The benefits of cloud computing

Companies which have yet to embrace cloud technology are missing out on a valuable resource.

 

Cloud service architecture can bring about positive change to even the smallest possible company and its IT infrastructure.

 

Using cloud architecture is an excellent continuity measure to protect firms from disruption and even disaster.

 

By virtualising a company’s IT infrastructure, the cloud service provider enables simple and seamless failover in the event of an emergency.

 

On a related note, backing up data and services in this way can save a significant amount of money.

 

For example, US-based insurer Myron Steves backed up its IT infrastructure with cloud-based technology from VMWare Virtualisation and was able to eliminate $400,000 (£250,000) in annual costs for disaster recovery services and saved $200,000 (£125,000) in yearly payroll costs in its IT department.

 

Using cloud services can also help companies to save significantly on start-up costs. This is particularly useful to SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) who do not necessarily have a lot of money to invest early on.

 

Dr Turner, vice president of optimisation consultancy Intergence, said: “Cloud computing enables businesses to make use of software and services as and when they need them, requiring only an internet connection and a web browser.”

 

As such, cloud also enables businesses to grow their IT infrastructure to the same scale as their wider development. This is particularly useful when a firm decides to expand overseas.

 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly given the upcoming Olympics and the disruptions to the transport network it will cause, cloud technology can enable employees to work away from the office and still gain access to corporate data.

 

Some firms are still reluctant to place their trust in the cloud, for fear of data security breaches.

 

However, once these issues are ironed out, there are many advantages to enjoy.