The cloud is an online network that operates through the internet, and it is a place where you can store as much data and information as you wish – so long as you get the necessary storage amount when you subscribe to it.
There are numerous pros and cons to using the cloud in your business, and these will be outlined in greater detail here to help you make a decision on whether or not it is right for you.
The fact of the matter is, there are many companies who have started adopting this network, and for a good reason, but it’s equally important to know what the drawbacks are. Continue reading for more information.
Pros
These are the reasons as to why many businesses are using the cloud and will continue to do so:
1. Flexibility and collaboration
The cloud can be used from anywhere, so the flexibility that it offers is tremendous. Linked together with this, it also makes it much easier for employees to collaborate with one another, as they can access these files no matter where they are located.
2. Mobile access
In this day and age, mobile access is incredibly useful, and this is another pro of using the cloud. Yes, you don’t even need to be at a computer to access the company files, but rather, you could be sitting on a subway and pull something up as a result of mobile cloud computing.
Cons
On the other hand of the argument, there are the cons to using the cloud. These include:
1. Cybersecurity attacks
Due to the fact that the cloud operates over the internet, it is far more likely that you will be victim to a cyber-security attack. Imagine what would happen if you no longer had all of the years’ worth of data that your company has been compiling and working on?
The good news about this drawback is that there is a solution, and it comes in the form of cloud security. There are teams of professionals who also specialize in setting up the proper infrastructure for your cloud usage to ensure that hackers are kept at bay.
2. Potential downtime
If there is ever a power outage, you will no longer have access to any of your files and information. Cloud computing relies on an internet connection, and if it is no longer online, you are offline.
You can learn how to survive a power outage, but in the best case scenario, you should backup your files and store them elsewhere as well.
Depending on the industry that you operate in, you will have different opinions about using the cloud. It’s important for you to look at the bigger picture, and then come to a conclusion about whether or not using it is in your company’s best interest. It’s not only the business leader that will be affected by its use, but the employees, and in fact, they are the ones that will use it the most on a day to day basis. Thus, this is a decision that you should make by considering everyone’s input in the matter.
