Author: Box Chilli

Cloud storage has been around for 20+ years, but it’s only recently that it has taken off for businesses as they consider how to scale their business whilst keeping costs down. Storing and transferring your important files on a cloud-based solution dwarfs the capabilities of local storage, but why exactly?

In this business owners guide, we outline the top 5 benefits of cloud storage and why it’s important for companies whether they’re an international juggernaut or a small business serving the local area.

What are the advantages of cloud storage for businesses?

Cloud storage comes in different forms and many different packages, therefore, you’ll need to understand the fundamental benefits cloud storage presents businesses before embarking on a cloud computing venture.

1) Unrivalled security

Cloud storage providers are constantly innovating on ways to improve security and reduce the risk of cybercriminals gaining access to their virtual servers causing data loss and data breaches.

Some of the ways cloud storage providers (such as Microsoft Azure) keep security at the forefront can be:

• Built-in firewalls
• Two-factor authentication
• Regular security updates

To find out more about security within cloud computing, we’ve created an in-depth security guide as to how it can benefit businesses.

2) Scalability

Being able to scale your business and IT operations up or down is a must-have ability in today’s digital landscape. Cloud scalability in the cloud storage world refers to the ability to increase or decrease IT resources as needed to meet different levels of demand.

Scalability is one of cloud storage’s best advantages and its capabilities are being utilised by some of the UK’s most versatile and adaptable organisations. The best thing about this feature is that you can control your costs in relation to how much storage you use.

3) Remote working

With remote and hybrid working becoming the norm across thousands of businesses in the UK, owners, directors and key decision-makers need to consider how that impacts staff productivity and collaboration further down the line.

Migrating to a cloud-based storage solution such as Microsoft Azure, can increase the collaborativeness and productivity of your staff as they can create, transfer and share files without a local storage server. 

4) Backup your files

If you’ve ever lost or corrupted a hard drive, you’re familiar with the stress it can cause, especially if for your employees – not only do you have to get it replaced, but your data might be gone forever.

That’s where cloud storage comes in.

Keeping your data backed up to the cloud is the only way you can make sure it stays safe and easily accessible. Even better for businesses, cloud storage providers that keep multiple versions of your files stored in the cloud are the best suited for disaster recovery.

5) Cost-effective

If your current IT costs are too expensive for comfort, cloud storage can save you valuable budgets which you can allocate towards other areas of the business. As cloud storage is typically ‘pay-for-what-you-use’, you only spend money on what you actually need.

As the virtual server isn’t stored on your premises (saving precious environmental resources), you can dramatically reduce the operational cost of managing and maintaining your IT systems. Whether this be scaling down on wages or the need for constant upgrades, your business can take the advantage of reduced costs in its stride.

Why is cloud storage so popular? – Summary

Business owners and key stakeholders should seriously consider switching their outdated, physical local storage systems to a highly agile and adaptable solution like the cloud. When moving across to a cloud storage provider, your company will experience a positive shift in a range of ways.

The strengths cloud storage provides can include:

• Keeping your data and files secure
• Scale your storage up or down
• Increased employee productivity whilst remotely working
• Extremely difficult to lose files
• Reduced costs compared to a local storage system

Since the 1990s, cyber security has been one of the most pressing concerns whenever data needs to be put online and the emergence of cloud computing didn’t ease business’ stress at the time. This has to do with the fact that traditionally many companies are used to storing their data on-site using a physical server – even when they don’t have it on their premises, they want to know the exact location of the server that is responsible for hosting it to help ease their apprehension of malware, data breaches and other vulnerabilities.

Thankfully, cloud hosting solutions has come on leaps and bounds in regard to security as well as the other benefits it presents. In this guide, we outline whether cloud hosting is secure enough to store data on and whether it is superior to a traditional on-site server.

How secure is cloud hosting?

In short, cloud hosting is one of the most secure ways to host your website and data, beating the traditional on-site server. Whilst incorporating a cloud server into your IT systems is the optimal form of hosting, it isn’t 100% secure as many providers suggest. 

Secure cloud hosting providers can help reduce certain types of threats by regularly updating their security systems, but even the most established hosting can be vulnerable if you’re not implementing security best practices yourself. Correctly configuring your virtual server before transferring and storing files will help enable you to experience the best features cloud-based solutions present to businesses.

