04/07/2023 
If you’re new to cloud managed services and solutions and the impact they can have on your business read on to get an overview of the benefits and applicability. If you already know the gist of it and you’re looking for a software development company to help you unlock your business’ potential through cloud solutions do reach out to us.
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”).
While “cloud computing” is the overarching term, within specific contexts or industries there’s different types of services that all fit in the cloud:
Software as a Service (SaaS): Refers to the delivery of software applications over the internet, typically on a subscription basis. Think customer relationship management (CRM) systems like Salesforce and productivity tools like Google Workspace, or Trello, design apps like Figma or Canva.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Refers to the provision of virtualized computing infrastructure, such as virtual machines, storage, and networking resources, over the internet. Examples include Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): Refers to a cloud computing model that provides a platform and environment for developing, testing, and deploying applications. PaaS offerings typically include tools, frameworks, and runtime environments. Examples include Heroku and Google App Engine.
Cloud managed services refer to the outsourcing of various operational tasks and responsibilities related to cloud infrastructure management to a third-party service provider. These services are designed to help businesses effectively manage and optimize their cloud environments, allowing them to focus on their core competencies and strategic initiatives.
Besides the obvious ease of use for end-users and constant availability, cloud solutions offer businesses several good reasons to at the very least consider the investment.
Let’s take a deep dive below:
Cost Savings, in Practice, not just Theory
Cloud computing including cloud managed services, can help you save money on hardware, software, and IT staff. You only pay for the resources you use, so you can scale your infrastructure up or down as needed. For example, a small business that only needs to use a few virtual machines can save money by using a cloud computing provider instead of buying and maintaining its own servers. Cloud managed service providers can help businesses ensure that their cloud infrastructure is accessible and available to their employees regardless of their location.
Another example: let’s say you’re a small business that sells shoes online. You currently have a few servers that you use to host your website and store your customer data. You’re starting to get more traffic to your website, and you’re worried that your servers won’t be able to handle the increased load.
If you move your website and customer data to the cloud, you can easily scale your infrastructure up or down as needed. This means that you won’t have to worry about your servers being overloaded, and you can save money on hardware costs.
Also worth mentioning in the context of Cost Savings is the fact that cloud computing offers robust disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities at a lower cost compared to traditional on-premises solutions. Cloud providers often have redundant data centers in different geographical locations, ensuring data backups and enabling rapid data recovery in case of a disaster. This eliminates the need for businesses to invest in expensive disaster recovery infrastructure and facilities.
Moving operations to the cloud also implies lower energy consumption as it allows businesses to consolidate their infrastructure and rely on shared resources provided by cloud service providers. By reducing the number of physical servers and data centers, businesses can significantly reduce their energy consumption and associated costs. This is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the resources to implement energy-efficient infrastructure on their own.
Nowadays, Flexibility is King
Cloud computing gives you the flexibility to access your data and applications from anywhere, at any time. This is especially important for businesses with remote employees or a mobile workforce.
For example, let’s say you’re a marketing agency that has employees who work remotely. You need to be able to give your employees access to your collaboration tools and files, regardless of where they are located.
If you move your collaboration tools and files to the cloud, your employees will be able to access them from anywhere, at any time. This will give you the flexibility to let your employees work from anywhere, and it will improve collaboration within your team.
For example, a healthcare organization that uses the cloud to deliver its applications can improve the accessibility of its applications to patients and providers.
Cloud computing also facilitates seamless integration with financial institutions and regulatory bodies. For instance, financial organizations can connect their cloud-based systems to banking APIs or compliance platforms to streamline transactions, automate regulatory reporting, and ensure adherence to industry standards. This integration saves time and reduces administrative costs associated with manual data entry and compliance-related tasks.
Scalability as a Core Feature
Cloud computing and cloud managed services are scalable, so you can easily add or remove resources as your business grows. This empowers businesses to efficiently handle varying workloads, avoid over provisioning or underutilization of resources, and achieve cost-effective growth without the need for extensive hardware or software upgrades.
Organizations dealing with data-intensive tasks, such as big data analytics or machine learning, can leverage cloud computing’s scalability. When processing large datasets or running complex analytics algorithms, businesses can provision additional computing resources in the cloud to expedite the processing time. This allows for faster insights and efficient resource utilization without the need for costly on-premises infrastructure.
Imagine you run an e-commerce website, and during holiday seasons or special promotions, there is a significant surge in online traffic. By leveraging cloud computing, you can easily scale up your computing resources to accommodate the increased load. This ensures that your website remains responsive and provides a smooth shopping experience for customers without the need for additional hardware investments.
Software development and testing processes often require varying levels of computing resources. With cloud computing, development teams can quickly provision additional virtual machines and testing environments when needed. This scalability allows for efficient development and testing cycles, enabling businesses to meet project deadlines without the upfront cost of maintaining a large on-premises infrastructure.
Security and Reliability, Non-Negotiable Staples of Trust
Cloud providers invest heavily in security, so you can be confident that your data is safe. In fact, many cloud providers have higher security standards than traditional on-premises data centers.
Consider a financial institution that handles sensitive customer financial data. By leveraging cloud computing, they can benefit from advanced security features offered by cloud service providers. This includes encryption at rest and in transit, multi-factor authentication, data loss prevention tools, and advanced access controls. These security measures help ensure that customer financial information is protected against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security threats. Cloud providers often undergo independent audits and certifications to validate their security practices, which further enhances confidence in data protection.
Cloud providers offer high availability, so you can be sure that your applications and data will be available when you need them. For example, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers a 99.9% uptime SLA.
This means that you can be confident that your applications and data will be available 99.9% of the time. This is important for businesses that need their applications and data to be available 24/7.
Cloud computing is a powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes improve their operations. By taking advantage of the benefits of cloud computing, businesses can save money, improve flexibility, and gain deeper insights into their business data.
Cloud managed services provide businesses with the expertise, support, and resources necessary to effectively manage and optimize their cloud infrastructure. By leveraging the services of a cloud managed service provider, organizations can streamline their operations, enhance security, achieve cost savings, and focus on driving innovation and growth.
Nevertheless, if you don’t know exactly where or how to start keep these 3 things in mind:
- Start small: Don’t try to move your entire business to the cloud all at once. Start by moving a few key applications or data sets, and then gradually move more of your infrastructure to the cloud as you become more comfortable with it.
- Do your research: There are many different cloud providers out there, so it’s important to do your research and choose the one that is right for your business. Consider factors such as the type of cloud solution you need, the level of support you require, and your budget.
- Ask an expert: If you’re not sure how to move to the cloud or which cloud provider to choose, get help from a trusted advisor. A technical consultant can help you assess your needs, develop a migration plan, and implement the cloud solution. Needless to say, we’re here if you need us.
