Cloud integration leads to better business performance, but only if done right. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a rapid shift from on-premise applications to a hybrid mix of SaaS (software-as-a-service) and on-premise applications, as well as integration between various cloud providers and platforms.
The ultimate goal of cloud integration is connecting different elements of various resources—both cloud-based and local—into a single environment. Once this is achieved, people that are a part of your organization can access and manage data, applications, and services from that ubiquitous environment.
Your employees and customers will be able to work together to solve problems faster, from anywhere and at any time. Regardless of the size of your business, a planned and smartly executed cloud integration allows you to transfer and translate data seamlessly and quickly, in real-time. 
For example, let’s say you are welcoming a new employee in your team and need to create an “employee profile” that will contain relevant payroll and tax records. The new employee would also need a new email account and access to every collaboration tool your business uses.
With the help of SaaS applications, your I.T. team can easily integrate a “new employee” profile instead of having to perform the needed tasks separately and manually. However, these advantages cannot be fully used if your software, platform, and infrastructure services exist in isolation from one another and their legacy systems.
Cloud integration allows you to have fast and reliable data synchronization, which also eliminates redundant data and improves operational efficiency. By integrating data and services, your business will possess the needed systems to automatically implement various similar tasks that can be performed and edited at any time, and anywhere.
Why is Cloud Integration Important?
Simply put, cloud integration is the key I.T. enabler, the “glue” that connects all areas of operation. Although your I.T. system is not perfect, you still need to have a fully integrated system in place that you, your customers, and employees can rely on.
Postponing cloud integration or dealing with lousy cloud integration will quickly turn into a nightmare.
If you don’t have the right mechanisms to overcome challenges and frustrating events such as partial and complete system failures, system threats, loss of data, or wasted time in managing and entering data into two different systems—your business will inevitably end up with piles of unfinished work, many unproductive hours, and frustrated customers.
The best things about properly integrated systems are reduced complexity and I.T. oversight. Also, it frees up resources your team needs to deliver solutions to customers and partners.
1. System Reliability
Can you rely on your I.T. system when you need it the most? More importantly, do you have the necessary tools and structures to deal with a slowdown or major outage? If your team—regardless whether we’re talking about a room of 5 or 50 employees—is unable to work even for an hour, you are dealing with an expense that is likely to double, even triple, if repeated. Plus, the entire idea of cloud computing is to have your team connected and collaborating whenever it is ideal for your business.
Cloud integration is crucial for system reliability. Getting a certain cloud platform to integrate with all of your various systems and programs is complicated. Thousands of applications across the operating system need to be compatible with many cloud programs that you are using. However, if done right, cloud integration can be extremely beneficial for your organization, providing backup, efficiency, security, and flexibility.
2. Business Agility
Business agility and cloud integration go hand in hand. Your organization can allow seamless and immediate access to your latest products and services only if a fully integrated cloud stack—tools specific to platform-as-a-service (PaaS), infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), and software-as-a-service—is optimized for timely and fast delivery.
A 2015 Oracle survey of 2,263 companies showed that 81 percent of those surveyed believed that cloud agility is either “critically important” or “important” to the success of their business. However, nearly half of the companies either could not or did not know “if they can shift workloads between public, private and hybrid clouds, and migrate on-premises applications to the cloud.” [1]
The survey indicated that many organizations are not flexible in managing their workloads, are slow in developing, testing, and launching new applications, and lack awareness of how platform-as-a-service can help them better prepare to deal with competitive threats.
3. Cost Reduction
Regarding cost-reduction, cloud integration allows the organization to cut operational costs. Reducing the number of people that keep the software running, as well as the need for specialized and expensive talent to manage integration will lower the total cost of ownership.
4. Effective Time Management
Because of cloud integration, your team will be able to do more innovative work and focus on the customer. Cloud applications and an I.T. infrastructure that work seamlessly allow you to focus on the most important things, such as creating a competitive advantage for your business. There will be less need to spend your precious time on operational tasks.
5. Improved Business Processes
Within an organization, sharing information across applications is important. However, without seamless, real-time access to data from other networks and applications, that process is impossible. If you are making it difficult for partners of B2B customers to access your systems how long do you think they will wait until moving on to the next option?
6. Scalability
If your business is doing well this year and you need to scale up, you can easily buy as much cloud service as you need. It has never been easier to quickly increase and decrease as needed. If your cloud applications and technology infrastructure are built to the same standards, there will be no problem with the integration of your cloud services.
Managing business applications and data is a complex challenge, and as we can see, cloud integration is crucial to business success as it allows a smooth movement of data across various applications.
Regardless if you are planning to move, migrate, or take full advantage of the cloud by ensuring seamless cloud integration, JMARK offers a wide array of expert services to help you. With JMARK, you can rest assured that your servers and systems are in great shape and you are using the best cloud computing solutions for your business. Call 844-44-JMARK to learn more.
