Cloud computing has recently hit the mainstream, with various file storage and app management services offered by a number of providers. Businesses, however, have traditionally been very cautious about adopting new technologies, more often than not preferring to take a ‘wait and see’ approach before investing in new infrastructures. With cloud computing, though, the benefits are becoming more obvious with each new development, and the business world is rapidly waking up to the fact that it is here to stay. If you are a business owner and are thinking about adopting a cloud structure to increase your productivity, there are a number of convincing arguments for doing so. Here is a list of the top five:

Greater efficiency/processing power

Processing power has always been an issue for businesses, which have traditionally had to rely on internal servers to run any resource-hungry programs they might need. Cloud management eliminates the need for a dedicated server entirely, meaning processing can be performed by a third party in a different location. The simple fact that cloud computing makes accessing all your business’s files and applications quick and easy is a strong enough argument as any.

Cost

Shifting processing power into a cloud also has the knock-on benefit of cost efficiency. Because cloud management services usually have multiple clients, they can distribute resources accordingly. The upshot is that businesses only end up paying for the amount of storage and computing power that they actually use, making an entire IT department much more efficient in one fell swoop.

Security

Because cloud management necessarily entails handing over all of a company’s resources and information to a third party, security is a legitimate concern. It’s perfectly understandable that you should want your company to be defended against the threat of outside attacks, as well as internal vulnerabilities. The good news is that there are a number of ways that cloud management companies meet the security needs of their clients. Many platforms offer round-the-clock protection, often with teams of world-class security analysts on staff. Not to mention the fact that you can access various security tools and view system details from any device, through one portal. Chances are it’s going to be a lot more secure than your current setup.

Maintenance

Security is not the only thing that can cause businesses to grind to a halt. Maintenance and system updates are often extremely time-consuming inconveniences that place a strain on IT departments’ resources. With cloud management, server maintenance is carried out by the provider, as well as any updates that need to be made, again, saving your company time and money.

Ease of access

A huge benefit to cloud computing is that your files can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection – the implications of this for business are huge. No longer do you have to wait for colleagues to send important files to you from the company server: cloud platforms can be accessed from any device. In effect, anywhere with an internet connection can become your company headquarters. Industry expert Michael Moore recently summed up the way cloud computing is changing the way do business: ‘You can work from home, office or even while travelling because cloud services enable us to log on to our data on cloud with any device’.