Сloud computing dates back to 1961. The idea belongs to American scientist John McCarthy (creator of the LISP language and author of the term “artificial intelligence”). But at that time there were not enough technical means to develop it.
By the early 2000s, prototypes of the modern SaaS model appeared – ASP (Application Service Provider), but still, the market was not ready for it. And today we can witness the third wave of cloud technology development, which seems to be very successful. The cloud industry has been estimated to reach $ 100 billion in 2019, and it continues to grow rapidly.
This technology has become the optimal solution for many businesses, that helps them work more flexibly and productively, while not requiring significant initial investment and costs. For years, companies have refrained from moving to cloud infrastructure for security and other reasons. But today 77% of all enterprises have at least one application in the cloud.
Cloud technology is significantly changing business. Small companies use the possibility to store documents in the cloud and conveniently manage them, while large business players use cloud solutions to save money on the purchase and maintenance of their own data storage infrastructure.
How to Use Clouds for Business?
The speed of innovation reaches such a level that any business does not have the choice to use or not to use new technologies. The task is simpler: innovate or die, i.e. implement innovations, or your business is doomed. So in what areas can cloud solutions be applied?
The most important thing is cloud storage. Digital documents are always available from anywhere in the world and do not pile up in the office computers. Many cloud services allow you to store files and documents with no size restrictions. There are also services that provide access to different clouds through one portal, i.e. when accessing data, you will not notice that you are moving from server to server.
Website hosting and e-commerce. In today’s fast-paced world, no one likes websites that load slowly. By placing your website and online store in the cloud, you will notice that downtime will drop to almost nothing. Especially if you have a reliable provider of file upload API. This way, you will still reach the highest coverage on peak days, such as holidays or sales.
Organization of joint work with data. It is one of the most important aspects of working in the cloud. The services can be accessed by every employee from any device, and it allows you to improve teamwork on a project, reducing time to complete work and endless correspondence by mail.
With regard to data security, documents can be protected with a password or programmed for being deleted after a certain time (several minutes, hours, or days).
A new trend is cloud-based CRM, ERP, and ECM systems. This kind of local system is used by almost every company, regardless of its size. They have all the benefits of cloud storage and collaboration while using a single structured database for storing information.
The benefits of a cloud-deployed system are that you always have access to important data. At the same time, you are protected from data loss if your internal server suddenly fails.
No need to locate servers directly in the office. You can use the services of a third-party company that will provide you with a complete computer infrastructure: servers, storage systems, network equipment, as well as software to manage these resources.
Infrastructure control and management remain with the provider, allowing you to save money on equipment maintenance.
In the event of system failure, cloud technologies will provide a disaster recovery plan. Companies always keep copies of their files as they may be needed in the future. Older data backup systems used hard drives and portable discs.
These physical media had to be sent to storage as soon as they were filled. Cloud storage for backups does not require such an effort and is easy to use. It is especially useful if you are moving your office or switching to other equipment. The protection of information from natural and man-made emergencies, such as fires or floods, should also be considered.
Benefits a Business Gets with Clouds
Improved service.
Customer expectations regarding the development of technology change every second. Until recently, customer service required a lot of time and effort. Many people remember the long and expensive delivery of goods. Now the customer expects a high-quality product or service in the shortest possible time. And he chooses among the hundreds of companies that compete with each other.
So, to remain competitive, a company needs to constantly improve its business model and the quality of goods and services. Cloud technology helps maintain it at a high level.
Infrastructure cost reduction.
The cloud allows avoiding capital investment when upgrading the equipment, as well as reduce the load on the company’s IT department. Due to its flexibility, the cloud provides an opportunity to innovate, optimize business processes, launch new projects in a short time without significant one-time cash investments.
You can increase resources at any time during peak loads on the IT system. In case of an unprofitable project in the cloud, it can be quickly shut down with minimal budget losses.
Increased productivity
Companies that have started to introduce cloud product, immediately admit better performance. And it is easy to explain this phenomenon. Thanks to cloud technologies, team members have access to many communicative tools and solutions immediately when they need them.
Due to increased scalability and high-level interaction, the company saves money. And thanks to effective and flexible instruments accessible at any time and from any location, employees become more productive.
Wrap up
The global lockdown has once again made everyone talk about the digital transformation of business and the importance of cloud technologies in particular. The experts have a unanimous verdict – only those who are ready to implement new technologies and ways of interaction will survive.
Indeed, as the experience of many world businesses has shown, it has been much easier to stay afloat for those who have already had or immediately implemented software that helps teams work harmoniously outside the office.
