How cloud computing can benefit your business

Cloud computing has become somewhat of a buzzword in recent years, but it’s not all novelty and hype – this technology could serious benefit your business. Used appropriately, the cloud will save your company time and money, improve data security and boost productivity.

At its most basic, the cloud is a virtual environment where you can store data. It can be accessed by any permitted parties who have an internet connection, and – if desired – accessed by multiple people at once. Read this For Dummies guide for more information.

Efficiency

There is huge potential to make efficiency gains within your business using cloud computing, as the system can enable better access to information throughout all levels of your organisation.

As files are retrieved over the internet rather than from a computer drive, there is huge potential when it comes to remote working: employees commuting, on a business trip or working from home can use cloud-based files as easily as their counterparts in the office – with smartphones, tablets, laptops and more. This can boost productivity considerably.

Security

Many people are currently unsure about the security of the cloud but, especially if you employ a professional and reputable company like TSG to manage your system, it can actually be very safe. Encryption, passwords and more techniques are used to protect all information.

As documents are stored on a virtual environment, there is no need for files to be transferred to multiple computers. Potential security breaches resulting from incidents like laptops being left on train seats or home workers’ computers being attacked by spyware are therefore eliminated.

Collaboration

Cloud computing enables workers across desks, departments or even offices to access the exact same documents. This ensures consistency of information across the business, but is also useful when it comes to collaboration: colleagues can be sure they are always working from the same version of a document, and thus prevent miscommunications and errors arising.

Costs

While you do have to pay for a good cloud service, doing so allows you to avert costs associated with hard drives and other forms of data storage. It also eliminates the potential for huge expenses in the event of system failures: data recovery following server issues or other problems is time-consuming, costly and not necessarily successful. Hardware or software errors should not affect files stored virtually, making the cloud one of the most reliable forms of backup.

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