Many companies have been integrating their operations with cloud services and cloud platforms, dramatically gaining advantages over cost and infrastructure that otherwise would have cost millions of dollars using traditional IT architecture. However, while the cloud has definitely become a standard resource applied for scalability, cost control, easier access to enterprise-style tools and easier communication, the use of the cloud can actually obscure business growth more if not planned correctly.
A common problem in many large organizations is the sense of being overwhelmed by too many tools and not enough time to adapt and learn how to use them effectively. Smaller organizations also find themselves wasting time and money on tools they don’t need, but they went down the rabbit hole because a particular facet seemed like the tech resource to have. Both stymie business growth instead of enhancing it.
Technically speaking, the cloud is essentially a coordinated use of servers and programs orchestrated over the Internet and accessed with either browser software or specialized client-end programs. Data and files are shared in a network that can be spread electronically across different users, groups, teams and entities, and the size of the involvement can be increased or decreased as needed in a decentralized manner. These are the advantages of cloud technology and what makes it so attractive versus a physical legacy network and large, in-house server architecture.
None of the above matters much if a business is not also growing using the cloud environment. In fact, cloud computing can actually get in the way of growth, creating more bureaucracy. So the application of cloud resources needs to be strategic; they should be used with purpose versus a trend.
Ideally, a primary advantage should be obtained from the cloud. The most obvious and common are scalability and cost savings. Using programs provided online by third party cloud supporters saves businesses from sunk expenses on big software and hardware packages they may not fully use. Instead, by using Software-as-a-Service strategies, businesses can use the cloud to keep IT costs down to just what is needed and used (key word: used). Secondly, cloud resources can be added or reduced to match existing demand in the organization. So, if a business has to scale up 50 machines, it can do so quickly with cloud-based virtual machines accessed by browsers. If the project is over, the machines go away, again saving considerable operating costs. Physical systems are definitely not so nimble.
Geographic connections are a big second benefit. By allowing teams to operate on the same materials, files and online product simultaneously, teams can produce output that would otherwise take days or weeks to create with traditional communications. Even with emailing, information products don’t develop as fast as they do with synchronous work via cloud environments. Everyone from students to code programming teams are realizing this benefit in the cloud. And obviously, that means faster realization to production, which is a huge gain for business growth.
Third, cloud resources help store and mine massive amounts of collected data. This was not very doable under legacy models as the physical demand cost too much. Today, businesses can store huge data repositories and create additional information products via data mining. These new, down-stream information products are a key possibility due to the cloud that previously only the biggest companies enjoyed. The results are allowing businesses to grow exponentially from their own data.
The cloud offers a lot for business growth, but first and foremost companies need to target what they want to realize from it in benefits. With a goal in mind, the tool can then be applied efficiently and effectively in any company, small or large.