What makes cloud hosting so secure?

Companies that provide cloud hosting capabilities are constantly innovating on ways to improve security and reduce the risk of cybercriminals gaining access to their virtual servers causing data loss and data breaches. Simply put, cloud security should be a priority for businesses of all sizes as protecting your sensitive data is of the utmost importance.

Built-in firewalls

Cloud hosts rely on firewalls to help protect your files, website and other data against malware and cybercriminals. Firewalls, which can be hardware or software-based, apply rules to all of the traffic coming into a network. These rules are designed to filter out dubious traffic and to keep your data behind the wall. This makes it more difficult for hackers to slip malware or viruses past the security measures used by your cloud host provider.

Regular security updates

As part of a cloud hosting package, the provider will automatically keep your system up-to-date with the latest and greatest technology and security measures in your region. Security updates and patches are continuously rolled out and after the initial deployment, the impact will be reviewed and improved upon in later updates. This alone should persuade your business to upgrade from an on-site traditional hosting system to a virtual one such as Microsoft Azure.

Regulatory compliance

Cloud hosting providers such as Westlake IT must adhere to laws and comply with industry and security standards. If providers neglect these security regulations, they may face more risks and threats to their cloud hosting service, which not only benefits the provider themselves but their customers too.

Should I host on the cloud or an on-site server?

In today’s fast-paced environment, many businesses and individuals are transitioning to cloud hosting to make sure their data is secure. Cloud hosting ensures that your data is stored, backed up, and protected on a daily basis with an added layer of security. Equipped with this knowledge of the potential security risks of hosting on a cloud-based system, your organisation can join a new wave of secure cloud users.
If your company requires a secure cloud system to be implemented, Westlake IT’s approach to cloud hosting is to combine business acumen with technical expertise. Our cloud migration projects are professionally managed from Initiation, through Planning and Execution. If you are considering migrating to the cloud, get in touch with our team today for a free consultation.

In today’s modern society, the need to incorporate sustainability into our lives is something of urgency. Businesses across the globe are rapidly innovating and adapting to ‘greener’ systems so that they do their bit to protect the environment.  Amazon, Google, and Facebook are just a few sustainable businesses that have made great efforts to be environmentally friendly and set goals that help reach carbon-neutral ambitions.

Whilst there are different ways to combat climate change and become a sustainable organisation, you probably won’t think that switching from a physical IT system to a cloud-based solution is one of them. With the other benefits that cloud computing presents to businesses, upgrading to a private, public or hybrid cloud can also be good for the environment too.

We’ve created this sustainability guide to cloud computing so that you can understand whether this IT system is hurting the environment or benefitting it.

Is cloud computing a green technology?

Whilst not all cloud-based technologies are powered using renewable energy, they are a far better alternative to a local data centre (these can still use fossil fuels) making them the greenest and cleanest way to operate your server and IT systems. 

As there are fewer cloud data centres than local servers, this already makes it a more sustainable and eco-friendly way to operate your IT systems and along with cloud computing’s other benefits, now is the best time to combat climate change and upgrade your business to a cloud-based system. 

How can cloud computing be beneficial to the environment?

Cloud providers such as Microsoft are constantly innovating on ways to not only make their service more secure and flexible, but they also look for ways to power their data centres using renewable energy. Keeping at the forefront of technological advancements is what the cloud does best and with this, it also reduces your carbon footprint compared to a local system.

Reduction in electricity usage

Traditional data hardware systems require significant maintenance and upkeep by engineers – combine this with uninterruptible power supplies, and cooling fans and this equals a lot of electricity being used. Businesses that are simply looking to move basic software such as their emails, can experience a reduction of up to 87% in energy consumption. 

Reduces greenhouse emissions

Cloud computing cuts the amount of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) produced from data centres compared to traditional local servers. One study surveying the customers of Salesforce, a fast-growing cloud computing organisation in the USA, suggested carbon emission reductions of 95% were experienced compared to companies with servers on their premises.

Measuring and reducing carbon emissions is not an easy task for any business, but switching to a cloud-based computing ecosystem is a great way to combat climate change and reduce environmental impact.

