Everyone is Using the Cloud

There is a lot of talk about “the cloud.” Is it a fad, or is this a good decision for your business?

WHAT IS THE CLOUD?

The cloud refers to software and services that run on the Internet, instead of locally on your computer. Most cloud services can be accessed through a Web browser like Firefox or Google Chrome, and some companies offer dedicated mobile apps.

Some examples of cloud services include Google Drive, Apple iCloud, Netflix, Yahoo Mail, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive.

So, instead of investing in your own hardware such as a server or a PBX phone system, you actually pay for the services you use off a larger hardware system not located on your premises. You access them over the internet.

IS THE MIGRATION TO THE CLOUD REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN?

Look at these facts:

·      Microsoft spent 90% of their 2011 R&D budget on developing their cloud.

·      Microsoft spent 90% of their 2016 R&D budget on improving cloud technology and security.

·      Microsoft’s budget in 2013 was $10.4 billion, or 13.4% of their sales.

·      Forbes predicts that cloud computing will increase from $67 billion in 2015 to $162 billion in 2020, for a compounded annual growth rate of 19%.

·      74% of CFO’s said that cloud computing will have the most measurable impact on their business in 2017.

·      Cloud compute spending is estimated to grow at 6 times the rate of IT spending between 2015 and 2020.

·      In 2017 public cloud adoption is now at 81%. Azure grew from 26% to 43% adoption, while AWS grew to 59% adoption.

·      Companies that go to the cloud on average save 50% on their operational costs. 70% of companies use that savings to invest that money back into their core competency.

WHY GO TO THE CLOUD?

The benefits of going to the cloud include:

·      Security – it offers increased security because the platforms in the cloud are larger and more state of the art. The companies that own the servers in the cloud know that security is a non-optional necessity. They run more timely updates and patches to absolutely protect the integrity of the data on their platform.

·      Encryption - Strong local encryption protects your data from unauthorized access with up to 256-bit strong keys even before it is transmitted to the cloud. Any data sent to the cloud is automatically encrypted using the hardened SSL protocols which eliminate the possibility of an outsider gaining access to it. All data can be optionally encrypted at rest in the data center. This adds an extra layer of security for the most critical data to ensure protection.

·      Stability – Cloud facilities are built with multiple forms of redundancy, as well as disaster recovery architecture that isn’t affordable to the single user on premise platform.

·      Scalability – Storage capacity can quickly and easily be scaled up or down depending on demand.  Rather than spend capital on hardware, including excess capacity for expected growth, this is a pay as you go model. This redirects capital to be used on your business’ core competency. Uber is another example of a pay as you go model. Rather than buy a car, some just use Uber whenever they need transportation. 

·      Reduce Total Cost of Ownership – It is estimated that the total cost of ownership is on average 50% less for cloud compute versus purchasing hardware that has a fixed life.

·      Simplicity - Manageability of virtual servers is simpler because you can easily connect to the server’s console remotely without the need for special remote-access hardware.

To find out if the cloud is right for your business, contact us today at (866) 998-3282, or visit our website at www.TopSpeedData.com.