Cloud computing has become a very present subject across many businesses and industries, because it is a more scalable and reliable environment. But how do you know it is the right move for your company and how do you successfully migrate your business to the cloud?
According to an annual survey from 2018 conducted by Druva, a data protection and management company for the cloud era, 41% of the 170 respondents said they were currently running Virtual Machines (VMs) in the cloud, up from 31% in 2017. More than this, 90% of respondents were running, or had plans to run VMs in the cloud in 2018.
This is pure evidence that shows people are becoming more prone to digitalization and connecting to cloud-based systems is becoming a must. In this article, we will share the main advantages and risks of cloud enablement.
So, what problems can cloud-based systems solve?
Scalability
A tailored cloud architecture eases the way you operate, as it allows you to allocate just the resources that are actually needed, in a more cost-efficient way. This means you can have a smarter and more flexible operating system, compared to the old data centers that were never used to their full capacity, were more expensive & needed more maintenance.
Cost-efficiency
Operating on cloud means the system automatically determines the company’s needs, so you can invest your money without second-guessing. Reducing the operational costs means you have the space to increase the effectiveness of the IT processes. According to a survey among 177 IT leaders, the cost-cutting benefit made 61% of them chose a cloud based system for their companies.
Reliability & security
The cloud storage security provides Advanced Firewalls, Intrusion Detection, Event Logging, Internal Firewalls, Encryption and Physical Security, as the cloud data centers are provided with fingerprint locks, nonstop monitoring and armed guards.
Reliability wise, you have more control in case of a crisis. There are disaster recovery systems that can be implemented much more quickly.
Remote access
If a business is spread across many cities or continents, your employees or colleagues can work remotely and have easier access through Internet to apps, tools, software and access to documents and databases.
Integration
A cloud software can act as an integrator, connecting two or more lines of business and SaaS services to support real-time applications and services. According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, the market for Hybrid Integration Platforms is expected to witness an annual growth rate of 14% by 2023.
When talking about risks, is it important to understand and accept that the Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) use a shared responsibility model, meaning that some of the responsibilities are shared between the CSP and consumer and some remain solely on the consumer’s side. Some of the most common problems that occur when migrating to cloud can be related to:
- Latency – a delay between a client request and the response provided by the cloud service;
- Information sensitivity – in rare instances, the system can face temporary malfunctions, but this can be controlled if proper defensive measures are implemented;
- Vendor lock-in – this usually means that transition problems can occur between products;
- System complexity – depending on how complex your IT architecture, there can be potential security gaps and compatibility issues. This can be simply prevented depending on the IT provider’s ability to smoothly and securely transfer the entire system to the cloud.
Recent statistics show that 83% Of Enterprise Workloads Will Be In The Cloud By 2020 and 73% of organizations say nearly all (80%+) of their apps will be SaaS by 2020. For us, the numbers speak by themselves and we are ready to help our clients embark in the cloud journey safe & efficient.
Since more than 25 years, we are here every day to offer you the information you need to start your digital transformation. Our senior consultants will assist you in every aspect of this transition, because everything is simpler when you have proven expertise and a client-oriented team as your business partners.
Start today, tomorrow you can already be one step ahead! Write us at marketing@eu.rsystems.com.