Increased utilisation rate

Businesses that still use their own private data centres find it difficult to scale their IT systems in accordance with their demand, leading engineers to purchase extra equipment in anticipation of a spike or drop in usage creating a sub-optimal utilisation rate. Switching to a cloud service gives organisations the flexibility to scale their operations up or down dependent on demand, leading to high utilisation and increased efficiency.

Why is cloud computing sustainable? – Summary

Combating climate change is one of the globe’s highest priorities and businesses can contribute to this effort in a number of ways – upgrading their IT systems is one of them. Cloud sustainability helps organisations lower their carbon footprint and this will not only benefit the environment, but it will also be a far better system to use than a local data centre.

If your company requires a sustainable IT system to be implemented, Westlake IT’s team of cloud engineers professionally manage projects from Initiation, through Planning and Execution.

To find out how your business can make the green switch to the cloud, speak to one of our experts.

Cloud computing has developed immensely since its introduction in the 1990s, with it now providing unrivalled IT security across hundreds of industries and niches. Cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure continuously review and enhance, deploy updates and patches without you needing to worry, which in turn keeps your business at the forefront of data security.

With computing security recently coming under fire, we’ve created this in-depth guide to outline how secure the cloud really is and what makes it such a powerful tool for businesses.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing in layman’s terms is the on-demand availability of computer systems such as computing and data storage, power and databases through a pay-as-you-go pricing system. 

Available to all types of businesses in the UK, it offers organisations of all sizes and types a cost-effective solution to a variety of computing problems. As the name suggests, cloud computing is a solution that isn’t physically in your office or building – it is powered in other locations across the globe by providers such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

To find out more about cloud computing and the different types available to businesses, see our business-owners guide.

How secure is the cloud?

It’s fairly common for those researching cloud computing solutions to wonder whether their data will be safe and secure if it’s stored in a cloud system – after all, there are going to be a lot of files, photos and videos on the servers! 

In short, the data that you save on a cloud-based system is not always 100% secure, but it is the most secure and efficient way to save files, photos and other pieces of data digitally. Cloud storage providers regularly update their security systems to minimise the risk of malware, cyber-attacks and other forms of retrieving data, so you can be sure a cloud system is the best way to store your data.

What makes cloud security so powerful?

Cloud providers are constantly innovating on ways to improve security and reduce the risk of cybercriminals gaining access to their virtual servers causing data loss and data breaches.

Regular security updates

As part of a cloud computing package, the provider will automatically keep your system up-to-date with the latest and greatest technology and security measures in your region. Security updates and patches are continuously rolled out and after the initial deployment, the impact will be reviewed and improved upon in later updates.

Built-in firewalls

Cloud providers rely on firewalls to help protect your files against malware and cybercriminals. Firewalls, which can be hardware- or software-based, apply rules to all of the traffic coming into a network. These rules are designed to filter out suspicious traffic and to keep your data behind the wall. This makes it more difficult for hackers to slip malware or viruses past the security measures used by your cloud service provider.

Backed-up data

If you’re a business that is scaling quickly are looking into cloud computing providers, make sure you only work with providers that back up your data – you don’t want all your sensitive data stored on just one individual server. If that one server goes offline or gets compromised by a cyber-attack, you won’t be able to access your data.

A top tip is that you should also consider backing up the most sensitive information on your own external hard drives even if you are saving it in the cloud, this way, you’ve backed up your data on different systems and data centres.

Two-factor authentication

Whilst this method is something the user can include in their cloud system, it is a great way to keep your files safe. You’ve most likely seen two-factor authentication in practice hundreds of times, but not fully understood the reason behind it.

If you log in to a public, private or hybrid cloud with just your email and password, this could be compromised by hackers and harmful malware. With two-factor authentication, you’ll complete this action first, and then a text message, email code or another form of identity confirmation will be sent to authenticate the person logging in. This additional security measure makes it more difficult for hackers to get at your business emails, personal information or other data stored on the cloud.

Being able to scale your business and IT operations up or down is a must-have ability in today’s landscape. Scalability is one of cloud computing’s best advantages and its capabilities are being utilised by some of the UK’s most versatile and adaptable organisations.

In this guide, we outline what cloud scalability is, and the difference between cloud scalability and cloud elasticity.

What is cloud scalability?

Cloud scalability in the cloud computing landscape refers to the ability to increase or decrease IT resources as needed to meet different levels of demand.

