The concept of 'the cloud' can be somewhat confusing and abstract. In it's simplest definition, the cloud is a way to store data and storing data is a central, fundamental function of computers and computing environments. When your organization considers a move to cloud computing, it's important to understand what the Cloud is and is not. 

My goal in this blog is to explain the cloud and it's benefits in the most simple and straightforward way. So, here's what you need to know about the benefits of the cloud:

1. Cost Savings

By storing all your data in the cloud, you don’t need your servers anymore. That means maintenance costs, staffing costs, replacement costs and infrastructure costs can all be dramatically reduced or eliminated. Cloud services often operate on a “pay as you go” model, so it can be more cost effective and cost predictable

2. Scalability

The Cloud can expand as your company grows, and it can quickly respond to the needs of your business. Worrying about having enough computing power and capacity just dropped off your list of speedbumps to improving your company’s future.

3. Access

By definition, the Cloud is accessed through the Internet, so all your files will be much more accessible from any location. For employees who work remotely, this access can be an important source of job satisfaction. It can also improve productivity.

4. Security

There are two kinds of security and the cloud provides benefits for both. The first kind of security is protection from hardware failure to prevent file loss. The cloud is the ultimate backup system to prevent this kind of loss with multiple backups and redundancies built into its data center. The other kind of security trouble comes from hackers and data breaches. With the cloud, you have outsourced this security to a team of professionals who stay up-to-date with all the complexities of an ever-changing threat environment. 

The way you store your data matters. The benefits provided by a cloud computing environment can be an important competitive advantage for businesses both small and large.

When people start talking about hybrid clouds, SaaS, PaaS and IaaS, it’s hard not to tune out. The good news is, you don’t need to know all that jargon (unless you really like that stuff) when you partner with an organization who knows the cloud and how it can benefit your organization. Let Marco be that partner.