Cloud technologies are advancing at a brisk pace and becoming more efficient. Businesses of all sizes are considering moving to the cloud computing services. Cloud storage is one of the most convenient and affordable solutions businesses have gained from improving cloud technology. So, how does cloud storage benefit businesses?
Cloud storage is a computer data storage system in which an application provider and hosting company stores digital data in record numbers on offsite servers.
Every company has unique reasons for making the switch, but we are willing to bet they do not know all the advantages of cloud storage.
We’ve compiled a list of these benefits to show companies, both those that use cloud storage and those that are still deciding, that business growth is often directly related to its benefits.
How Does Cloud Storage Benefit Businesses
1. Secure Backup Storage
Do you follow the 3-2-1 backup rule? This rule encourages companies to create three copies of their data, with the first two stored on two different storage types and the third kept offsite. It ensures that if a disaster, such as a fire, wipes out the two on-site copies, there is still a third copy to fall back on.
Before cloud servers, these third copies were stored on removable hard drives and stored in storage lockers or garages. While better than not having an offsite copy, this could have been more foolproof, leaving data open to theft or damage.
Cloud storage allows you to store a third copy of your data offsite and safely. It only takes a couple of clicks to drop a copy of the files into your cloud storage system, and you are good to go. No matter what happens to your server, computer, or office building, you will always have a safe and secure copy of your data.
2. Increased Security
In other words, companies have vulnerable files that are being targeted, and the frequency of the attacks is increasing.
However, cloud data storage can get you closer to becoming immune to cyberattacks. The most secure file-sharing platforms will offer additional layers of confidence. As long as you take care of the credentials, you can rest assured that you, the approved team members, and your clients can access stored files in the cloud.
Cloud storage also makes the service provider responsible for maintaining the hardware and keeping multiple backups to ensure your data is completely secure and safe.
3. Remote Work
One of the numerous unique benefits of cloud storage is that employees can work remotely. Once all your work files are in the cloud, they can be accessible anywhere using an internet connection. You can do this using a smartphone in tropical regions, on an airplane late at night, and right from your living room couch on a casual Tuesday afternoon.
Allowing for remote work can boost a company’s attractiveness to new applicants, boost morale, and reduce turnover, among the numerous benefits of cloud storage.
4. Increased Productivity
Cloud storage frees up lots of space in office computers, allowing them to work much quicker. Even by saving a minute a day in lag time, a business with 500 employees can suddenly find an additional 2,000+ hours of work time a year by boosting computer speeds via cloud storage.
But that could be only the tip of the iceberg. A survey found that workers with over 10,000 employees spent an astonishing 38 minutes searching for only one document, either by asking coworkers, sending a companywide e-mail, or using a company directory.
With cloud storage, a simple search can find a document in seconds, resulting in an avalanche of suddenly available free time within a business.
5. Cost Savings
The costs of managing servers in-house can immediately add up. There are three costs to consider. First, there’s the direct cost of the server itself and any additional hardware.
Direct costs include electricity, heating, and cooling to maintain the equipment properly. There are also indirect costs, like paying IT staff members and technicians. A final cost to remember is lost productivity if a server goes down.
It’s hard to say the average server cost since there are several variables that must be considered. But when you keep your data in the cloud, you will always have an exact number for your accounting department to record.
The simplicity of paying one fee to keep data is a liberating experience, mainly when it’s lower than the combined costs of storing data in-house.
6. Accessibility
We’ve already stated that data stored in the cloud can be used anywhere with an internet connection. Even though this is great for remote workers and virtual meetings, there’s another important related benefit to consider, especially if you still need to figure out if the advantages of cloud storage are sufficient to make the switch.
Moving physical and virtual data can be time-consuming and difficult if your business moves or opens a secondary location due to growth or an attempt to pursue a better location.
Having data stored in the cloud suggests you hire movers for your furniture, grab your fave coffee mug, and be up and running in your new spot as soon as the internet service is active.
7. Efficiency
When you can quickly access important documents, keep a client’s private data secure and safe, speed up production rates, and offer a seamless experience to your clients, this cloud storage benefit is probably the most important.
8. Wireless Network Management
With cloud-based wireless services, you can manage your entire local area network from a single point. You can use a web browser to handle all your wireless network provisioning, troubleshooting, monitoring, configuration, and firmware management.
Not only is managing everyday tasks easier, but securing your wireless network is also simplified. Through a single pane of glass, you can see the devices that are connecting to your network and monitor security events in real-time.
9. Increased Automation
Updating software is one of the most time-consuming tasks for a team that manages IT resources. Turning to the cloud gives you multiple choices to automate updates to cloud-based applications.
Using solutions provided by your vendor, a third-party application, or even features built into your software solutions, you may leverage this capability to free up your team’s time to work on tasks that help grow your business.
When you switch to the cloud, it’s essential to have clear cloud adoption policies to lead your staff and provide them with the needed training to use this technology safely and securely.
If you are doing this for the first time, you must plan your cloud adoption in stages to fully integrate with your organization’s infrastructure.
Most importantly, you need to identify the problems you will likely encounter, including issues with legacy applications, bandwidth, data compatibility, etc., and develop potential solutions.
You should understand that cloud projects are complex, and it may take time to develop the necessary skill sets for all the involved functionalities.
However, with careful evaluation of your strategy and steady improvement in cloud adoption efforts, your company can successfully become a cloud-first business organization.
In today’s modern world, by not moving to the cloud, you get the risk of falling behind your business competitors and losing your edge in the market. With a great cloud strategy, you can develop a sustainable road map to future-proof your business and for growth.
Key Takeaway
The benefits of cloud storage are numerous. However, one effect they all have in common is that they can help you grow your company. Cloud storage might be the catalyst to success your business needs.
If you wish to learn more about how secure cloud storage can help your business, please get in touch with us today!
