Better Business Coaching

When weighing up the pros and cons of running a business using cloud technology, the main issues to examine are accessibility, security, cost and impact on the environment. To take these in order, let us consider the benefits in terms of how the cloud makes access to computer data and software easier, since with the cloud everything is reached and stored on the Internet, rather than on one’s personal computer or office server.

The first and most obvious advantage is that the personnel of a company can have access to the firm’s data at any time and from any location, wherever there is an Internet connection. That, increasingly, really means everywhere.

Access is closely linked to security and it is here that one of the drawbacks is encountered. Naturally, the forward-thinking business owner who wishes to consider ‘cutting the cord’ with the grid and opting for the cloud worries about how easily confidential material ‘floating’ somewhere could be accessed.

In order to give oneself the peace of mind that data is no less safe when one has switched to the cloud, find a reliable provider.

Cloud computing services can help with this.Worth finding out from your proposed provider is whether they have an external security standards company monitoring the systems that they oversee for security breaches.

As for fears of loss of data, choose a provider which automatically backs up the online data within your in-house system (space permitting), thus ensuring that a copy exists in the office hard drive.

When it comes to costing the cloud’s benefits, a perceived disadvantage is that with software applications and storage facilities are in the hands of a remote provider unwanted costs may be imposed. On the other hand, savings are undoubtedly made in terms of those programmes (and their subsequent upgrades and new versions) that would otherwise have to be purchased. In the cloud, these are the responsibility of the third party provider who, of course, builds them into their annual fixed fee.

The fact that so many applications existing in the cloud are supplied free is a further cost bonus.

As far as the future development of one’s business is concerned, the elimination of concern about computer space can be interpreted as the  freeing up of IT to deal with more strategic and hence profitable business initiatives.

Finally, as hardware requirments reduce, cloud computing contributes to a more sustainable environment.