In-house servers located at a company’s place of business have always been the traditional mode of deployment for enterprise business applications. However, new technology and the recent trend toward the cloud are opening the door and clearing the path for alternative solutions that are having a tremendous impact on how businesses process and manage data. Resistance to change is common, however, and many business owners are reluctant to abandon traditional self-hosted solutions and adopt cloud-based alternatives in their stead. Examining the advantages that cloud computing has over self-hosted solutions may change many people’s minds. Cloud computing has six big advantages for any company seeking to deploy and utilize enterprise business applications.
Lower Costs :
Cloud computing eliminates the need to make significant investments in software, licensing fees and hardware. It uses a subscription-based model to deliver software as a service. Small- to medium-sized businesses with limited budgets can benefit significantly from cloud computing because it lets them avoid the high initial investment necessary for setups using traditional in-house servers. The subscription-based model of cloud computing also prevents unanticipated fees and costs because the subscription fee is typically a fixed monthly amount. Lower costs also permit a greater return on investment.
No Maintenance :
Ongoing software updates and security patches are one of the most expensive aspects of a traditional in-house server setup. Companies frequently hire IT personnel to manage their ongoing server maintenance. In contrast, cloud computing services take care of all maintenance requirements, upgrades and patches, enabling the company to concentrate on conducting business.
Better Security :
Despite the fears of some business owners regarding the security risks of cloud computing, the security measures put into place by many cloud vendors are very tight. These vendors serve numerous clients and are capable of dealing with frequent security upgrades and patches. In most cases, backups of self-hosted solutions are performed once a day. Data could be lost if a piece of hardware fails and the most recent backup is close to 24 hours old. Cloud computing ensures that very little data will be lost if a hardware failure occurs because backups are performed frequently. In some cases, backups are performed in real-time.
Cloud Computing Services are Scalable :
One of the hallmarks of cloud computing is the way in which data is stored across several data centers. Normally, a company only pays for the cloud computing services it actually needs and uses. It does not need to invest in any infrastructure or other resources beyond its needs. The flexibility of cloud computing allows a business to temporarily ramp up its usage during marketing campaigns or peak traffic times, without requiring it to make any additional infrastructure investment for these short-lived needs.
Access to Data is Convenient and Continuous :
Every business needs continuous, convenient access to its data. With cloud computing, no matter where a user is located or what time it is, if there’s an Internet connection the user will have instant access to the company’s data.
Deployment is Quicker :
Cloud computing can shorten deployment time for business applications. Instead of the months it can take with traditional setups, it can become a matter of weeks. Having the infrastructure already in place means an application will go live much quicker.
Ultimately, cloud computing will become a way of life for many businesses. More and more companies are adopting remote solutions for their enterprise applications.
Cloud Application Development might be just what you need to push your business to the next level. So, why wait? Get a custom solution now and keep moving ahead with today’s changing technology while building stronger relationships with your customers.
