As a business leader, you rely on I.T. for support every day. But as important as it is for every aspect of modern business operations, the best I.T. often operates in the background, mostly unnoticed as it supports all the work you do.
One of today’s most talked about technologies, cloud computing, does the majority of its work literally out of sight since it allows you to tap into resources hosted in a remote location from your office. Here are eight freedoms that cloud computing can give you which will allow you to “forget” your I.T. and focus on the unique products and services of your business.
- Freedom from Unnecessary Costs
When you first set up your business, you have a lot of hardware and software to buy if you’re going the traditional I.T. route. First, you have to build a data center. Then, you have to fill it with all the equipment you’ll require to meet all the expected needs of your business.
When you choose cloud computing, you eliminate the need to build and run a data center. You don’t need a large I.T. infrastructure, either. You don’t need as much hardware to accomplish your daily workload. Instead, you rely on the computing power you get from the cloud, managed by your I.T. provider. This cuts unnecessary costs from your budget.
- The Freedom of Scalability
With traditional I.T. infrastructure, you have to be prepared for peak use all the time. You need to have processing power sufficient to handle your busiest occasions even during downtime. For example, if you have a major promotional push during a certain time of year, your technology will need to handle the extra traffic. If you plan your technology around meeting the needs you will encounter at that time, what will you do with all that infrastructure during low sales periods?
By switching to cloud computing, you can have all the capacity you need, but only when you actually require it. When extra resources are not necessary, you can scale back easily. You don’t have to maintain equipment that’s sitting idle. You pay for just what you need.
- Freedom from Data Loss
One of the primary tasks you face in business today is preventing data loss. With traditional I.T., this can be an uphill battle, because all your data is in one place, making it more vulnerable to loss. With cloud computing, though, you have all the capacity you need for storing your data, with redundancy built into the system. At the same time, your data is kept secure and private for the sole use of your company.
- Freedom to Share
With cloud computing, collaboration is much easier than with traditional I.T. You can access and share information with other groups in real time. Because you can meet virtually to share data and work together, you may be able to reduce the need for business trips and in-person meetings.
It’s also easier to manage mergers and acquisitions when you’re on the cloud. The companies can come together in virtual space without excessive time and effort spent merging the data and processes of both business entities.
- Freedom to Work from Wherever
Cloud computing is available wherever you have an internet connection. You and your team members can take your business wherever you need to go. Work from home, at a remote work site in the field, from customers’ homes or offices, or even from the beach while on vacation. No matter where you go, all the power of your I.T. system is available for you to use on your mobile devices, tablets, or laptops.
- Freedom from Downtime
One of the greatest frustrations in dealing with traditional I.T. is the downtime. When you have one system that is maintained at your business site, it doesn’t take much for problems to happen. Every time your system goes down, you need help from I.T. services. With cloud computing, there is virtually no downtime. You have a reliable connection that you can use whenever and wherever you need it. If one server goes down, you’ll still be able to access software and applications from a working machine.
- Freedom from Outdated I.T.
Traditional I.T. is a major investment. Unfortunately, once you buy it, it begins to age. Technology keeps moving forward, but your system is stuck in the time when you bought it.
The good news is that you don’t have to live with the burden of constantly replacing outdated I.T. With cloud computing, the provider takes care of updating and renewing the system you use. You stay up to date without constantly replacing old equipment on your own.
- Freedom with SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS
Traditional I.T. usually includes software you buy, keep at your location and on your computers, and upgrade once a year. Software as a Service (SaaS) allows you to have the latest software all the time. Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing system in which you get the hardware and software you need over the internet.
With cloud computing, you also get Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). You’re in constant control of what hardware and software you’re using and what infrastructure you’re running. Meanwhile, you can use PaaS to build your own business-specific apps.
Freedom has many meanings. Freedom can mean an ability to do as you wish without limitations. It can mean you aren’t held back by circumstances. Freedom can also mean you have complete control over your company’s I.T.
Enjoy the freedoms of cloud computing every day to increase your business success while avoiding the frustrations of dealing with traditional I.T. When you do, you’ll cut the cost of maintaining extensive infrastructure.
Yet you’ll still have all the computing power you require, when and where you need it and without downtime. You’ll have full access to your data and be able to share it quickly and efficiently. With IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS, you can have all the tools you need without waiting for yearly updates.
Your ultimate I.T. freedoms are waiting for you with cloud computing. You can learn more about what cloud computing is, how it works, and how to get started. Just contact JMARK at JMARKIT@JMARK.com, call 844-44-JMARK, or use this website’s Contact Us page to find your place in the cloud. JMARK is a managed services provider that can set you up on the cloud and be there to take care of your I.T. needs all along the way.
