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Cloud Technology: Cutting Through the Hype for SMBs

Building and growing a business is hard work, and most SMBs have poured time, resources and energy into getting where they are today. But they are also looking to the future and seeking new ways to grow and thrive. One such strategy for fueling that growth is cloud technology.

In fact, it’s estimated that 78 percent of U.S. small businesses will have fully adopted cloud computing by 2020, which is more than double the rate of today’s adoption. But what is cloud technology and is it right for your business?

Cloud Technology for SMBs: A Quick Primer

The cloud refers to software and services that run via the internet instead of a local computer. Most of these services are accessed through a web browser, such as Firefox or Google Chrome, which makes the technology easy to access from anywhere.

There are four major cloud models, including cloud storage, software as a service, platform as a service and infrastructure as a service. The two most relevant for most SMBs are cloud storage and SaaS.

Cloud storage allows for safe and secure storage of data off-site, which is a major benefit for greater business resilience. With SaaS, you can easily run software, such as Office 365, Google Docs or Dropbox, through an internet browser.

Why Do SMBs Use the Cloud? A Few Major Benefits

If your existing solution works fine, what are the benefits of using cloud services and does it truly make sense to switch?

Here are a few benefits of the cloud for SMBs:

Upgrades are simple. All performance upgrades are handled automatically, which frees up your staff’s time to work on other projects.
Lower costs. Because you don’t need to install physical hardware, it makes the cost of ownership less expensive, allowing businesses to do more with less.
Easier collaboration. The cloud allows employees to collaborate easily regardless of physical location. All employees need is an internet browser, and they can often work from the same master document.
Greater flexibility. Files are no longer stuck on a single server, but instead can flow seamlessly between physical locations and employees. With a rise in remote working, this becomes critical and allows files to be accessed with greater flexibility.

Do you have questions about the benefits of the cloud and how it fits with your business strategy? If so, we can help. Contact us online, or call 212-931-0705 today.

Here are five ways that cloud-based backup saves you time and money:

Data is stored out of harm’s way. Data is the lifeblood of a business, so it’s important to safeguard this asset during an unexpected event. Cloud solutions house data off-site at a secure location. So even if an event strikes, data is safe and secure.

Anytime, anywhere access. Depending on the type of disaster, whether it’s a fire, flood or natural disaster, it may be days or even months before the office can reopen. When data is safely stored in the cloud, employees can access business-critical applications and data immediately to communicate with customers and start conducting regular business.

Automatic backup. The best backup solution is one that operates automatically without requiring any action by employees. Cloud solutions make this possible, with regular backups occurring quietly in the background without disruption or additional resources required from employees.

Speedy recovery. In the past, SMBs may have used recovery tapes. During an unexpected event, a person would need to recall the tape, load it and locate the relevant data. File recovery from the cloud is much faster and doesn’t require physically transporting the data from an off-site location. As a result, files can be restored quickly.

Reasonable cost. If you’re like most small to medium-size businesses, you have a budget, and it may not include a large chunk of resources for capital expenditures on IT resources. Cloud storage allows you to tap into data backup for a reasonable fixed, monthly cost.

Do you have questions about the benefits of cloud backup solutions? If so, we can help. For more information, contact InfoManage online or call 212-931-0705.