By now, you're probably sick of hearing about cornavirus. We are too so we promise this is the last time we'll mention it in this post. That said, it has introduced a large number of changes to how companies work and operate. More and more companies and organizations are looking for ways to have employees work from home. Others are attempting to decentralize and have their workforce placed in several smaller offices throughout the region instead of one large building.
If you're in a similar situation, you know the challenges that come along with trying to decentralize everything and everyone while still maintaining coherency and ensuring everyone is not only on the same page but is able to access that page in the first place. Fortunately, there is a solution available. It's time to look at putting everything, yes everything, in the cloud.
The new age of computing
What is everything? By everything, we mean from data-center to desktop. File servers, email servers, databases, workstations, heck we'd even put the coffee maker up there if it was possible. By creating a fully cloud-based environment, the vast majority of issues experienced when trying to account for working form home or across multiple remote offices simply disappear. Instead, employees get a fast and effective work environment that can be accessed from anywhere on almost any device.
Better Security, Better Access Control
The number one issue we see people worried about when it comes to both remote work and the cloud is security. "Will my information be secure?". From both physical and digital perspectives, a properly set up cloud environment will always be more secure than an on-prem system. For starters, physical security in the cloud will always trump a local setup in all but the largest enterprises. Digitally, at the absolute worst, security will be the same as an on-prem system. But in the vast majority of cases, it will be vastly improved.
Always-on availability
One of the biggest hurdles with traditional systems and networks, especially in a remote sense, is availability. There are over a dozen different points of failure in even the most basic on-prem setups which can bring the work of everyone to a halt. By hosting infrastructure in the cloud, you can eliminate most of these failure points and ensure that productivity doesn't stop.
Access wherever, whenever
Another major benefit of placing infrastructure in the cloud is accessibility. You and your employees are no longer constrained by using one device in the office and another at home or relying on using a remote desktop service to connect from one to the other. Instead you have a seamless experience of the same desktop with the same applications, files, icons and everything in between no matter what device you use.
Smooth out expenditures and say goodbye to cyclical upgrades
It's the thing no one likes to talk about: Regular hardware refreshes. They're expensive, a logistical headache and just flat-out inconvenient. Cloud-based infrastructure removes the hardware upgrade necessity, converting clunky, unpredictable capital expenditure into a smoother, more predictable operating expenditure. In addition, cloud-based systems are much more adaptable to your business, easily scaling up and down as needed opposed to an on-prem solution which can be rendered obsolete in six months due to an influx of new hires or, conversely, downsizing.
When and how to move to the cloud
So lets say you're convinced. Moving to the cloud sounds like a great idea. When is the best time to make this happen? While there's no time like the present, moving to the cloud takes careful planning and forethought. The aim is for a smooth transition with as few issues as possible. Fortunately, we can help with that. If you'd like to learn more about how to move your company into the new age of computing, give us a call.