An easy-to-understand example of cloud scalability is…

Suppose your website’s traffic sky-rockets overnight and your non-cloud physical server can’t handle this influx – your website crashes and you lose customers. Alternatively, if you have a cloud-based server, this increase in traffic will be handled accordingly as it can dynamically scale up to deal with the demand – your website carries on as normal and you gain customers.

Types of cloud scalability

If you’re new to cloud computing, you’ll often hear engineers talk about the two main types of scaling – horizontal and vertical.

Vertical scaling

When scaling a cloud system vertically, you essentially add more power to an existing part of the structure. This can result in more memory (RAM), faster storage such as Solid State Drives (SSDs), or more powerful processors (CPUs). Vertically scaling your cloud computing solution also results in very little (if any) additional configuration on a software level.

Horizontal scaling

When scaling a system horizontally, you generally add more servers to spread the workload across multiple cloud-based machines. With this, however, comes added complexity to your system. You now have multiple servers that require general administration tasks such as software updates, security and monitoring but you must also now sync your application, data and backups across many systems.

Difference between cloud scalability and cloud elasticity

Cloud computing providers can offer both elastic and scalable solutions for their clients. While these two terms sound very similar in essence, cloud scalability and elasticity are not the same.

Cloud elasticity refers to a system’s ability to increase or decrease dynamically in response to changing workload demands, like a sudden drop in web traffic. An elastic cloud system automatically adapts to match resources with demand as closely as possible, in real-time. An organisation that experiences variable and unpredictable workloads might seek an elastic solution in a public cloud system.

Businesses looking to migrate their current IT systems to a cloud-based solution need to consider a series of factors before choosing a migration provider. Whether it’s the advantages cloud computing presents to companies or how long it takes to migrate, key decision-makers need as much information as possible before making the switch.

In this guide, we outline the average timescale for a cloud migration project and the factors influencing the time.

How long does cloud migration take?

A cloud migration project can hugely differ in size – from an email migration to a full server transfer, there is no one size fits all when it comes to the timescale of switching to a cloud-based system.

Small-scale projects

Small-scale projects such as moving a single server with no integrated services can take up to 2 weeks, depending on the size of your cloud engineering team and your requirements. If your business is in the beginning process of looking for a cloud migration service, you may want to start small and scale your migration from there.

Medium-scale projects

If your business is looking at a medium-scale project such as migrating email systems and document management, this can take around 2-4 months depending on the specific requirements. Making sure your cloud migration is done in a safe, secure and thorough way influences this timescale, so do your research on your chosen cloud migration provider.

Large-scale projects

Not all cloud migrations go ahead without issues, which is why you should factor in some buffer time for larger-scale projects. A deep cloud integration project such as a large data centre and server migration can take up to around 16 months, as the engineers will need to continually test the systems and make improvements.

Factors influencing cloud migration time

With any IT project, there are several factors that can influence the time taken to complete the migration. From the age of your business to the cloud migration provider you choose, there are external and internal factors that can change the timescale for a cloud migration project.

• Downtime and network issues
• Bandwidth limitations
• Size of the business
• Age of the current IT systems
• Security issues
• Experience of cloud engineers

Businesses across the UK are increasingly looking at the prospect of moving their IT systems to a cloud-based solution and for good reason too. It can provide enterprises of all sizes and types with a highly agile and reliable system that is at the forefront of technological advancements.

Organisations that choose a cloud computing solution can experience a diverse range of benefits for both business and consumer – what’s not to like? In this stakeholder guide, we outline what cloud computing is and how it can help businesses in the long term.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing in layman’s terms is the on-demand availability of computer systems such as computing and data storage, power and databases through a pay-as-you-go pricing system. 

Available to all types of businesses in the UK, it offers organisations of all sizes and types a cost-effective solution to a variety of computing problems. As the name suggests, cloud computing is a solution that isn’t physically in your office or building – it is powered in other locations across the globe by providers such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

To find out more about cloud computing and the different types available to businesses, see our business-owners guide.

How can the cloud help businesses in the short term?

Key decision-makers and stakeholders need to consider the effects their decision will have on the wider business in both the short term and long term. Significant investment needs to be thoroughly thought through by those at the top especially when it comes to IT.

