Most business software and tasks are available in a cloud format. From full cloud-based apps to using the cloud as a major part of your infrastructure, cloud alternatives are available for nearly every business need.
The biggest question is whether those alternatives are easier to manage and maintain than their traditional counterparts. Much of that answer depends on how the cloud helps your business meet its specific goals.
Cloud Management Challenges
Security and the fear of not having full control are two of the biggest cloud management challenges. They’re also why you might seek out cloud alternatives. Many IT teams are wary of making the move. After all, you’re suddenly entrusting your data to a third party’s servers.
However, those same types of challenges exist with traditional options too. For instance, if you don’t configure your in-house servers and apps correctly, hackers are easily able to compromise your network. It’s all about carefully choosing the right cloud partners and working to lock down security before going live with your new cloud alternatives.
Cloud Advantages
How often have out-of-the-box solutions failed miserably for your business? It’s more common than you might believe. Traditional options aren’t made to be customized. Cloud alternatives offer more flexibility, which is part of the appeal. For instance, you may need to buy a completely new app if your business starts expanding rapidly, leading to lengthy implementations and employee training.
Cloud alternatives are typically easy to scale just by buying access to a few more features, more storage and additional bandwidth. Believe it or not, the cloud is often more secure than traditional solutions. Not only does the provider offer security features, but IT has the option to further secure the systems.
Remote access, ease of implementation and less hardware are just some of the many advantages. Plus, your apps and platforms are always up to date without needing to update individual devices.
Traditional Or Cloud?
According to a report published by Cisco, cloud-based data servers will replace traditional data centers by 2021. The report stated the cloud will account for 95% of all web-based traffic by 2021, up from 88% in 2016.
Why the popularity? Cloud alternatives are more convenient. While you’ll definitely encounter some learning curves, once your IT team adapts, it’s often easier to manage and maintain cloud solutions over traditional options. With more centralized management, IT’s burden is lessened and they have more time to focus on security and general troubleshooting throughout the business.
If you’re still on the fence about cloud alternatives, see how other businesses feel about the cloud with Clutch’s 2017 cloud computing statistics that show 90% of businesses feel the cloud is secure, among other eye-opening stats.
Contact DevSoft
If you’re ready to learn about cloud alternatives for your business, send our team a message today or call us at 888-405-0029.
Image: Tom Barrett
