Climbing Your Business To The Cloud

You may have heard people talking about the "cloud" in recent years, but perhaps you aren't sure what it is.

Simply put, cloud-based technology is technology that hosts data offsite.

This type of technology has been around for many years now, but only recently has the cloud become a buzzword. If you use an online email program, such as Gmail or Hotmail, you're using the cloud.

Similarly, if you've used a service like PayPal to make an online purchase, you've also used cloud-based technology.

In a nutshell, the cloud can be used for remote storage and retrieval of data, or it can be used as a remote service that is not under your direct control.

Benefits of Moving to the Cloud

Cloud-based technology offers business owners a variety of benefits.

First and foremost, all maintenance of servers and software is handled by your cloud services provider, so you don't need to hire additional IT personnel.

Also, your data is then available from anywhere, so whether you're in the office or traveling for business, you can log in and access what you need, make changes, and save data.

Finally, most cloud-based software is scalable so it can be accessed from various types of devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

Making the Switch

In the article, "Traditional Data Center Storage Systems are Moved to the Cloud," you can see that many businesses are making the switch.

In many cases, making the move from traditional data storage to cloud-based storage is fairly simple. In fact, many providers offer services that will automatically transfer files and databases to their systems for you.

If your provider does not offer this service, you may have to take some time to manually transfer your data.

Thankfully, this should be a one-time task, and once your data is uploaded to your provider, your part is done.

Choosing a Cloud Services Provider

When looking for a cloud services provider, you'll want to focus on security pretty heavily.

You're entrusting a third-party to hold onto and manage your company's valuable data, so make sure your provider uses the latest in security technology.

As with any business partnership, do your research to see what others have to say about each provider you're considering.

Even though dedicated cloud service providers are fairly new, you still want to consider track record and reputation within the industry prior to signing a contract.