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4 Reasons Entrepreneurs Resist Migrating To The Cloud

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Cloud Technology|4 Reasons Entrepreneurs Resist Migrating To The CloudWe have talked before about the benefits cloud technology can offer to a business. For most business owners, learning of these benefits essentially makes the decision for them: they want to switch to the cloud as soon as possible.

For others, however, the response can be less absolute. It’s entirely possible to understand that something is an inherently good idea – and capable of providing multiple advantages to a business – but still hesitating, wondering if it’s really necessary to make the transition. Often, this hesitancy is powered at least in part by lingering doubts or fears about the technology – a problem that is particularly common when entrepreneurs contemplate migrating to the cloud.

In this piece, we’ll look at the four most common concerns entrepreneurs have about cloud technologies – even when they are aware of the overarching benefits.

1. Loss of control

With on-premise storage, a business has physical access to their servers. This means that they’re in direct control of an essential asset that the business relies on in order to function. With cloud technologies, however, this direct control over servers is lost, which many business owners find rather difficult to deal with. The good news is that this issue tends to fade over time, as business owners realize the benefits of cloud computing and experience the reassurance that their servers are well-maintained by their chosen, expert, trustworthy cloud provider.

2. Disruptions during migration

Migrating to the cloud can sound like a long, laborious task that – entrepreneurs often assume – can be highly disruptive to the function of their business. Given that disruption can be costly to businesses, it’s no surprise that entrepreneurs find themselves a little reticient about the undertaking. However, while there is no denying migration is a significant task, the likes of Kosh Solutions can help to ensure that every aspect of the transition is simple and hassle-free from start to finish.

3. Lack of familiarity

If a business has been operating in a certain way for a set period of time, then there is a certain sense of comfort that comes from that familiarity. Strangely enough, this fact remains true even if the operations are familiarly bad or troublesome; generally, people like to know what to expect – which can make cloud technologies seem unfamiliar, strange, alien, and discomforting to contemplate. Nevertheless, the change is usually simply made, with companies quickly transitioning to their new method of operating and, in no time at all, wondered how they ever managed without their cloud-based systems.

4. Security worries

Last but not least, many entrepreneurs have concerns about how secure cloud technology can really be – and they’re far from alone. In truth, security has been a major issue for cloud computing largely since its inception. However, cloud security is in fact very robust, and is actually safer than on-premise solutions according to security professionals – so entrepreneurs can embrace the technology without undue worry.

In conclusion

With any new development, it’s natural for people to experience concerns and doubts over making the switch in their own business. However, as the above information hopefully demonstrates, concerns over cloud technologies are often unfounded, and it is therefore advisable that any business owner who has not made the switch should consider doing so at their next convenience.

The Real Value of Cloud Technology and the Role It Plays in Your Business

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By now, cloud technology is no longer a “new” thing in the world of business but something that has already been well-established and explored by many companies. It has been integrated into countless workflows and provided lots of unique employment opportunities around the world, but it goes without saying that this kind of information has yet to trickle down into smaller businesses and startups. While technology-powered businesses are a common sight now, many entrepreneurs have yet to fully grasp the concept of cloud technology and the benefits it provides their companies.

So in this article, we’ll be informing you of the real value of cloud technology and the important role it plays in your business.

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How cloud technology improves productivity

One of the biggest advantages of cloud technology is its ability to improve the general productivity of your workplace. Cloud technologies such as Google Drive allow your employees to access and take their work wherever they go, resulting in the ability to consistently update and iterate their work regardless of their location. This is arguably one of the most productive and enticing things about switching to a workflow that is supported by cloud-based technologies and services, but it can go much further than simply being a way to create and edit work on-the-go with laptops.

Cloud technologies can also be used to power tools and software that would otherwise require a powerful computer. Although laptops are incredibly convenient thanks to their portability, they do lack in terms of processing power unless you spend over a thousand on the laptop itself. This means that certain tools are not feasible for portable use, but this is where cloud technology can come into play.

Cloud technology allows you to remotely control powerful computers in the workplace that not only have better hardware but are also connected to your office network which means you can access files and processes that would normally require you to be physically connected to your office network. Some uses of this include accessing rendering software for video production teams, it could be editing large spreadsheets that contain millions of lines or even operating sophisticated machines with a software interface that you have developed specifically for your office.

With this in mind, it should be easy to see just how productive you can be with the help of cloud technology. By giving your employees the opportunity to utilize powerful hardware no matter where they are, they can get work done much more quickly and efficiently. It also helps to offer your staff the chance to work from home, a coffee shop or even on the train during their commute to work. The added flexibility is fantastic for the overall wellbeing of your staff and it helps to encourage your employees to work in an environment that is comfortable for them.

The cost savings of cloud technology

There are countless IT services that companies need to hire in order to take advantage of cloud-based technologies. Whether it’s renting out powerful servers and hardware which can be used remotely to power demanding processes or even the travel costs involved in transferring documents physically from one employee to another, there are business-related costs that can be lessened with the help of cloud-based technologies.

Cloud-based technologies also have the advantage of being incredibly secure especially if you’re planning to utilize an enterprise-grade solution. These industry-standard cloud-based technologies are secured with incredibly sophisticated security solutions. Whether it’s software-based antivirus software or hardware-based monitoring that helps to identify threats and defend against them, you can be sure that your data and your network are kept safe with the help of cloud technology.

