Cloud computing is no longer simply a novel approach to addressing an organization’s information technology (IT) requirements. It has become an integral part of the business computing landscape with an estimated market size topping $380 billion in 2021. The percentage of corporate data stored in the cloud is approaching 60%, representing significant growth in the past several years.
Companies of all sizes are taking advantage of the cloud and the variety of cloud-based solutions on the market. If your business is not already taking advantage of the benefits of cloud computing, now could be the time to make a move. Let’s discuss the signs that indicate it may be time to start migrating some of your computing environment to the cloud.
Signs Your Business is Ready for the Cloud
The cloud offers companies many advantages that can address immediate business needs or help prepare for future growth. Your company is ready for the move to the cloud when it is exhibiting any of the following conditions.
The need for additional storage capacity
Addressing a lack of storage capacity is often a company’s first foray into cloud offerings. Public cloud providers offer virtually limitless storage capacity and scalability. In today’s data-driven business world, companies are accruing information at a dizzying pace. Storing all this data efficiently can be difficult using on-premises options.
Purchasing storage devices is expensive and requires space to deploy in a data center. If business requirements suddenly change, a company can wind up with excess storage capacity that is simply draining the IT budget. Conversely, growth can make an expensive storage device obsolete as soon as it’s delivered due to expanding capacity requirements.
Challenges supporting remote workers
The remote workforce is rapidly growing due to many reasons including COVID-19 and environmental concerns. It can be extremely challenging for companies employing a traditional IT environment to support their remote workers. Implementing remote connectivity ineffectively can result in security vulnerabilities and reduced productivity.
Cloud resources are available to anyone at any time and in any location as long as they have an Internet connection. This facilitates supporting a mobile workforce by giving employees the freedom to access company data and applications whenever they need them.
Your business is growing
A business may require many different types of IT resources to support growth. It can be difficult to efficiently gauge the rate of growth to properly provision on-premises computing and storage capacity. The tendency is to over-provision to avoid shortages at the cost of an increased financial commitment.
The cloud eliminates this problem by allowing a business to obtain the resources they need now with the flexibility to modify those requirements whenever necessary. Continued growth can be addressed by increasing the cloud footprint while resources can be trimmed and costs reduced if the additional capacity is not needed.
Collaboration is becoming difficult
Teamwork and collaboration are hallmarks of the modern business world. The ability for teams to work together efficiently no matter where they are located is essential. Businesses cannot afford the reduced productivity and slower time to market resulting from conducting meetings and work sessions in person.
The centralized and always accessible nature of cloud resources makes them a perfect solution for collaborative work. Moving to the cloud helps foster teamwork whether team members are located down the hall or across the globe.
Security is becoming a concern
All companies need robust IT security to protect their valuable systems and data assets. Keeping up with the constantly evolving tactics of cybercriminals is difficult for in-house security teams. Maintaining security and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data has become increasingly challenging with the growth of the mobile workforce.
Cloud providers have dedicated security teams who will help customers configure and manage their resources securely. They have the experience and skills necessary to protect your environment while providing the access required by your employees.
You want access to cutting-edge technology
Public cloud providers offer access to cutting-edge technology that can be out of reach for the average company with a traditional, on-premises IT environment. In many cases, advanced applications require additional infrastructure components that an organization cannot afford or doesn’t have the space to house. Ignoring innovative computing solutions can hurt a company’s ability to compete with market rivals.
Moving to the cloud allows an organization to employ the newest computing technology to solve problems and meet business objectives. Powerful artificial intelligence and machine learning applications enable a data-driven business to maximize the value of its information resources.
The IT budget is tight
The cloud offers companies multiple ways to maximize their IT budget. Capital expenditures can immediately be reduced by renting resources from a cloud provider instead of purchasing equipment for an on-premises data center.
The flexibility and scalability of cloud computing enable organizations to only pay for the resources they use. Computing power and storage can be scaled to reflect changing business requirements. With cloud computing, companies can ensure unnecessary and expensive resources are not sitting idle and costing money that could be better spent elsewhere.
Beginning a Successful Cloud Computing Journey
The path to effectively using cloud resources can be challenging. Partnering with an experienced managed service provider (MSP) like VAST can help smooth out the bumps. Their extensive experience with cloud technology enables them to determine which solutions will work best to meet your unique business objectives. The implementation may make use of public, private, or hybrid cloud resources configured to your business requirements.
A great place to begin the journey to the cloud is with a VAST discovery and assessment. The process thoroughly evaluates a company’s IT environment to develop a deep understanding of how to optimize the use of cloud resources. VAST ensures your company gets the maximum benefits from the move while minimizing costs and risks to the business. Let VAST help pave the way when it’s time for your business to move to the cloud.
