There may not be a more important aspect of IT than cloud computing for small businesses.
When people think of the cloud, they think about storage. While that is one of the uses of the cloud, the possibilities grow far beyond that.
For businesses, enterprise-level tools and solutions are made available to organizations of all sizes. Even implementing a cloud-based solution in a portion of a business’ operation could achieve incredible results.
We’ll discuss some of the most common benefits of cloud computing for small businesses.
Table of Contents
File Sharing
Businesses benefit significantly from having data and information readily available when it’s needed. Jumping to the cloud makes file sharing easy. Through a centralized environment, users can access information or applications, whether or not they are at the office.
This ease of access is a major benefit to businesses that work with clients off-site or for staff who travel for work. Cloud file sharing also makes it possible for staff to work remotely, as more companies are offering that opportunity.
Storage
Users love to have storage, and tech companies love to give what the users want. Back in the day, companies would give out branded USBs like they were nothing. A gig here, a gig there.
If we needed to store documents, we had plenty of space. Now, providers are giving away cloud storage space as part of services. And adding extra space is incredibly affordable.
Individuals aren’t the only ones who benefit from this. Cloud storage has opened a lot of possibilities for businesses. For the longest time, companies would have on-site servers to store all their data, applications, and other business information.
This required investment for both installation and maintenance. A dedicated IT technician would be needed to keep the server running properly.
Now, businesses can store all their business data and information on the cloud. The cloud takes away the need for hosting their server and routine management and maintenance.
Communication
Now, we’ve mostly been talking about the two main functions of the cloud as the public sees it. That’s fair.
Companies have marketed the cloud as an easy way to store and share documents and free up physical space on our phones and computers. However, the cloud is much more powerful than that.
A great example is the ability of businesses to host their entire communication infrastructure on the cloud.
Businesses need reliable communication to get work done. When phones don’t work, or email is down, business comes to a standstill. Moving communication infrastructure to the cloud provides increased reliability and security.
Separating the communications from an on-site server means that no matter what happens on-site, an organization’s phone and email will always be available.
Security
Everything is moving to the cloud, including cybersecurity. As threats evolve and grow in numbers, it only makes sense for IT and cybersecurity companies to offer services through the cloud.
The creation of Security-as-a-Service allows security solutions to be administered remotely. This is especially beneficial to organizations that have a distributed network of employees, and in-person services are not feasible.
Cloud security solutions also take advantage of automation. This is useful when updating hardware and software on a large number of workstations and servers, but also to ensure updates are installed as they are released.
The cloud has afforded small to mid-sized businesses the opportunity to use tools and solutions that were once only available to enterprise-level corporations.
Are you looking to see how your business can take advantage of the cloud? IT Support Guys can help you optimize your environment through the various tools that the cloud provides.
Our team of specialists are cloud experts and are ready to take your business to the cloud. To learn more, call us today at 855-4IT-GUYS (855-448-4897).
