Comeau Computing Tech Magazine 2024
Cloud computing or anything other related to the “cloud” is sort of buzz words for things being set up online in a virtual server. This goes completely against the notion of “on-site” as businesses can host various solutions through an external server hosted on the cloud itself.
Now, if this all confuses you then you don’t have to worry about anything as we’ll slowly explain things as the article goes.
But to do that, we will need to dive deeper into the matter. So, before we explain the benefits and risks of cloud computing, let’s first explain what cloud computing is.
What is the Cloud?
As we said at the beginning of the article, the cloud is a term for virtualized technology. This technology is hosted in a virtual environment that cannot be physically touched nor seen.
It works sort of like the internet, in a sense that we cannot see nor touch the internet but it exists someplace virtually.
And like the internet, we can store various things on the cloud that can be accessed anytime we wish and from any device. This is an obvious benefit to cloud computing that we’ll get to in a second.
In essence, think of the cloud as your very own personal email. Email services, such as Gmail, are hosted virtually and you can access it from any device you wish.
But in the case of cloud computing, there exist different models that provide different services. Such models are Saas, PaaS, and IaaS.
Again, these are all buzzwords that you don’t have to worry about. What you need now is to get an explanation of the benefits and risks of utilizing such tech. And we have just the answers for you.
Benefits Cloud Computing
1. Lowers Costs
The whole point of cloud computing is for the business to benefit financially by not having to employ an in-house IT team. Since this would mean hiring people, equipment, and paying their salaries, what businesses can do is hire a service that takes care of all of their IT needs remotely.
These services can be employed on a task-by-task basis or a fixed monthly rate.
2. Better Data Storage
In today’s age, data plays a very important role in essentially all aspects of the business. The sole reason for it is because data enables a clear pathway for businesses to mold their operations.
For example, having data on consumer behavior gives businesses clear instructions on how to modify their marketing strategies. By understanding the behaviors of consumers, we can market products to specific demographics that will be interested in the product.
The amounts of data cloud computing can store and the process is unmatched by any other form of data storage. From having the best hardware to having the most capable software to process the data, the clear and obvious benefit is there for everyone to see.
3. Scalability
As a business owner, you are firmly aware of scalability issues. The reasons for such issues are very logical. Business booms at certain periods of the year, while it is completely dead in others. The most notable example is the holiday season. During this time, businesses rarely have any work as everyone takes a break from it.
Naturally, this poses a huge issue for businesses as there is no way for us to scale back on operational costs.
However, there is a way to do that and we can do it through cloud computing. Since you’ll be hiring a service for all of your IT needs, you can scale back on operations since you won’t need it for a lot of things.
And having the ability to cut back on costs without having to scale back on employees is a huge benefit for businesses.
Cloud computing services vary a lot. You have the usual networking services, software-related services, and the popular IoT type of services. If you’re interested in a company that can provide any kind of cloud computing service, then give consoleconnect.com a try.
Risks of Cloud Computing
As with anything, the industry isn’t perfect and you should be aware of the certain risks that exist. Let’s name a few of them.
4. Implementation and Control
Having to switch from an in-house IT team to a remote one that’s off the books might sound easy work, but it’s actually not. You might have had a perfect way of handling tasks that’s fully within your reach.
By switching to a remote type of IT operations, you are losing much of the control you previously had.
And to add to the fact, implementing a totally new way of IT operations is a very hard thing to do. From firing your existing IT team to relocating roles and set up, there are tons of difficulties that need to be properly addressed.
5. Mismanagement
There is the obvious issue of mismanagement. As we said, you are losing much of the control you had over IT operations, and instead of transferring it to other people that work remotely.
While you might hold a firm grasp on the issue by being constantly in communications with them, mismanagement issues can happen that will put a strain on operations.
That’s why it’s important that you hire a service that is professional, quality, and will minimize mismanagement risk by having employed experts.
6. Security Risks
While security risks are usually addressed within the industry, there is a clear and obvious issue of suspicious behavior. Companies get breached all the time by hackers and individuals with malicious intent.
While you could very easily suffer the same fate with an in-house IT team, the company in charge of your IT operations could as well. Much like ensuring quality throughout, you should make sure that the company tasked with handling data has a firm grasp on security.
It pays a lot to have proper cybersecurity on board, and you should always pay a bit more for it. If you need the extra layer of security, companies like Corodata are a great option for cloud backup and off-site storage.
Conclusion
While not perfect, the industry is moving towards a remote model of work. Cloud computing is one such model and you should understand the benefits and risks before making the switch. While there is far more to it than the 3 benefits and risks we mentioned, they are the most important ones to pay attention to.
