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Cloud computing has become one of the most talked about technologies. It is transforming IT environments in businesses of all sizes.
The term cloud computing seems a bit nebulous and fuzzy to many people. So, let’s start by defining it: Cloud computing simply refers to computing resources accessed over the internet, whether it’s the computing power of servers or software services. A very simple example would be Gmail, yahoo mail, or hotmail. These are cloud services accessible across the internet. There’s no need for a local server, software or storage. As long as you have a device with internet access these services are available. This concept can be taken further to apply to more complex applications. It allows enterprises to access virtual servers and the applications needed for their business functions without having servers and software installed locally.
SemperOn can help assess whether a business’s operations can take advantage of cloud computing. The following are factors worth considering:
- You may have exhausted the capacity of your local servers due to business growth. Instead of additional investment in local equipment, cloud based virtual servers may be a cost effective option.
- Your local IT systems and infrastructure are unstable and require upgrading.
- Employee frustration with the functional response of local IT systems.
- A centralized remote storage option may fulfill a business need for disaster recovery
While a total migration to cloud computing may not always be the best option, partial use is often very cost effective in managing an IT environment. An example would be migrating email to a cloud solution such as Microsoft Office 365. Both email and Microsoft Office applications would be available without local installations of the software.
The promise of cloud computing is that it may allow a business to lower their IT costs considerably, in a number of ways:
- Reduced need for dedicated on-site IT staff
- Reduction in IT infrastructure such as servers and associated components
- Less space needed to house hardware
- Elimination of software licensing, maintenance and updates
For many businesses, cloud computing is a great option. SemperOn can conduct a comprehensive analysis of your technology needs and determine whether cloud computing would fit well with your business.