Cloud Computing for Small Businesses
By Tim Parker | | Outsourced IT Support
If you run a small business in London then you will no doubt have heard the term ‘Cloud computing’ on more than one occasion.
But what is it exactly?
Well, in essence, cloud computing is both a bi-product and a consequence of the ease with which users can now access remote computing internet sites. There is a wide range of cloud computing services available these days, covering everything from managing online data backup and storage services and spam filtering to applications.
Of course, there is a lot more to cloud computing than this.
Below are some of the more essential things which you as a small business owner could benefit from knowing about cloud computing.
Tell me More about ‘The Cloud’
The concept of the ‘The Cloud’ comes from network diagrams. Essentially, these diagrams use symbols to represent the different parts of a network and illustate how it is structured and connected together.
In general, the symbol for the Internet is a cloud; therefore, ‘The Cloud’ is an established metaphor for the Internet.
To put it in a nutshell, cloud computing can best be described as web-based computing. It involves using shared servers to provide resources, data and software on an on-demand basis to PC’s and other web-devices, with all the information being stored on the Internet rather than on the device itself.
Cloud Computing for Small Businesses
Cloud computing solutions are web-based applications or tools which enable users to access and use the application in a web browser, instead of through their local network or hard drive. Because cloud computing exists mostly over the internet, you as a small business owner can increase your network infrastructure without having to invest in more hardware. In practice, this means that your company can increase its overall capacity or number of users without having to spend money on new equipment.
Why Opt for Small Business Cloud Computing?
There are many reasons why you might consider cloud computing to be the ideal solution for your business. These include:
• Having the means to increase your business’s IT capacity.
• Being able to add new IT capabilities or functions to your business.
• Expanding your IT structure whilst all the all maintaining suitably efficient infrastructure management.
• Having the capability to access data, even when away from the office.
Put simply, small business cloud computing enables you to scale your IT structure so that it matches your company’s business needs. Indeed, the fact that most IT support companies offer cloud computing services on a pay-as-you-go or subscription basis means that you can make further additions to your IT capabilities (as well as remove functions that you no longer need) with relative ease.
And, if you don’t fancy the idea of moving your entire IT infrastructure into ‘The Cloud’ then you could always opt for a hybrid cloud computing solution instead, as this enables you to pick and choose only the elements of cloud computing which will suit your own particular business needs.
