6 Ways Cloud-Based Solutions Are Huge for Business Growth

Types of Cloud-Based Solutions

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a category of cloud computing that provides access to software applications over the internet. SaaS applications are available from various providers, such as IT support 24/7, who manage the infrastructure and often maintain the application. Examples include Google Apps, Salesforce.com, Hub spot, Mail Chimp, DocuSign, Slack, and Drift. The subscription-based model of SaaS allows businesses to pay for only what they need and access updates as soon as they become available. SaaS platforms target customer relationship management (CRM), marketing automation, or agreement management, among other functions. Maintenance, compliance, and security services are bundled as a part of the subscription offering. This can be a considerable benefit for businesses as it can be time-consuming and costly when using on-premise software.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) is a layer of cloud computing that provides an application development environment. It enables you to deploy and run applications without worrying about the underlying hardware or software infrastructure. These resources are purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis and always remain available for access using a secure internet connection. Common examples of PaaS include Microsoft Azure, Google App Engine, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, SAP Cloud Platform, Salesforce Lightning Platform (formerly Salesforce App Cloud), and Zoho Creator.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) provides business computing resources, including virtual machines and other infrastructure elements. The resources are typically provisioned on-demand and metered by usage. Cloud computing providers like WP Engine, Go Daddy, or Dream host provide IaaS.

6 Ways Cloud Business Solutions Accelerate Growth

Competitive advantage

To have the best chance of success, a company’s leadership must maintain a planned and deliberate approach to gaining a competitive advantage over its rivals. Managed Cloud Services offers companies a chance to gain an edge over their rivals, and a recent Verizon survey shows that most businesses believe the cloud is helping them to do so. However, many organizations prefer to keep data on-site rather than in the cloud. This is large because of fears about risk, reluctance to change, and financial commitment to legacy systems or on-site installations. As a result, these businesses will continue to be at a progressive disadvantage as cloud business solutions become mainstream. They will not be able to compete with companies that have cloud technology on their side and probably be compelled to switch to the cloud after growth stalls.

Supports Mobile Work Environments

According to Spice works’ 2020 State of IT report, one of the most significant benefits driving companies to the cloud is desktop virtualization. Having access to a virtualized desktop means that employees can access their desktops no matter where they are. All they need is an internet-capable device. This enables seamless productivity where work and critical decision-making happen on the go. Using a cloud solution, your business can have 24/7 access to any data stored on that cloud. Most services render device-specific copies redundant, enabling employees to access important files on any device while traveling. There will also be less of a chance that you’ll get caught with outdated information. You’ll always have access to the most current data/ doc or project version that your team is working with.

Increased Cost-Effectiveness

Cloud computing typically means a business will only pay for its resources. It won’t need to purchase or maintain extra physical storage, processing power, or networking equipment.  Cloud services can help companies avoid capital expenditures on physical servers and other IT infrastructure. All employees can access the cloud and any cloud-based resources a business may have so long as they have devices that can connect to the internet. Cloud computing also unlocks the potential for more automation than ever before. This means businesses can automate processes they couldn’t even imagine automating. This will result in significant benefits in improved efficiency and reduced IT costs.

Flexibility and Scalability

Cloud services can be scaled up with ease. A simple phone call will usually suffice if your business needs more storage space or processing power. The change will occur much quicker than if you had to wait for new hard drives to arrive or for a server rack to be installed in a data center. As such, scalability is one of the most valuable benefits of cloud solutions. It is beneficial for growing businesses with limited resources to devote to managing IT infrastructure and data storage needs. Thanks to the scalability provided by cloud solutions offered by reliable providers such as IT consulting services, companies that contain a high volume of data or/ and rapidly scale can be more efficient in their operations.

Improved Collaboration

Cloud-based services and storage can allow team members and partners to work from anywhere, allowing them to collaborate using the same tools and data no matter their location. With even extended teams on the same page at all times, collaboration becomes much easier and allows you to get expert assistance from across the world. Syte Consulting Group works with manufacturing companies across the US without the unnecessary traffic and its associated costs. This improves productivity and efficiency and reduces the risk of miscommunication.

Stay up-to-date and secure. 

Cloud-based solutions from Managed IT Services can help your company to keep its software up to date — which helps prevent unauthorized access to your network. The most recent version of the software is almost always the most secure, and using cloud-based solutions can help you ensure that your team is using the most secure software possible. This can help prevent unauthorized access to your network and any confidential or sensitive data you work with or store on the cloud. Keeping software updated is especially important because hackers are working faster than ever. A recent report by the NSA found that cybercriminals can now weaponize security walnut abilities within 24 hours of them becoming public. For more help on cloud migration, please refer to our extensive Cloud Migration Guide. 

About Nora:

Nora Erspamer is the Director of Digital Marketing at New Charter Technologies, a group of companies specializing in Cloud Computing Solutions. She is an experienced marketer and sales strategist with a demonstrated history of working in various technology industries. She is skilled in strategic campaign development, lead generation, and marketing automation software. Her blog can be found at https://www.newchartertech.com/learning/.