For many average technology users, “The Cloud” is still a mystery. They know it has something to do with saving information and data, the internet, and keeping things secure, but aren’t quite sure how that happens. Indeed, for those who aren’t all that technology savvy, it remains confusing.
So, what is it? To explain it as simply as possible, The Cloud or Cloud Network is a global network of servers, each having a unique function but working together as a single system. These servers are designed to store and manage data, run apps, or to deliver content or a service of some sort, such as streaming videos, web mail, office productivity software, and social media.
The real perk is that instead of accessing files and data only from a local or personal computer, you can reach the files that are stored in The Cloud online from any device from which you can connect to the internet. That means the information you seek will be available at any time and from anywhere.
If you’re considering using “The Cloud” but aren’t sure it fits your needs, consider these 7 benefits.
- Ease of use – Once you decide that cloud storage is right for you, you’ll find that there’s very little you need to do that’s different from what you’re doing now. Once you are set up with the technology, the Cloud pretty much does the work for you. That means even if you or your employees don’t consider yourselves technology savvy, you probably won’t have any difficulties.
- Ease of administration When using a cloud network, it’s super easy to add or remove users. As such, when a company’s personnel changes, it takes only a matter of minutes to delete one user and get the new one set up.
- Secure access to your data from anywhere at any time with no VPN – Without doubt, this is one of the best things about The Cloud. It’s rare these days that anyone is in “the office” at all times. As a matter of fact, some companies don’t really have an office anymore! So, no matter from where you’re working, your data will still be at your fingertips, whether it’s from home or on the other side of the world. You won’t even need a VPN (a virtual private network)!
- Canadian-based servers – With cloud computing, you’ll be accessing Canadian-based servers so that your data is kept local. This is important because provincial governments may have privacy laws in place to protect customer data, particularly in industries such as health care. Storing data outside of Canada brings additional challenges, specifically a new set of regulations. This could greatly impact your company or organization.
- Fewer failure points to access your data – Failure points are places in an application’s infrastructure, network or API where errors most often occur. Common failure points include DNS servers, database servers, file servers, and third-party APIs. With the use of cloud computing, you can avoid some of these common failure points
- It empowers your distributed workforce – Cloud computing offers control, security, and operations that can easily support a distributed workforce. That’s because the cloud was built based on the idea that its services could be ever-present and accessible from any part of the world. That’s perfect for today’s very mobile workforce.
- Accessibility – Accessibility is key with cloud computing. Because it’s compatible with Microsoft, Apple, and Android, anyone can use it from any sort of device. There’s no need for special equipment or for everyone’s equipment to be identical.
Need to know more about “The Cloud” and how it can benefit you and/or your business? At Stillwater IT, we’re Cloud experts and can sit down with you to explain the perks of cloud computing, how it works, and what it can do for you. For a no-obligation consultation, call us at 604-899-1105.