When it comes to doing business, there is always a need to store data electronically. Traditionally, this has involved finding internal storage space and maintaining an IT team to make sure everything is working. Cloud storage is the high-tech version of those storage facilities where you put extra stuff you don’t have room to store at your own place. Many professionals are discovering the many benefits of storing data in the cloud as an alternative to finding internal hard drive and server space.
Data Loss Protection
Before cloud storage became a viable option, businesses had to rely solely on the reliability of their servers. Once down, your business pretty much comes to a grinding halt until the IT team does their thing. With cloud storage, all your data is stored on a remote server. This means that if your server goes down, you can still access whatever data you have stored in the cloud. For added protection, you can even store copies of your files in the cloud as backup.
Saving Money On Software
With traditional file access, every computer needs to have the right software to be able to correctly access and use your data. By turning to cloud computing, you don’t have to worry about buying expensive software. Business software, in particular, can be costly when you factor in licensing fees. With cloud computing, you can access your data from any device with an Internet connection without using any software on your end. The only requirement is that everybody accessing the data has to do so with the same cloud storage company. Most companies offering this technology have special business accounts to allow widespread access.
Saving Money On IT Staff
Maintaining an IT staff can easily eat up a large chunk of your budget. At the same time, most businesses can’t sacrifice when it comes to IT staff since that could spell disaster if something goes wrong. With cloud storage, the maintenance is taken care of behind the scenes. This doesn’t mean there may not be the occasional technical issue on your end, but you don’t need a full IT staff to keep everything running.
Increasing Business Capacity
Cloud storage frees up internal space. This is a valuable asset for a smaller business that doesn’t have the money to spend on multiple servers or a large IT staff to handle the demands of storing a bunch of data. Additionally, many smaller businesses may not have the space for multiple servers. With cloud storage, even a small business can expand operations and do business on a larger scale without stretching any already tight budget.
Increasing Flexibility
As any professional will tell you, business is rarely done in one place these days. Normally, you are limited when it comes to what data you can access remotely. You either have to have someone manually send you the files you need or you have to have a hard copy of any documents you need. Cloud technology allows you to access your data anywhere with a mobile device that has an Internet connection. You can do more work in the field or travel without losing access to important data.
Finally, most cloud storage companies only charge you for the space you use. You always have the option to use more cloud storage space as your data storage needs grow along with your business. Many cloud storage services offer a free trial period, so you can easily give it a try before you make the leap. Cloud technology isn’t perfect, but many cloud storage companies make security a top priority. Even just using cloud storage as a backup location for your files can be a lifesaver. See for yourself why many professionals on all levels are getting and staying organized in the cloud.
Author Bio: Rosa Smith uses aVirtual hosting cloud servers from ProfitBricks’ minute based cloud computing pricing when working remotely on her personal blog and online for business!