To keep pace with modern working methods, many business owners are moving away from traditionally hosted on-premise IT solutions, and instead opting for cloud solutions in an effort to cut costs and maximise efficiency.
What are Cloud Services?
“Cloud services” is the term given to software, applications and other IT services that are hosted by third-party providers and made available to users through the internet.
Traditionally, businesses used to house their software locally, either on a computer or dedicated on-premise server, however many more businesses are now migrating to the cloud due to the flexibility it offers.
The on-demand nature of cloud computing allows employees to store and access business data from anywhere in the world, and at any time, which is particularly beneficial for hybrid and remote workers.
Cloud Services – the 6 Key Benefits:
As well as ease of access, there are many more benefits of cloud services compared to on-premise software hosting, these include:
1. Increased server uptime
Data stored in the cloud is spread out across a cluster of off-site servers. These interconnected servers ensure there is no single point of server failure. If a server goes down, another server from the cluster will take over and allow access to the data or services needed.
With traditional on-premise hosting, if your server fails, data cannot be accessed, which can lead to extended periods of downtime.
2. Cost Efficient
Cloud computing requires no setup investment or costly infrastructure expenditure, so it’s much cheaper than running and managing on-premise servers.
Most cloud service providers will charge a fixed monthly cost for cloud provisions and take care of any maintenance that’s needed. This is how we work at DVAD to make sure our customers always have access to the facilities they need.
3. Heightened Security
With on-premise IT solutions, a private dedicated server is needed to secure sensitive information, which can be very costly.
On the other hand, cloud hosting comes with an established infrastructure that offers multiple layer security; data, network, application and physical security. Many cloud service providers also offer backup recovery, firewalls and other safety provisions to ensure maximum security.
4. Increased Scalability
Cloud computing makes it incredibly easy to add or reduce resources such as storage, bandwidth and RAM according to an organisations’ specific needs. In many instances, this can be done in only a few clicks. This flexibility also dramatically cuts overhead costs associated with monitoring and scaling resources manually.
In contrast, a traditional on-premise setup will have rigid and limited resources. For instance, data storage capabilities cannot be instantaneously ramped up if needed – new hardware will be needed.
5. Access from Anywhere
On-premise servers are tied to a fixed location, whereas cloud-based servers are available from any location in the world and at any time. IT services that are hosted in the cloud are essentially internet based, so as long as internet access is attainable, data can be accessed.
6. Inclusive Backup & Disaster Recovery
The cloud hosting multi-server setup means data stored in the cloud is automatically backed up. This allows for a fast and easy disaster recovery feature.
With traditional hosting, data is usually stored on a single on-site server, so disaster recovery is not feasible and special arrangements have to be made for data backup.
Contact Us for Cloud Services
If you’d like more information on the advantages of cloud hosting over traditional hosting, or would like to enquire about our full range of cloud services, please call 0800 84 999 84, or email us at enquiries@direct-voiceanddata.com.
More information on our cloud services can also be found here: http://testing.dvad.co.uk/it-services/cloud-services/.
