Over recent years, technology has come a very long way. This has provided benefits for the average individual on a number of levels. It has also resulted in many new opportunities and benefits for businesses. Companies have taken advantage of modern technology in a number of ways, from cutting costs with digital marketing techniques through to providing employees with the flexibility of remote working.
One area of technology that has proven to be a boom to businesses is cloud technology. Many businesses are now migrating to the cloud and this is for a variety of reasons. If you are considering moving your business’ IT storage to the cloud, there are a number of factors that you need to consider. In order for this to be feasible, you need to ensure that it will have a positive effect on areas such as cost efficiency and security. In this article, I will talk about the basics of moving your business data to the cloud.
Choosing the right cloud services provider to enhance cost efficiency and security
There are many cloud storage for business UK providers these days, so one of the things you will need to do is choose the right one for your business needs. When you are looking for a suitable cloud storage services provider, you need to look at how each one will affect finances and security for your business.
Some of the factors to consider in terms of security include:
Measures to restore lost data: Although it is unlikely to happen with a reputable provider, you also need to consider what would happen if the cloud services provider lost your business data by accident. Make sure you find out what measures are in place to rectify or compensate for this type of problem.
Problems with downtime: All businesses need to have a cloud services provider that is reliable and stable. If you end up with a provider that is continually experiencing issues resulting in downtime, you will face serious issues with both access and security. As such, it is advisable to check on the downtime history of the provider before you make your decision.
The security measures that are in place: Security is of the utmost importance if you are planning to migrate to the cloud. The last thing you want is to compromise the safety of your business data. You should therefore find out what sorts of security measures the provider has in place to protect the data of businesses.
When it comes to the financial side of things, there are also various points you need to consider. This includes:
The cloud services provided: When it comes to cloud services, some providers offer more than others. Some offer the most basic cloud data storage while others provide you with access to everything from access to virtual servers through to online accounting cloud-based services. Before you make your decision, you need to determine your cloud computing requirements. This will make it easier to choose the right provider and get the best value for money.
How much the service will cost: Businesses these days, particularly smaller businesses, have to keep tight control on spending. The cost of cloud services is therefore an important deciding factor when choosing a provider. The ideal solution is to find a provider that only charges you for what you use. If you come across companies trying to implement hefty upfront costs, alarm bells should be ringing. The structure that most providers have in place is a pay as you go one.
The level of support offered: Once you have migrated to the cloud, you need to be sure that you can get expert advice and support when needed. Ideally, you should be able to access support around the clock even during holidays. Without this support, you may experience a range of issues that could affect your business financially as well as in other ways.
Level of flexibility and affordability regarding scaling up: Your cloud storage needs may increase in the future in line with business growth. You need to make sure that the provider you choose is able to accommodate this and provide you with affordable increased storage if and when the time comes. You also need to check that you can add more users to the account just in case you decide to take on more employees in the future.
Making the move to the cloud
Once you have found the right provider and signed up to their service, you will receive your unique account details. It is important to keep these safe, as this is what will provide you with access to your cloud-based data. Once your account is set up and the data is fully migrated, you will be able to access it from any device and from any location as long as you have access to the internet.
One of the reasons why a rising number of businesses have moved to cloud technology is because of the increased protection it offers in terms of data security. If you have important data on your laptop or PC and the device is then stolen, you could be in big trouble. Of course, if you regularly back up the data you will be able to retrieve it. However, if you don’t have an up to date backup, getting the data back could prove impossible.
If your business data is on the cloud, you will be able to retrieve it even if you don’t have a backup. If your device is lost, stolen, or gets damaged, you can simply access the cloud from any other device in order to gain access to the data you need.
Further reading on migrating to cloud
