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Posted on: 22 February 2022
Author: Karen Rogers
This article provides business insight into what to consider when migrating your business in the cloud. It aims to give you a practical overview and seeks to explain the differences in some of the options that are open to you.
Cloud technology is a massive opportunity for any organisation to improve productivity, whilst increasing agility, simplifying administration, improving services, and reducing cost. If you embrace the advantages of cloud, there are potentially huge rewards.
What is Cloud Computing used for?
Cloud is a framework term for all different type of services, including:
Cloud Hosting – makes your applications accessible using cloud resources such as Microsoft Azure. Generally, solutions are deployed on a network of connected servers that can then be backed up to a separate cloud for continuity purposes – ensuring greater scalability and flexibility.
Cloud Backup – Is a solution in which your data and applications, whether they are on your on-site infrastructure or already in the cloud such as SharePoint and Microsoft 365, are backed up and stored on a remote or separate cloud based solution. These can easily be recovered if needed and in some instances have the extra feature of Ransomware detection to alert you to a potential Cyber Security incident. Not to be confused with business continuity which offers a far quicker recovery objective.
Cloud Storage – Cloud storage is a model that stores data in the cloud through your chosen provider such as Microsoft 365. It’s typically an on-demand service with a pay as you go consume model. Cloud storage can eliminate the need to run and manage your own infrastructure.
Software As a Service (SAAS) – SAAS allows you to access your applications over the internet as a service. It negates the need to install and maintain your own software you can simply access it via any internet connection meaning that you don’t need to undertake complex hardware management.
Types of Cloud Computing
Private – Used specifically for your organisation and located at your IT Support Company’s office or preferably in a data centre environment with no single point of failure.
Public – Your infrastructure is maintained by a cloud computing company like Microsoft in conjunction with your IT Support company who will be able to offer the service as part of a managed It Support function.
Hybrid – Hybrid uses the best of both private and public cloud services.
What are the benefits of your business in the cloud?
Accessibility – As long as you have an internet connection you can access your infrastructure. With cloud computing your team can access and update information from any location.
Consistency Between Users – With a centralised cloud solution it means that you can ensure that all your team are running the same version of software to work and collaborate on your data at the same time.
Remote Programs – By providing remote applications it allows your team to work at an agile speed and increase productivity. Personal devices of your team may not have updated versions of all applications, causing issues and possible cyber security concerns.
Back-up – Cloud back-up provides you protection against potential data loss. It is generally an affordable solution but can take a long time to recover if needed- depending on your data sizes as opposed to business continuity.
What are the downsides of Cloud Computing?
The downsides are three-fold. Firstly, you will want to ensure that your connection to the cloud is resilient with no single point of failure. This is more affordable than you think with back-up connectivity options readily available. With the right firewall solution in place, it can seamlessly handle the failover, so you don’t see any disruption to services.
Secondly as with any new technology you will need to invest in training and enablement and in some instances, you may encounter some resistance from your team especially those who are unfamiliar with the cloud.
Lastly, no business is safe from a cyber-attack these days and business owners are always especially concerned with how safe and secure their information is when stored in the cloud and concerns re: Cyber Security. The key to this is using a reputable provider and understanding what their contingency plans are in the event of a security breach.
Five questions to ask your Cloud Provider/IT Support Company:
1. What security certifications do you have?
2. Are you compliant with current security protocols?
3. What happens and how will you restore my data in a disaster scenario?
4. What redundancies are in place to protect my data?
5. Is my data located in multiple Data Centres?
Corbel Solutions are IT Experts based in Ipswich that offer a full stack of Cyber Security Services and Business Cloud Solutions including business cloud back-up and a full range of cloud services.
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