Flexibility and scalability

All companies have different IT needs. An eCommerce juggernaut of 1000+ employees won’t have the same IT requirements as a small dog walking business. Using the cloud is a great solution for the majority of businesses because it enables them to efficiently and quickly scale their IT departments up or down according to demands.

As cloud computing operates on a pay for what you need basis, if your business demands increase, you can easily increase your cloud storage capacity without having to invest in physical infrastructure. Having this flexibility in the short term can allow you to scale up or down accordingly.

Access to the latest technology

Keeping your business operations at the peak of your industry is a difficult task in itself, you don’t need to throw your IT department into the mix too. Companies that don’t keep up with market and technological developments don’t last long against their competitors, which is why your IT systems need to be the latest and greatest. 

Having access to the latest technology in the immediate future can better other areas of the business, such as the HR department.

How can the cloud help businesses in the long term?

As well as recognising the immediate impact that switching to the cloud will have, it’s equally important to know how it can help businesses in the longer term.

Increase in staff productivity

With remote and hybrid working becoming the norm across thousands of businesses in the UK, owners, directors and key decision-makers need to consider how that impacts staff productivity and collaboration further down the line. Switching to a cloud-based solution such as Microsoft Azure can reduce the downtime staff may experience with their laptops and PCs which will not only increase their productivity but will also reduce the costs of potential repairs and new equipment in the longer term.

To see exactly how businesses and their workforce can experience a positive upturn in productivity, see our in-depth business guide.

Enhanced security

With cyber-attacks and data breaches on the rise, having a secure IT system will help ensure this doesn’t happen to your business in the future. The cloud can provide businesses that make the move with unrivalled IT security which automatically updates as time moves on. 

Summary

With thousands of business owners deciding to make the switch across to a cloud-based computing system, it’s difficult for organisations that don’t make the leap to keep up with competitors in a fast-paced technological space.

If your company requires a system to be implemented, Westlake IT’s approach to cloud computing is to combine business acumen with technical expertise. Our Cloud migration projects are professionally managed from Initiation, through Planning and Execution.

To find out how your business can make the switch to the cloud, see how our experts can help.

With cloud computing becoming more popular with SME companies across the globe, business owners and key decision-makers are keen to find out how it can benefit their organisation.

Whether it’s the fact cloud computing can provide businesses with a cost-effective way to increase and speed up their scalability or that it offers world-class cyber and cloud security, cloud computing is a highly agile technological solution that is currently helping thousands of businesses across the UK with their IT problems.

In this business-owners guide, we outline the 5 key benefits cloud computing can provide your organisation if you decide to make the switch from old to new.

1. Reduction in business costs

If your current IT costs are too expensive for comfort, cloud computing can save you valuable budgets which you can allocate towards other areas of the business. As cloud computing is typically ‘pay-for-what-you-use’, you only spend money on what you actually need.

As the cloud isn’t stored on your premises, you can dramatically reduce the operational cost of managing and maintaining your IT systems. Whether this be scaling down on wages or the need for constant upgrades, your business can take the advantage of reduced costs in its stride.

2. Unrivalled security

Cloud computing has developed immensely since its introduction in the 1990s, with it now providing unrivalled IT security. Cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure continuously review and enhance, deploy updates and patches without you needing to worry, which in turn keeps your business at the forefront of data security.

With customer security recently coming under fire, cloud computing can help minimise this issue so that you can be safe in the knowledge that your IT systems are extremely unlikely going to experience a data or security breach anytime soon.

3. Flexibility and scalability

All businesses have different IT needs. A large enterprise of 500+ employees won’t have the same IT requirements as a local start-up venture. Operating with the cloud is a great solution because it enables businesses to efficiently and quickly scale their IT departments up or down, according to business demands.

As cloud computing operates on a pay for what you need basis, if your business demands increase, you can easily increase your cloud storage capacity without having to invest in physical infrastructure. This level of agility can give businesses that work with cloud computing a real competitive edge over other organisations in their industry.

4. Staff productivity and collaboration

With remote and hybrid working becoming the norm across thousands of organisations in the UK, business owners and key decision-makers need to consider how that impacts staff productivity and collaboration. Switching to a cloud-based solution can reduce the downtime staff may experience on a day-to-day basis which will not only increase their productivity and collaboration, but will also reduce the costs of potential repairs and new equipment.

