In 2014 an estimated 37% of small businesses use cloud computing, according to a report named Small Business Success in the Cloud from a consulting firm Emergent Research. By 2020 this percentage is expected to rise to 78%.
It is incredible the way that the cloud has taken over our personal and business lives. It has been a surge of transformation in our daily data storage and interaction activities. There is no doubt that we have become more information hungry. We have become more picture and media hungry. We have therefore adopted this technology in our lives across different devices to enable us to interact with our ‘extended knowledge pool’ and share with our friends, families and colleagues.
In this piece we will take a look at 10 of the main drivers behind this absorption of power can be computing into our daily personal and professional lives.
Increased flexibility
Taking on cloud computing as an integral part of our data storage strategy has increased our flexibility to access and manipulate data. We are able to synch up multiple devices and we are able to pass off information to other people with more ease. This flexibility provides us with more dynamic interactivity with data.
Recovery from loss
Perhaps the most compelling reason to backup data to the cloud is for disaster recovery. Both individuals and businesses state that this is a key driver of their adoption of the technology. In our personal lives we have photos that we don't want to lose. In business we have files that we cannot lose. The cloud provides us with an automated way to keep this information safe and secure, and backed up for when we need it.
Software that updates automatically
When we adopt a cloud software company all of the security aspects of the cloud are managed for us. We are outsourcing the entire process of data storage and security. This saves us both time and money. If we buy a new computer new, or even an older PC model from Gumtree or a regional classifieds site.
Faster, easier and more tailored to our needs
Most cloud computing packages are delivered on a pay as you need basis. As you increase the amount of data you consume you are able to take more space. There is no cost in terms of capital expenditure on equipment and you can deploy as fast as you need in a scalable manner. If you need to increase capacity for projects you can do so and then you can drop back again when you return to normal consumption. This makes operating costs as efficient as possible.
The collaboration with data
Cloud computing makes it possible to interact with other employees, family members or friends much more easily. You can synch up data so that everyone has the most up-to-date information. You can share files without even having to click a button. You can have shared pools of resources. You can ensure that everything is up-to-date and in real time, which makes your experience much better. Increased collaboration can lead to significantly better returns on investment in business and this is another key driver for the uptake in Cloud technology.
Control of documents
When it comes to documents for use in our companies it is crucial that we have access wherever we are, but also that we have access to the right version of information. Document control is not always easy in organisations.
If multiple people are managing the same information Excel spreadsheets could end up being forwarded back and forth for revisions; Word documents likewise. With cloud computing all of that process happens on a central server, where everything is held together by the document control capability inherent in the cloud.
Cloud computing keeps things in one administrative location and people work from there. People can often also work whilst chatting within documents, which makes the collaboration even better. Anything that increases efficiency can increase the profits for a company. Document control is becoming increasingly important in today's marketplace.
Work from home… Work from almost anywhere
With cloud computing you can access documents wherever you have a decent connectivity to the Internet. This increases the ability to balance one's home and work life and also improves work and collaboration when on the go, whether it be on holiday or commuting to meetings and to work. This ability to work from anywhere has transformed the workplace for ever.
Environmentally friendly business
In the world of today we all want to be more conscious of the carbon footprint that we create. Cloud computing on average consumes 30% less energy than does on-site servers. This is a plus, although not necessarily a massive driver for the adoption of cloud technology. Increasingly people are going to become more incentivised in their businesses by this aspect of cloud computing though.
Data security
Every year an estimated 750,000 laptops are lost in airports alone. Apart from the financial loss of the device there is also a serious problem with loss of data. By utilising the cloud data is kept safe and accessible despite this loss. It is also possible to remove access to data on stole devices using remote tools and wiping.
Increased competition
The packages for cloud computing is set up in a way that is accessible to small and medium sized businesses. Essentially businesses get access to enterprise level software for pay-as-you-go prices. This means that they have the ability to do things that in the past were the preserve of larger organisations. The gap between SMEs and corporate giants can therefore be narrowed as technology improves access to information and flow of information through an organisation.
Cloud computing makes things cheaper, more collaborative, more accessible, more secure and more available. It is little surprise that cloud computing has taken off as it has, and thatthe pace at which it is expanding is so impressive.