Another cost-saving advantage of cloud-based technology is in the way it handles automation. Many cloud technologies can help to automate processes that would usually take a dedicated employee to manage. This can include routine tasks like email marketing, document storage or even acting on marketing and business trends as soon as they’re detected. Automating these tasks can take a certain level of user input, but more sophisticated solutions are ready out of the box and can be implemented into your workflow almost immediately.

In short, cloud-based technologies are fantastic for helping you cut the costs of operating your business. A lot of people get carried away when it comes to cloud technology and they might try to change their work processes or modify how data flows through the business to accommodate cloud technologies. However, you’ll find that modifying things too much can often create annoyances for your employees, especially if it’s a change that doesn’t seem productive or adds more frustrations that hinder your employee’s ability to work. As such, you need to strike a good balance of traditional and cloud-based solutions to create a productive business.

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Embracing the flexibility that cloud technologies can offer

Another big advantage of cloud technology is in the flexibility it gives your workforce. We’ve mentioned already that cloud technology can help establish remote working opportunities for your employees, but what we’ve yet to touch on is how flexible this makes your workforce. This is something that can offer huge potential growth as it allows your employees to not only work at their own pace and in a comfortable environment but also means that you can hire from all over the world assuming the work is doable without a strict schedule to adhere to.

Being able to hire from all over the world means that your business can operate 24/7 without any slowing down. Of course, this is more feasible if you have managers and senior staff that can help you monitor and direct your employees that are working from all over the world. However, just the idea of being able to create a flexible and adaptable workforce is usually enough to convince an entrepreneur to switch to cloud-based solutions. This isn’t applicable to every type of business, but it can be a huge consideration for businesses that are able to operate around the clock. This can include content creation, offering consultation services or even customer support.

Giving your staff some degree of freedom can also be a huge employee benefit. This often results in enhanced performance, high-quality work and also better overall wellbeing. It does remove the personal aspect of managing your staff, but if you’re a small business looking to grow then it’s vital to take advantage of the flexibility of cloud-based solutions. For savvy international businesses that want an edge over their national competitors, hiring a global workforce can be a massive advantage that helps them stay competitive while operating on a much lower budget.

Some final words regarding cloud technology

Cloud technology is something that can easily be implemented into any business, but being able to use it effectively to improve productivity, offer flexibility and also lower costs is another story. By following these tips, you’ll hopefully be able to take better advantage of cloud technology and learn to use it efficiently. When people first start to implement cloud-based solutions, they might find that they’re spending more money than they initially planned to which can result in countless problems.

Effective use of cloud technology means gauging its usefulness, developing strategies and work processes that revolve around the use of cloud solutions and implementing it in ways that won’t hinder your existing work processes or frustrate your employees. Regardless of how you use cloud technology, it’s important to keep these considerations in mind.

How to Keep Control Over Your Cloud Data

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Articles | Cloud Security | How to Keep Control Over Your Cloud DataMore people than ever are using cloud platforms for both business and personal use, and the numbers are set to continue growing. Consider how recently it used to be that photos and documents had to be emailed or sent over via a USB flash drive. Nowadays, large volumes of data can be shared quickly and easily, making cloud platforms one of the most essential priorities for businesses and individuals. Now that so many people use cloud technology, the onus has shifted to more security awareness. All online processes are vulnerable to risk, and cloud technologies seem especially vulnerable. If you’re concerned about your levels of security when using cloud platforms, here’s what you need to know.

Access Issues: Your Priority

One of the biggest benefits of the cloud is that you can access your data from any device and from anywhere in the world. While this is very convenient, it also means that hackers have similar access options. It’s vital to remember that although you own the data that you upload to the cloud, you do not own the security infrastructure. Being more responsible for your data is the key to better online security, and if you’re using a cloud platform then you should consider the following strategies to boost your own security:

  • Know what they do: If you haven’t read your user agreement then how do you know how those platforms are planning to protect you? It may take some time, but reading the user agreement will help you to understand how cloud platforms work and how they plan your security. McAfee has some in-depth assessment guides, so if you’re asking ‘what is cloud security’ then this could help you understand just how in-depth the security measures that they use can be.
  • Password Protection: Everyone knows that they need stronger password management. No matter how many times you read and ignore this piece of advice, it remains as true as ever. Never use the same password on multiple platforms, and consider making use of a password management system to give your online security a serious boost.
  • Essential Encryption: This is by far the most effective way of protecting yourself and your data. You can encrypt your cloud data by using software that necessitates an additional password before full access is granted. That way, even if hackers do get into your system, they cannot gain access to the encrypted data. This is essential for more sensitive information. Some cloud providers offer encrypted services as part of their package, and this could be the key trend to watch in the future.

Whatever you use the cloud for, be it personal photos or business documents, keeping your data safe should be a high priority. Understand what cloud providers are doing to protect you, and improve your own personal online security. Don’t assume that hackers only target large corporations. Both small businesses and private individuals are common targets, and you will be able to relax more knowing that your cloud security is fully optimized and as strong as it can possibly be.