To see exactly how businesses and their workforce can experience a positive upturn in productivity, see our in-depth business guide.

5. Continuous software updates

Keeping your business operations at the forefront of your industry is a difficult task in itself, you don’t need to throw your IT systems into the mix too. Organisations that don’t keep up with market and technological advances soon get left behind, which is why your IT systems need to keep innovating.

If you were to update your physical servers and other computing systems, it would take up the majority of your IT department’s budget. A key advantage of switching to the cloud is that your systems automatically update to the latest and greatest software, which saves you time and money in the long term.

Summary

Business owners and key stakeholders should seriously consider switching their outdated, physical IT systems to a highly agile and adaptable solution like the cloud. When moving across to a cloud computing system, your company will experience a positive shift in a range of ways.

These benefits can include:

1. A decrease in business costs
2. Unrivalled cyber security
3. An increase in flexibility and scalability
4. Experience a positive shift in staff productivity and increased collaboration
5. Take advantage of continuous software updates

As the market size and usage of cloud computing increases year on year, business owners and key decision-makers are keen to find out what cloud computing exactly is and what the benefits are for their organisation. 

Whether it’s the fact it can provide a cost-effective way to increase the scalability of a business or that it offers industry-leading cyber and cloud security, cloud computing is a highly agile technological solution that is currently helping millions of businesses across the globe with their IT problems.

In this beginner’s guide, we explain exactly what cloud computing is, the different types of cloud computing available to organisations in the UK and the key benefits of switching your business to a cloud-based solution.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing in simple terms is the on-demand availability of computer systems such as computing and data storage, power and databases through a pay-as-you-go pricing system. Available to businesses in the UK and further afield, it offers organisations of all sizes and types a cost-effective solution to a variety of computing problems.

As the name suggests, cloud computing is a solution that isn’t physically in your office or building – it is powered in other locations across the globe by providers such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Cloud computing eliminates the need to buy a boxed software product or physical servers and replaces it with a subscription service.

Public cloud

Public clouds are defined as computing services offered by third-party providers over the public Internet, making them available to businesses who want to use or purchase them. They may be free or sold on-demand, allowing customers to pay only per usage for the services they consume.

An example of a public cloud solution is Microsoft 365.

Private cloud

A private cloud refers to cloud computing systems used solely by a single business, organisation or individual. A private cloud is one in which the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network, which would require a personalised setup.

An example of a private cloud solution is Microsoft Azure.

Hybrid cloud

Simply put, a hybrid cloud is a combination of a public and private cloud. It refers to a mixed computing solution, as your business may require an on-premises cloud infrastructure (private) and a public cloud system for an effective email solution.

Types of cloud computing services available

There are two types of cloud computing that are typically deployed across a workforce. One is called Software as a Service (SaaS) and the other is called Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). 

There is a third type of cloud computing which is Platform as a Service (PaaS) and we’ve included an explanation of PaaS below:

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS) users subscribe to a cloud application rather than purchasing it once and installing it. Individual users can log into and use a SaaS application from any compatible device over the Internet, meaning it is a great solution for remote workers.

If someone leaves, the license is no longer chargeable; if someone joins, the new license is only chargeable from the day it is activated.

An example of an SaaS product is web-based email.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

In an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model, a cloud provider hosts the infrastructure components that are typically present in an on-premises data centre. This can include servers, storage and networking hardware.

IaaS can reduce and even eliminate the need for physical servers and is also beneficial to companies that need a temporary server solution because they want to host and test a new software application.

An example of an IaaS product is a virtual server.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

For businesses and organisations that are developing and deploying applications, there are cloud-based solutions which provide a complete framework that developers can use, and it’s called Platform as a Service (PaaS). 

PaaS provides all the elements that you get from an IaaS solution including virtual servers, data storage and networking security, but crucially it also includes middleware such as development tools, business intelligence services, database management systems along with other tools.

Benefits of moving to the cloud

As businesses embrace cloud computing technologies, they are taking advantage of a long list of benefits. Not only does a cloud-based solution provide a technological advantage for employees, but it also offers business owners and key decision-makers financial savings.

