Pros and Cons of Cloud Services
January 31st, 2019
Pros
The biggest, most important pro to using the cloud is the safety of your data. Your data is the most crucial part of keeping your business functioning at optimal performance. With your data in the cloud, all of it is protected should a catastrophe occur and all of your onsite hardware is compromised. It simply needs to be restored and put back to good use.
The cost structure of cloud computing is quite different. Rather than purchasing and maintaining your own server infrastructure (and dealing with the unplanned costs and headaches of repairs and hardware outages), you're subscribing to a service where that's taken care of for you. In the long run, this may cost less, or it may cost more, depending on your needs. But it highly simplifies your IT expenses, including the ability to immediately write off the expenses every month rather than having to deal with expensive depreciating assets. This low initial cost can make cloud computing ideal for new businesses, and those interested in keeping their capital expenditures low.
Another pro is the flow that working from the cloud can bring to your office. With your information stored in the cloud, you and your team can sync up and work on documents and shared apps. You even have the capability to share updates in real time. Also, with data in the cloud you and your team could work from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
Finally, if you are one of the many companies going green or you want to be more conscious about the size of your carbon foot print, then cloud is for you! Cloud computing reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions by as much as 30%. The decreased energy use can reach as much as 90%. That is not only beneficial to the environment but is a huge money saver!
Now for some downsides to consider...
Cons
The first and most obvious is internet connectivity. Your cloud is at the whim of your internet connection. Internet outages are not as common as they once were, but they remain a possibility. As long as you have a solid internet connection (whether at your office, your home, or even Starbucks), you're in business!
Ongoing cost can also be an issue. For a company trying to get their feet off the ground, every penny spent can be the difference between profit and loss. While the start-up investment for cloud servers are significantly less than start-up for in house servers, you will have ongoing costs with the cloud. As long as you use the cloud, you will be paying for the cloud.
And finally, one must consider security. Remember that you are entrusting a third party to hold your data. Certain companies with highly sensitive data - or that must meet demanding compliance regulations - should choose cloud services that meet those compliance regulations, or stick with in house IT.
While you are the ultimate judge for your business, cloud computing can be an excellent solution for maintaining productivity and fluidity in your business operations.
If you want some help and guidance in evaluating whether cloud services are right for your business, give us a call and we'll help put your mind at ease.
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