If you're wondering when the best time to migrate to the cloud is, the answer is right now. The many benefits the cloud provides businesses make it vital for staying competitive in modern markets. Of course, a cloud migration is a big undertaking that demands significant time and money, so getting all the facts first is prudent.
Here, we’ll go over some of the most compelling reasons why you should take your business to the cloud.
Cost
One of the first things business managers consider when planning a big tech upgrade is cost, and rightly so. A cloud infrastructure is not free, requiring both capital expenditures and ongoing maintenance costs to function optimally. However, these costs are overshadowed by the many cost savings that a cloud infrastructure provides. These include savings on:
- Servers – A cloud infrastructure does not require you to purchase, operate, or maintain servers on site as with a traditional network, so you can shift these costs to your cloud provider.
- Endpoints – With other cloud solutions such as virtual desktops, you don’t need high-performance computers, as your employees can just stream their work from a cloud server. This reduces the number of endpoints, which means bigger savings on equipment as well as decreased number of entry points for cybercriminals.
- Energy – With less hardware to maintain, you won’t have to pay for as much power, cooling, or storage.
- Software – If you go with a cloud provider such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services, you can get discounts on the cloud-integrated software and tools that they offer.
- Scalability – With a pay-as-you-go model, you only pay for the cloud resources you use. This cost-effective approach reduces operational expenses and allows for better budget control.
Security and compliance
Hosting your apps and data on the cloud is not a silver bullet that will protect your business completely from cyberattacks. However, it still provides cybersecurity tools that are highly effective and cost-efficient compared to traditional methods. The cloud enables small- and medium-sized businesses to punch above their weight in terms of cybersecurity, because their cloud provider shares the burden of securing your data. Furthermore, the nature of a cloud infrastructure makes it easier to secure.
If you’re beholden to compliance regulations, the cloud can also help you achieve and maintain compliance with built-in encryption and automatic updates. There are also plentiful purpose-built, cloud-integrated compliance tools that quickly and easily secure your data and satisfy regulatory requirements, giving you peace of mind.
Remote work
Companies whose employees can work from anywhere with an internet connection have clear competitive advantages over companies that don’t. Not only can they get more qualified candidates by offering more attractive working conditions, but their employees can also work and collaborate on the fly. Migrate to the cloud and your employees will be happier, more loyal, and able to respond quickly and effectively to changing markets and requirements.
Scalability
With a traditional IT network, bringing a new employee into the IT network can be an all-day affair. On the other hand, adding or removing users from a cloud infrastructure is a snap, and can be done in minutes to streamline your onboarding process. However, this is just one of the many scalability advantages that the cloud provides.
With a cloud infrastructure, you can scale computing resources up or down with ease to meet demand and cost-efficiency targets. Maybe you need more computing power for your apps during certain seasons, or maybe you need your assets deployed and hosted at various locations at different times. Either way, you can easily control the scope of your cloud network straight from the administrator’s dashboard.
Advanced technology
Cloud platforms continue to integrate cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, and big data analytics into their environments. By bringing your business onto one of these platforms, you can leverage these advanced tools without significant investments in specialized hardware or expertise. This access to innovative technologies will empower your businesses to gain insights, make data-driven decisions, and stay competitive.
If you want to experience these benefits for yourself, Fidelis can help you seamlessly migrate your operations to the cloud. We’ll conduct thorough assessments of your IT infrastructure and make sure everything from the data migration to the system configurations meet your standards. Call us now to get started.