Productivity

If you’ve worked with computers, there’s a strong chance you will have experienced downtime or problems with your PC. Switching to a cloud computing solution helps eliminate potential problems your employees may face on a day-to-day basis, which in turn can lead to an increase in staff productivity. In this age of remote and hybrid working, cloud technology enables staff to work anywhere from any device boosting their productivity.

Scalability

Business owners and managers will often be faced with scalability issues in a business and technological sense. Upgrading your computing infrastructure to a cloud-based service offers the benefit of only paying for what you use, so as your organisation changes you can easily turn your subscriptions up or down. In addition to this, having an off-site system provides your IT engineers less maintenance and updates to carry out meaning you can scale your business to previously unimaginable heights.

Security

Cloud computing has developed immensely since its introduction in the 1990s, with it now providing unparalleled security. Cloud providers continuously review and enhance, deploying updates and patches without you needing to worry, which in turn keeps your business at the forefront of data security.

Other benefits

• Saves financial resources
• Highly agile and adaptable
• Quick, easy and secure to setup
• Provides businesses of all types and sizes with an industry-leading computing system

Summary

With businesses moving across to a cloud-based computing system, it’s difficult for organisations that don’t make the leap to keep up with competitors in a fast-paced technological space.

If your company requires a system to be implemented, Westlake IT’s approach to cloud computing is to combine business acumen with technical expertise. Our Cloud migration projects are professionally managed from Initiation, through Planning and Execution.

To find out how your business can make the switch to the cloud, see how our experts can help.

There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about businesses moving to the cloud. But what does this actually mean? And why are so many companies making the switch? In this article, we’ll explore some of the benefits of moving your business to the cloud. We’ll also look at some of the factors that you should consider before making a decision. So if you’re wondering whether or not the cloud is right for your business, keep reading!

What is the cloud?

In the simplest terms, “the cloud” refers to computing services that are delivered over the internet. This includes everything from email and file storage to more complex applications like customer relationship management and data analytics. The benefits of cloud computing include increased flexibility and scalability, as well as reduced costs.

For businesses, this means that they can pay for only the resources they need, and scale up or down as their needs change. The cloud also enables businesses to be more agile, as they can quickly provision new applications and services without having to invest in new infrastructure. As more and more businesses move to the cloud, it is becoming increasingly important for business owners to be familiar with this technology.

What are the benefits of moving to the cloud?

As businesses increasingly move operations to the cloud, it’s important to understand the motivations behind this shift. There are a number of advantages to moving to the cloud, but the three most often cited by business owners are improved scalability, efficiency, and higher levels of security.

With cloud-based applications, businesses can scale up or down as needed, without incurring the significant upfront costs associated with traditional on-premises solutions. This is a huge advantage in a landscape that favours flexibility and the ability to quickly pivot into new areas quickly.

Cloud-based applications are also more efficient, since they can be accessed from anywhere and don’t require local installation or updates. Furthermore, most services can be accessed from equipment that is already owned meaning initial investments are less likely to be needed so long as the minimum requirements are met.

The cloud offers newer and more innovative security features, such as two-factor authentication and encryption, which can help protect businesses from data breaches. Increasingly, business owners are being required to prove compliance with data security laws and cloud services make doing this easy.

As businesses weigh their options for IT solutions, the cloud provides a compelling option with a number of advantages over more traditional services.

Is your business ready for the cloud?

Cloud computing is one of the most transformative technologies of our time. By moving data and applications to the cloud, businesses can enjoy increased agility, flexibility, and scalability. However, making the transition to the cloud is not a decision to be made lightly. Before moving your business to the cloud, it is important to conduct a thorough assessment of your current infrastructure and determine whether your business is ready for the cloud.

There are a few key factors to consider when assessing your readiness for the cloud. First, you need to have a clear understanding of your business needs and objectives. What are your goals for migrating to the cloud? What are your expectations for performance and reliability? Once you have a good understanding of your needs, you can begin to evaluate your current infrastructure. Are your applications compatible with cloud-based platforms? Do you have the necessary bandwidth and storage capacity to support a move to the cloud? Answering these questions will help you determine whether migrating to the cloud is the right decision for your business.

At Westlake IT, we are experts in both assessing your suitability for the cloud, carrying out migrations and ongoing IT support. If you are considering migrating to the cloud, get in touch with our team today for a free consultation.