Whether it’s texting or buying groceries, more and more of our day-to-day lives rely on the internet. Why? It’s fast, reliable and requires no physical effort or storage. So, it seems only logical for businesses to take advantage of these benefits too. To remain competitive, it’s become almost essential for them to do so.
Whether your business is selling products or processing data, you need sufficient processing power, storage space and a comprehensive suite of applications and programmes which run flawlessly. That’s where cloud computing comes in.
In this post, we explore cloud computing and how it can help boost your business.
The way things were
Before the advent of cloud computing, businesses required a significant amount of capital outlay to achieve all of the above. A prospective business owner would have to invest in the relevant hardware before launching their operation. It also made the whole process risky and problematic, since it would be all-but impossible for an entrepreneur to gauge exactly how much firepower they would need. If they overestimated uptake of their product or service, they’d be left with unused servers that bleed the coffers dry. On the other hand, if they undershoot things, customers or staff might experience slow loading times, glitches or even total outage. Obviously both scenarios are undesirable. But they’re also both eliminated with cloud computing.How does it all work?
With cloud computing, all of the physical servers and hardware are owned by the cloud services platform, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS). These providers have access to a virtually unlimited supply of processing power and database storage space. They can then lease these commodities to any company which requires them, thus meeting the needs of everyone without overcharging anyone. By contracting a cloud computing company, users can access these IT resources on-demand. This means they can create a top-of-the-range website or application which is guaranteed to function perfectly 24/7, but only ever pay for the specific resources they use. As a result, their business can achieve nimble scalability, deliver a robust customer experience and look after the bank balance all at the same time. Simply put, cloud computing combines all of the advantages of a traditional computing experience but with none of the risk. Top Tip: If you’re struggling to keep up with the lingo, check out this resource: Cloud Computing Terminology: The Ultimate Guide.What are the benefits of cloud computing?
Migrating from the traditional form of online business management to cloud computing brings with it a whole host of benefits, including the following:- Pay-as-you-go. Instead of stumping up a large amount of capital upfront without any tangible idea of how much server power you’ll actually need, cloud computing allows you to only pay for the services you use.
- Scalability. In the same manner, you can easily expand your operations to meet customer demand at hours of peak traffic on your site, for instance, as well as dropping down to reduced server charter when things quieten down. In this way, you’ll achieve optimum scalability and can easily take your business to the next level, without breaking the bank.
- Performance. With unlimited database space and incredible processing capacity at your disposal, you can ensure that all comers of your company are running smoothly, with no downtime, delays or error messages.
- Prioritisation. Ask any business what they’d most like to concentrate on, and they might answer developing their product, increasing their target market or improving conversion rates. Not one of them will reference acquiring, maintaining and optimising server capacity. Outsource this onerous task and you’ll free yourself up for more lucrative matters.
- Agility. What if you could rapidly enhance the time it takes for an idea to progress from the drawing board to the shop floor? With the capabilities of cloud computing, this scenario is completely possible. Get your developers the resources they need at the touch of a button, bringing down research and development costs and speeding up processing times.
- Globalisation. With a cloud computing on your side, you’ll have the requisite firepower to access a far bigger client base than was previously possible. Essentially, this means that the sky is the limit for expanding your business and reaching new markets.
