Three Ways To Use The Cloud To Your Business’s Advantage

March 27, 2018 Off By David
The cloud is not a new concept, in fact, people around the globe have been utilizing this handy tool since 2006. In theory, this expansive space can be used for almost any files and data your company, or you personally may need. For example, it’s not uncommon to hear of people syncing their smartphone contacts and their photos to ‘the cloud’ to keep them safe, thereby freeing up precious storage space on their device.

Likewise, an increasing number of businesses are migrating their data systems from hardware to these providers. No matter what industry you are a part of, whether it’s a unique graphic design firm or a large manufacturing operation, the cloud is here to stay and getting on board now will save you time, money and resources. So, what are the ways you can use it to the best of your ability? Below are three ways.

Allow Remote Working

One of the best ways, for both employee and employer, that the cloud has revolutionized the business world is allowing remote working. It is expensive to rent and furnish an office, especially if you are newly starting out in your business venture. However, with the cloud software, the need for an office, in a location your staff can easily travel to, is reduced. It means that any overheads of staffing are something you don’t necessarily need to factor into your budget heavily. Instead, all the tools you need to provide your employees is with a device they can easily access their files and work from, perhaps a laptop or tablet device, and of course, the cloud itself. It eliminates the need for recruiting staff from your immediate location; you can branch out further afield, to even another country entirely to find the best talent for the role.    

Hosting Extensive Data

Of course, if you have an attractive and easy-to-navigate website like those designed at Sacramento Web Design, you need somewhere to host it, and it has to be somewhere reliable and secure. Cloud web hosting means that instead of one centralized server, you use a resource of several, perhaps even more. By utilizing the use of the cloud for hosting the data and documents associated with your site, you can easily access it wherever you are. It means that should the worst happen in your small business and you need to remove your website from public use, if you’re sitting on the beach in the Caribbean, you can access the platform and pull the plug. Alternatively, by hosting your company website on the cloud, it means it’s easy to grow as you don’t have to rely on the hardware space available. 

Keep Your Data Secure

There have been arguments over whether the cloud is reliable and secure, or whether it is, in fact, easier for cybercriminal to hack into and steal your data. However, as security becomes more of a focused theme within the cyber world, the provider of cloud software are doing their utmost to keep this valuable tool as safe as possible. Unfortunately, there is no magic security system that will keep cybercriminals out, especially those extremely advanced with their skills. However, businesses should feel at peace that each cloud storage system uses a specific encryption key – which only the service and the users themselves hold. This key is what users need to get into the cloud system, and it enables each piece of data to be encoded when the user enters the system. What is truly important in this case, is that the key (much like passwords to your computer) is kept secret and hidden. Only then will the cloud truly be secure.