So a fellow business owner tells you that they’ve just set up cloud services for all of their documents.
“You’ve got to get it,” they say. “It’s made life so much simpler.”
But what is a cloud service? You don’t want to ask, sounding like a novice. Then again, you don’t want to jump into something blind.
Well, according to Microsoft, “cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and more—over the Internet (‘the cloud’).”
And if you’re going to take anyone’s word for it, take Microsoft’s.
Why?
Because Microsoft Azure is one of the best cloud services out there. Sure, there are competitors. But the tech giant has been steadily on the rise since Azure’s initial release in 2010.
So what are some of the key features of cloud computing?
Save Money
For one, it saves one heck of a lot of time and money utilizing someone else’s servers rather than your own. And on top of that, off-site servers are more secure. Especially in Florida, where hurricanes are prominent and everything could be wiped out in the blink of an eye.
It also saves storage space. We’re not in the days of the old anymore, where warehouses were needed to store files and paperwork. But it saves storage space on your own servers. And knocking out the requirement for a larger server can save some money to use elsewhere.
Security
With online cloud computing via Microsoft Azure, your files are safe from local disasters. And this is important to know when planning for natural disasters and your company’s downtime.
In a time of natural disaster, you have enough to worry about – employees, building, equipment, and your own family. It’s nice to know your files will be safe and waiting for you when you’re able to return to them.
Collaboration
Microsoft Azure also allows for simpler and faster collaborating. Groups of people can meet virtually and work on the same file. This makes for expedited turnaround time on items needed for clients. And a faster turnaround leads to a happier client.
It also allows for multiple eyes to see the work before it’s sent out. If your company designs training manuals for a software company, no need to send emails back and forth for clarification. With cloud services, the file is sitting there, accessible to anyone who has the proper credentials to view.
Mobility
Before, you could email a file to someone you wanted to view it. Or if you were leaving the office and needed the file to work on it at home, you could do the same. Or save it to a thumb drive.
Cloud computing eliminates the need for that. Because it’s available wherever you are. At whichever computer you sit. As long as there’s internet, there’s access to your files.
So fear not, hard workers – the ones who take their work home with them. Just click save before you leave the office, and that file will be sitting there waiting for you when you get home and open your laptop.
The list of pros carries on for Microsoft Azure, not to mention it’s environmentally friendly.
Patchnet works side-by-side with Microsoft and can walk you through the process of converting your business’s needs onto the cloud service. Contact us today to see how we can help convert you to the ever-improving Microsoft Azure cloud service.