The benefits of Using Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has been around for some time, and while data points to the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and competitive advantages it has, a large part of the business community continues to operate without it.
According to a study by the International Data Group, 69% of companies are already using cloud technology in some way and 18% say they plan to implement cloud computing solutions at some point.
Dell, meanwhile, reports that companies investing in big data, cloud, mobility, and security enjoy revenue growth up to 53 percent faster than their competitors.
As this data shows, a growing number of technology-savvy companies and industry leaders are recognizing the many benefits of the cloud computing trend.
Thinking about it, we brought some relevant information for appropriate knowledge of the subject. Keep reading and find out what the main benefits involving the use of Cloud Computing are for your business.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is an Internet-based computing solution. In the past, people ran applications or downloaded software programs on a physical computer or a local server. Cloud computing allows people to access the same types of applications remotely.
This technology is based on the premise that the main computing takes place on a machine, often remote, that is not the one currently being used. The data collected during this process is stored and processed by remote servers (also called cloud servers).
By hosting software, platforms, and databases remotely, cloud servers free up the memory and potential of individual computers. Thus, users can securely access cloud services with the credentials received from the provider, for example.
What Are the Main Benefits of Cloud Computing?
Here is a list of the key benefits a company can achieve by adopting cloud infrastructure.
Speed
The ability to launch new cloud computing instances in a matter of seconds has reshaped the agility and speed of software development. Developers can easily test new ideas and design architectures without the need to rely on on-premise hardware limitations or bureaucratic acquisition processes.
Security
One of the biggest concerns for all companies, regardless of their size and industry, is the security of their data. Data breaches and other cybercrimes can devastate a company’s revenue, customer loyalty, and brand positioning.
The cloud offers many advanced security features that ensure data is stored and handled securely. Features such as granular permissions and access management through certain roles can restrict access to sensitive data to only those employees who need to access it, thus reducing the attack surface for malicious actors.
However, cloud storage providers implement basic protections for their platforms and the data they process, such as authentication, access control, and encryption. From there, it is up to companies to complement these protections with their own security measures in order to strengthen the protection of data and restrict access to confidential information in the cloud.
Real-time Collaboration
Cloud environments allow for better collaboration between teams: developers, QA, operations, security, and product architects are all exposed to the same infrastructure and can operate simultaneously without stepping on each other’s toes.
Cloud roles and permissions help improve visibility and monitoring of who did what and when to avoid conflicts and confusion. Different environments can be built for specific purposes, such as testing, quality assurance, demonstration, or pre-production.
Data Backup and Recovery
The fact that data can be stored in the cloud without major capacity constraints also helps with backup and recovery purposes.
As end-user data changes over time and needs to be tracked for regulatory or compliance reasons, older versions of the software can be stored for later stages in cases where it would be needed for recovery or rollback.
Permission Control
Having control over sensitive data is vital to any business. You never know what can happen if a document falls into the wrong hands, even if it is just the hands of an untrained employee.
The cloud allows full visibility and control over your data. You can easily decide which users have which level of access to which data. This gives you control and streamlines your work, as the team will easily know which documents are assigned to them.
Furthermore, it will increase and facilitate collaboration. Since a version of the document can be worked on by different people, there is no need to have copies of the same document in circulation.
Competitive Advantage
Not all companies will move to the cloud, at least for now. However, organizations that embrace the cloud find that the many benefits it offers positively impact their business.
The adoption of this mechanism increases every year as companies realize it gives them access to world-class enterprise technology.
By using a cloud-based solution, a company can avoid many issues that affect organizations that rely on on-premises infrastructure.
