The cloud is not only a necessary technology in a highly competitive business environment
Cloud сomputing today for tomorrow’s needs. Source: Comarch ICT
Digital transformation is inevitable for any business which wants to stay in the game. Together with an increasing number of devices producing data (ever-smarter smartphones, smartwatches, monitoring devices, the IoT, and so on) and the trend of digitization in public administration, organizations of any kind need to be able to store and process data efficiently and securely.
This is why cloud computing has become one of the most popular technologies in recent years, and will only become more common in the future.
Benefits of cloud
The cloud is not only a necessary technology in a highly competitive business environment. It is also a solution which offers many benefits to businesses.
Among these benefits are:
Lower costs: cloud lets you go from physical infrastructure to a service model so you don’t have to buy (and then administer and maintain) costly infrastructure. What’s more, most cloud providers offer a pay as you go model so you pay only for actual usage.
Easy and more cost-efficient scaling: with cloud resources available on-demand, you can add capacity immediately, whenever you need it. If you need to scale down during slow periods you can do that easily too – so you don’t waste money on unused resources.
Agility: using cloud services enables you to change your business strategy from Capex (capital expenditure) to Opex (operational expenditure). It also helps to optimize costs and lets you react quickly to rapid changes in demand.
Better time to market: with the cloud you can easily access additional resources to speed up work on a product. Unlike in the traditional approach, your employees can start using applications immediately, without weeks of preparation (buying hardware, configuration, and installation, etc.)
Your IT team can focus on developing the product instead of administrative work.
Choose your type of cloud computing
You can make your choice after comparing cloud services from different providers, offered in different types and models. Here are the most important ones:
Public cloud: the best solution from the financial point of view as you pay only for resources you use and can easily scale up or down. In the public cloud, infrastructure is hosted (and managed) in the cloud service provider’s data center. Different customers share the same computing services, but their data and applications are hidden from other customers.
Private cloud: in this type of cloud the infrastructure and computing resources are dedicated to one customer only. For many companies, this is a solution that helps them meet compliance (data protection, sensitive data, security of confidential documents) requirements.
Hybrid cloud: a combination of a private and public cloud, which let its users benefit fully from the advantages of both type of clouds – including increased security, data protection, flexibility and optimized IT spending.
Multicloud: another combination, but using clouds from different providers (AWS, Alibaba, Comarch, Google, etc.). Of course, in this model, you can still use the public and private cloud.
Boost your company’s performance
The cloud market is growing rapidly. Not only does it offer huge benefits to organizations of any size (let’s not forget that the cloud also helps companies deal with the shortage of IT professionals that is predicted to become even more problematic in the near future), but it can also make a significant contribution to the development of technologically advanced solutions and products.
Scalability and the possibility of immediate use in production departments make the cloud perfect for big data analysis (used for marketing, finance, and advanced predications of trends), the IoT (increasingly popular, as customers want more devices to be smart), and AI (machine learning and deep learning). There is no doubt that companies need better tools, or that the cloud is currently the best one available.
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Cloud computing directly enables the enhancement of cybersecurity measures. By leveraging centralized data storage and advanced encryption methods, cloud providers ensure robust security protocols that can be more sophisticated and dynamically updated as per the latest threats, unlike traditional on-site systems. Additionally, the utilization of cloud infrastructure facilitates more streamlined compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA, by implementing standardized policies that are strictly monitored and updated.
Another aspect where cloud computing is making a significant impact is in mobile workforce enablement. With the aid of cloud-based tools and applications, employees can access necessary data and systems from anywhere, anytime, ensuring business continuity. This mobility support enhances collaboration among employees who are operating across varied geographical locations and supports the implementation of flexible work policies which can be a crucial factor in attracting and retaining talent.
Environmental sustainability is also being promoted through the adoption of cloud computing. Data centers designed for cloud services are increasingly employing green practices, including energy-efficient building designs and using renewable energy sources. This not only helps in reducing the environmental footprint but also assists companies in achieving their sustainability goals.
Furthermore, cloud-based disaster recovery strategies provide organizations an effective way to back up and restore data in case of a disaster. Such cloud services can dramatically reduce the downtime and the costs associated with data recovery processes. These strategies are typically easier to manage and implement, offering a flexible approach to cope with various unexpected scenarios, ensuring business operations can quickly resume with minimal disruptions.
