Why Cloud Computing is Important to Small Businesses?
Cloud computing is here to stay! A technology that was once the stuff dreams are made of is today a reality. The advantages that it brings to the table for business of all scales are tremendous. Imagine not having to setup rows and rows of servers and DR sites for your business continuity. The cost associated with these resources are not just limited to setup, but span onto management as well. With the scope of your business growing it is obvious that you would not want to spend time tinkering with your physical or virtual server; enter managed VPS hosting. You would want to ensure server upkeep and maximum uptime; that means a dedicated system and server administration team. The “chores” associated with running a business that has to stay online 24 x 7 are endless. But, cloud computing takes away a chunk of these chores and is especially beneficial to smaller businesses. Let’s see how!
Minimum resources, maximum benefit
Small businesses typically are handicapped when it comes to setting up resources. But, with cloud computing, they can do away with onsite servers and cost associated with software.
Near-zero data loss risk
The constant worry plugging at a business owner’s head is the risk of data loss. Servers and databanks are not immune to damage and valuable data can be lost. With data based out of the cloud, this risk is cut down to a bare minimum, as the cloud service provider is entirely accountable for the security & integrity of the data.
Customised resource acquisition
Today’s cloud computing services are customisable. Small businesses can pick and choose service components that are relevant to them to strike an optimal balance between cost and benefits.
Low running costs
As everything, right from servers to data is hosted on the cloud; small businesses can cut down on costs associated with maintaining expensive equipment, software licenses and system admin personnel. All the software upgrades and maintenance is carried out by the cloud service, reducing the maintenance cost incurred by the business.
Like every entrepreneurial venture, small businesses too want to grow. One of the obstacles when scaling up is the task of upgrading hardware and software, which requires quite an effort and cost. With cloud computing, all a small business needs to do is purchase extra space or add a bunch of services to its monthly cloud package and voila! The up-scaling is done.
Access to the “rich boy toys”
A few years ago, services such as dedicated or managed VPS hosting, private website hosting, dynamic file sharing and ERP tools were privy only to the elite businesses. With the advent of cloud computing, the playing field is now more even.
Cloud services available at a fraction of the cost of dedicated software and hardware, are sure to helps small businesses climb up the ladder of success. If you are a small business owner and wish for rapid growth, cloud computing and services offer and excellent, cost-effective option for scaling up.