There is still a certain amount of confusion about what cloud computing really is, and whilst a significant number of businesses have moved their technological processes into the cloud, others still seem wary of this relatively uncharted water.
In essence, cloud computing is using storage systems or operating systems that are hosted on the internet. It allows individuals to reduce their financial commitment to ICT, whilst improving the ICT solutions they have access to, all whilst increasing the physical space they have available to them and allowing them to work from wherever they want as opposed to being confined to fixed workspaces.
The benefits of cloud computing go far beyond increased efficiency and reduced costs though, and the potential offered by this new way of working has prompted many to speculate that this is the way in which all businesses will operate in the future.
A sensible solution
Cloud computing offers almost unlimited flexibility to a company. Not only will such solutions allow businesses to employ workers remotely, but it will also ensure that a company can upscale and downscale their ICT solutions as needs dictate. Whether more storage is suddenly needed or a huge amount of bandwidth is required unexpectedly, cloud solutions can adapt to the needs of businesses instantly rather than opportunities being missed or data being compromised.
Such an approach to business computing also ensures that companies always have access to the data they need, and that they always have access to the latest software to boot. With data spread across multiple storage points, the cloud will also protect data as well as keeping it perfectly accessible to businesses remotely, even in the case of power failure.
A collaborative approach
Using remote computing solutions means that individuals are no longer tied to a desk. They can work from anywhere, whether that involves carrying out work at home or on the move, helping businesses to reduce overheads further and also ensuring that important data will always be to hand whenever an individual needs it.
This approach not only saves a great deal of time, but also ensures that individuals will always know if a document is being altered and that staff are all working from the right version, in the right format, rather than creating many different alternatives, none of which are definitive. At the same time, businesses can be sure that documents will never be lost again, reducing wasted time and vastly increasing corporate and information security.
This remote storage of data also increases the potential for collaboration by allowing individuals to sync documents and work on them together in real time, no matter whether they are metres apart or separated by oceans. At the same time, an ability to collaborate remotely will ensure businesses can hire staff in a more flexible manner, choosing the right individuals for a job as opposed to those who simply live in the immediate vicinity.
A cost-effective approach
Utilising cloud computing ensures businesses pay for what they need, when they need it, rather than investing huge amount of money into capital assets that may not be needed in their entirety for many years. This not only improves cash flow, but can also allow even the newest start-up to compete with major, established companies.
Whilst the cloud will be useful for almost any business, SMEs will undoubtedly benefit the most, ensuring they can have the same resources, potential and security as their bigger competitors without facing excessive financial risk.
Alan Holmes is a freelance writer and blogger. He regularly writes articles about technological solutions for businesses using sites such as London Cloud to stay up to date with the latest industry news.
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