5 Ways to Leverage Cloud Computing to Boost Your Startup

Cloud technology is one of the most talked-about topics in today’s date, and in the past few years, it has revolutionized  the way startups and small businesses operate and store their data. It not only helps automate a number of operations in your business but is also a lot more cost-effective.

Cloud technology has a number of applications besides just storing your data. If you want your startup to shine in this competitive market, you should make optimum utilization of the cloud technology. In this blog, I will discuss 5 effective ways of using cloud technology that can give you startup an edge over your competitors. But first, let us discuss the basics.

What Is Cloud Computing?

The simplest definition of cloud computing is – storing and accessing information and programs over the internet instead of the computer’s hard drive. This practice uses a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process information, instead of doing those on a local server or a personal computer.

Based on how they are hosted, cloud services can be classified into three categories:

1. Public Cloud: This cloud service shares computing services among different customers while keeping the data and applications running on cloud hidden from other customers.
2. Private Cloud: This form of cloud service is offered over a private internal network to only selected users instead of the general public.
3. Hybrid Cloud: This is the amalgamation of public and private cloud services. It uses a mix of on-premises private cloud and third-party, public cloud services.

For startups and small businesses, public cloud services are ideal. However, if you feel like trying a different form of cloud service for your business, you can do an experiment with the rest two.

Now, whatever cloud service you choose, how you utilize it in your business operations will decide the future of your business. Here are the 5 most effective ways to leverage the potential of cloud technology in your startup.

1. Setting up remote workplaces:

With the COVID-19 outbreak disrupting almost every business in the world, working from home has become more of a necessity rather than an option. With cloud technology, you can set up a location-independent office environment, allowing your employees and yourself the flexibility and support to work remotely during this crisis.

With collaboration and communication tools, you can continue to operate without having to visit the office. Most companies that have incorporated cloud services in their business are now conducting their operations almost seamlessly even though there’s a pandemic going on. Cloud technology makes your business more flexible.

2. Adding extra security to the network:

A lot of people believe that unless a business is big enough and have a well-staffed IT department, it runs the risk of being attacked by hackers. It is true that hackers usually target small businesses since their networks are less secured. However, cloud technology changes the whole game for small businesses.

The cloud computing security solution provides security protocols to safeguard sensitive transactions and data. Its job is to ensure that a third party does not tamper or peek into your data in transit. Cloud technologies offer services like 24×7 monitoring and live threat response at a relatively lower price.

3. Providing round the clock access to data:

While moving your data and services allows you to operate them remotely at your convenience, you also get 24×7 access to such data and services on the cloud. If you are running an app, you want it to perform all the time seamlessly. Moving to the cloud as a service is the best way for a startup or small business to make its services and data available round the clock.

With cloud computing, you know your data is secured. And thanks to its 24×7 access you can work with your data on the go, whenever you want. Moreover, when you move to cloud as service, you will be able to continue your operations amidst all kind of challenges (such as power failure, natural disasters, and other crisis) as your data remains protected if a safe location, allowing you to get back on track as usual, with minimal downtime and loss of productivity.

4. Offering scalability:

While cloud computing enables you to accommodate a large increase in the remote workforce quite quickly, it provides small businesses like yours to grow with time. You only need to pay the cloud service providers for the services and access you need. So, you can increase your usage over time. On the other hand, the cloud is self-managed, which means you don’t need to keep in-house IT staff to manage your technology-related work.

You can either scale up or scale down your operations and storage needs based on the situation. And the best part about cloud services is that you don’t need to purchase and install expensive upgrades yourself. The cloud service provider takes care of that. So, technically, the cloud provides you with a lot of free time, which you can use to focus on your business operations.

5. Enabling disaster recovery:

As mentioned, cloud services provide a significant amount of security to your data from the reaches of hackers. Those who prefer to keep their data saved locally, run the risk of losing the data when their laptops or PCs are damaged. With cloud services in play, you don’t need to worry about recovering your data even if your business faces a major disaster.

Since the data stored on clouds can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, you can simply continue your business even if something happens to your work computer. Also, you may be employing a few untrained people in your startup business. So, even if someone mistakenly erases sensitive data from the computer, you can retrieve the information from the cloud.

Conclusion:

A majority of the successful small businesses are using cloud technology to their advantage.  And why won’t they? It is affordable and offers flexibility, security and scalability. If you do not shift to the cloud soon, you may lose the chance to have the edge over your competitors. So, check out the cloud service packages today and choose one that suits your needs the best.

Cloud Migration: Challenges to Consider when Making the Move

Migrating applications and data services to the cloud is fraught with risk. While businesses expect improved flexibility, cost and control, many don’t anticipate the application performance problems that can arise due to significant infrastructure changes. Learn the challenges that will need to be tackled before making the jump to the cloud in this free whitepaper.

Author Bio: Peter Clarke is a web developer who is currently working with an eCommerce company based in Australia have law assignment help for students. He is also associated with MyAssignmenthelp.com as an academic essay writer. He has also helped develop the spell checker tool on the website.

Peter is a guest blogger, all opinions are his own.