everything much more efficient and is an exponential enabler for the majority of the technologies of the future.”. Great way to look at it, however, this doesn’t mean that just because cloud technology is the new electricity” you should adopt it without a specific business strategy in mind.
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- Cloud Technology And The Evolution of The Aussie Landscape
- How Blockchain Technology Can Help Small Businesses
- Why You Should Love Data
Cloud technology has already contributed to massive growth across hundreds of sectors, most notably enabling the rise of AI, the internet of things (IoT), and massive-scale information processing and storage on remote servers. Cloud has opened more than a few doors in the small business sector, providing the capability for massive information processing tasks for companies of all sizes. I’ve outlined five innovative benefits of cloud technology for SMBs, these, in my opinion, are the 5 biggest ways companies can benefit from using cloud technology in 2018.
CLOUD for Small Businesses:
1.Scaling the infrastructure
Cloud-based data infrastructure is efficient, inexpensive, and responsive to demand. By paying only for the server load that you need for your business, your costs for the data management can scale with the use, this provides the most economical solution for small businesses. The technology has made paying for massive local space obsolete practices, whilst still bringing higher security from utilising the biggest companies in the world such as Amazons AWS, Microsofts AZURE, Google CLOUD and more.
2.Cloud-based systems
Cloud-based office platforms like Google’s G Suite or Microsofts Office 365 provide better support for group-based projects than traditional programs by allowing multiple users across your organisation to work simultaneously together in real-time.
3.Remote Employees
Being able to work anywhere in the world and being able to communicate with cloud-based office systems allows the employee to now be free to get the work that needs to be done from anywhere. Especially Telecommuters help businesses circumvent many costs associated with brick-and-mortar workspaces. Cloud technology also breaks down social barriers for individuals with small children or a disability, providing a foundation for a more inclusive workforce.
4.Big Data
I went through why you should love data and how Blockchain technology can help small businesses. And this can be utilised by execution also from the cloud, companies are shifting their focus to user-friendly data analytics. Experts recommend around 500 Mbps (contact us for an internet speed assessment, we are a direct seller of fibre optics) for constant cloud-based computing. That enables small businesses to invest in fast internet speeds as opposed to relatively inefficient investments in server capacity and hardware, which can save a lot of money in the long run.
5.Backup and Disaster Recovery
An article you might be interested in:
In a 2017 survey put together the Better Business Bureau, only 35% of businesses said they could remain profitable for more than three months if they lost access to critical data – 35% !!!
Cloud-based storage like Datto or Veeam that are part of our DR range, helps address security concerns by building redundancy into a company’s information management approach. These types of Hybrid systems that backup local data to the cloud in real-time offer protection against security breaches, allowing companies to reduce their reliance on physical infrastructure and manual backups. Datto, for example, uses inverse chain technology so it’s almost impossible for you to lose your data.
Conclusion
Whilst I’m not looking to get you to commit right now to cloud because everyone else has. I suggesting that cloud technology and the new advancements can provide a number of benefits, especially for small businesses. I hope this article gives you an understanding of how cloud can help your business and demonstrated the top 5 ways it can do so.
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