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Posted on November 22nd 2019
There’s a misconception that cloud storage is complicated. This slight feeling of unease can sometimes lead businesses to stick with their traditional storage. But if you’re considering switching, then it might be because your business is expanding or you’re existing storage setup is old and outdated. Either way, you’re interested in possible solutions.
The cloud isn’t complicated at all. In fact, you probably already use it to automatically store photos taken on your phone. If you haven’t already made the switch or you still have some reservations, then here’s a quick look at the benefits of cloud storage vs traditional storage.
Cloud storage is elastic and flexible. It’s a scalable option that allows you to change usage to meet demand. With traditional alternatives, what you pay for is what you get. If you’ve invested in a lot of storage to support a new project, then you’re still left paying the same amount once it’s over – even if you don’t need the storage anymore.
Businesses can start small with their storage allocation and increase it slowly as they grow. It gives them far greater control over their costs, especially as they can place limits on storage to make sure they don’t overspend. If they experience a quiet period when customer demand is low, they can easily adjust their storage spend accordingly.
Work with an MSP and they can manage your cloud storage so it’s one less thing for you to worry about. They can help you to analyse current usage and scale upwards or downwards depending on the best course of action.
Whether it’s telephone systems, applications or storage, switching to a cloud solution means your teams can access everything from wherever they are. Remote workers can access files and data quickly and easily, without the need for awkward file transfers or VPNs.
Storing files on the cloud gives your staff the freedom to work the way they find most productive. It’s something they couldn’t do easily with traditional storage in use.
This boosts productivity because your business won’t be bound to the traditional office-based 9-5. Staff are able to work remotely from any location, whether that’s from home, at a customer site or other office location. And there’s no need to wait until they’re back in the office to be able to address an issue. Morale and overall talent retention improves because they’re less likely to grow frustrated by the current inflexibility and move elsewhere.
Traditional storage solutions involve physical devices that you’re responsible for. Monitoring, maintaining and patching these devices is up to you. This can sometimes feel a little overwhelming, especially when it comes to security.
If the devices or applications you use aren’t managed correctly, then breaches can occur. For example, fail to keep systems updated with the latest patches and gaps in security are more likely to be exposed by hackers.
Switch to cloud storage and you’ll benefit from the security expertise of the providers. They’re constantly updating their solution with robust security measures to prevent the latest methods of cyberattack. As long as you keep everything updated, you’ll share the security responsibility with other experts, rather than tackling the problem alone.
For total peace of mind and the most effective security procedures, you can work with an MSP like BCN Group. Our experts will collaborate with your IT specialists to determine the best course of action, ensuring that your business implements a solution that’s right for your specific storage needs. Whatever the outcome, we’ll monitor and manage the whole thing so you’re free to focus on other projects.
The better your backup plan, the faster your business can recover from disaster and be up and running as normal. Depending on the cause of the problem, it takes longer for traditional storage solutions to recover. This is because, with the cloud, data is stored off-site so they aren’t suffering from the same issue as the rest of the business.
For example, a water pipe has burst in your office building and everyone has to leave until the issue has been fixed. If you’re using traditional storage, then your staff have to wait until they’re back in the office before they can carry on with the work they were doing.
Store data via the cloud and there’s no reason any of your customers should notice. Staff can access files from elsewhere and everything can continue as normal.
Cloud storage is more flexible than traditional on-premise alternatives. It’s much easier to create a tailored solution that suits your specific requirements. You have the freedom to choose a course of action based on your current setup and what you’re using servers for.
Databases can utilise on-premise servers, cloud solutions or Microsoft Azure. Similarly, when it comes to company data – you can continue to run the files on-premise or move them to Office 365 or another cloud solution. You benefit from greater flexibility when working with the cloud.
Some of the concerns that you may have about cloud storage could be focused on security. However, the cloud is very secure. We’re confident in the cloud’s security measures because we know how the time and resources providers invest in it. They have to because their product offering depends on it. This vast investment ensures that cloud systems are as secure as possible. One major breach and customers would lose trust and look elsewhere.
To ensure you avoid any possible security issues, you should make the switch with assistance from an MSP like BCN Group. We’ve helped many businesses like yours to do just that, so we understand the possible pitfalls and issues you need to avoid.
For more information on the benefits of outsourcing and the positive impact BCN help can have on your existing IT team, contact us.
