What is Cloud?

If you don’t already know, cloud refers to software or hardware that is intangible. It is an “always-on robust service” that is provided through the internet or web. Take for example the available service of Microsoft’s One Drive. Instead of using an external hard disk to save files, One Drive allows us to save files in a “virtual disk” for free which is fully reliable and accessible from anywhere, at anytime. Up till today, we have not had a downtime on the OneDrive service.

To put you in perspective, you’re already probably using cloud computing right now while reading this, even if you don’t realize it. If you use an online service to send email, edit documents, watch movies or TV, listen to music, play games, or store pictures and other files, it’s likely that cloud computing is making it all possible behind the scene.

HOW DOES IT HELP BUSINESSES?

In order to be a “modern business” with a “modern workplace”, cloud is the way to go. It keeps collaboration and productivity between teams to grow in a very inexpensive way thus ensuring your business is an edge further from competitors. If you’re not already leveraging on cloud technology, it would be good to look into it now. Cloud opens the door for even the smaller businesses with prices so affordable that there’s no reason to not leverage on it. Imagine using services that other big enterprise players are using to keep their business ahead. Expensive to do so you may say? No, not with cloud technology. Now is the time to transform, digitally.

WHAT ELSE CAN IT DO?

• Create rich apps and services without having to think of datacentre latency or bandwidth issues
• Store, back up, and recover data without having to think of its size
• Have services that allows you to stream your own audio and video
• Deliver software on demand
• Analyze business trends and data for patterns and make predictions to ensure you boost sales
Of course all within budgets even affordable for smaller businesses.

Cloud based systems act as a catalyst for businesses to be in the edge as it vastly improves business operations in terms of efficiency and productivity as reachability is virtually from anywhere. It is robust as it provides the ability to control computing resources on the fly without having to worry about routine maintenance, downtime, procurement processes in acquiring hardware upgrades and so forth. The great part about cloud is businesses would now spend a lot lesser as it is only charged as you use. No more headaches on high hardware procurement and implementation that burns a hole in the yearly budget!