Cloud Computing – The Frequently Asked Questions

While many businesses have already turned to The Cloud, and with even more transitioning to it after it became crucial to adapt during the pandemic. Behind China and the USA, the UK is the third biggest investor in cloud computing (£10 billion), and this number grows year by year.

Rapidly changing from a nice alternative of how businesses operate to becoming the backbone of everything the business does, now may be the best time to transition to the cloud. But, no decision should be made without properly understanding what The Cloud is and how it can help your business.

Below you will find some of the FAQ’s about cloud computing.

What Exactly Is ‘The Cloud’?

In the simplest of terms, cloud computing is the delivery of computing services which includes servers, storage, databases and other crucial business components over the internet or as it is referred to, The Cloud.

This method of using a network of remote servers, hosted in the Cloud, to store, manage and process data, rather than hosting it locally has become increasingly popular over the years.

What Are The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Cloud Computing?

The adoption of cloud-based computing is certainly in part due to the efficiency and cost-saving benefits that it delivers, making it very appealing to companies with limited IT staff and/or budgets. With an on-site server often requiring on-site staff to maintain as well as being more costly, it is clear that the better financial decision would be to adopt the cloud. Equally, the efficiency does not drop off with the cloud and it is still just as if not more effective as its on-site counterpart.

Swapping to a cloud-based environment is undoubtedly a relatively risk-free decision but there can be one glaring exception to this. When choosing a cloud-based provider, you must pick the right one, as choosing a low-quality service provider can be detrimental to any organisation. Due to the amount that is stored in the cloud and its importance, this may place all of the responsibility for their business’ IT solutions on the shoulders of a third party, and choosing a low-quality service provider could end up being not only costly but damage reputation. Additionally, any organisation that is considering cloud computing services has to ensure that they have a proper cloud strategy and have assessed the scalability, availability, and flexibility of the cloud solutions they plan to adopt.

What’s The Cost Difference Of Cloud Storage And On-Site Servers?

Microsoft reported that 82% of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) gain cost savings as a direct result of cloud adoption. A major factor of why organisations tend to adopt a cloud-based environment revolves around the cost-effectiveness of the cloud. This reflects not only the cost of set-up and maintenance but also the saving on hiring IT staff.

Regardless of cost, your business’ data must be protected. At Fitzrovia IT, our tailored IT solutions increase operational efficiency and minimise downtime. Our team makes it a priority to ensure your IT needs are fully covered, so you can focus on your business.

How Secure Is The Cloud?

Some assume that due to the cloud being internet-based, this makes it more susceptible to a breach. However, cloud services are often more secure than their on-site counterpart due to cyber attackers using many techniques to access the data on your hard drive. This isn’t to say that the cloud is impenetrable from attack. To learn more about prevalent cyberattacks and how Fitzrovia IT can help you, read our latest guide on ‘The Most Common Types of Cybersecurity Attacks’.

Cloud-based providers deploy many tactics to secure the data such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, constant updates, and backups to ensure that your business’ data is as secure as possible.

The following statistics back up the notion that the cloud is not only secure but can also be seen as an improvement from previous methods.

• 94% of businesses claimed they saw an improvement in security after switching to the cloud
• It is reported that 83% of companies store sensitive data in the cloud
• Microsoft reported that 94% of SMEs gain more security by moving to the cloud and report fewer security incidents

What Are The Benefits Of Cloud Storage Versus On-Site Servers?

Cloud-based storage offers users the ability to access their data from a remote location, making it vastly appealing after the events of the past year. 74% of companies plan to permanently shift to a more remote working pattern post-COVID-19, and cloud-based storage makes it easy for them to access the necessary data. There is also an increase in security measures which allows for greater control over data stored in the cloud rather than individually controlled computers from an on-site server. Additionally, with cloud storage, your overall storage can easily grow through paying for a larger capacity to match the ever-growing business, whereas this proves to be more difficult with an on-site server.

Companies that choose to shift to the Cloud do so for various reasons, with benefits such as increased flexibility, easier scalability, and of course cost savings. If you want to find out more about Fitzrovia IT’s migration services or any other enquiry, get in touch today.