6 Benefits of Cloud Computing

Like it or not, the cloud, cloud computing, SaaS, etc, are terms that we have been hearing in the business and computer world for some time now. This is good, because the benefits of the cloud and cloud computing are virtually endless.

Cloud Computing and CIOs

The reason this is the case is because the main role of CIOs has changed considerably and this makes the cloud very hard to ignore. Today’s CIOs are largely accountable for the management of today’s IT department. Now CIOs have to support business growth by trying to reduce cost and to drive change in an effort to build a more strategic advantage.

There is a lot of pressure that is driving change and trying to lower costs. The obvious solution is the cloud. By accepting cloud computing solutions, your business will be able to lower your total costs and to be able to change from a fixed cost structure to a variable cost structure. These solutions will free up essential IT resources for more strategic initiatives and innovation.

Cloud Applications Understood

Contrary to traditional software applications that are on-premise, cloud applications are in the cloud and are managed remotely. These applications are built using a single code-base that is customized to your company’s needs. Cloud applications also differ from traditional software in that the cloud provider is responsible for the apps and not the customer. The cloud computing provider will handle all bandwidth issues as well as operation problems. Cloud applications are usually accessed the ordinary web browsers; they provide scalability and agility to you as the customer.

The greatest benefits of cloud computing includes:

1. Increased speed in response to unexpected events.
Cloud distributions, volume and location planning are not in the hands of the customer anymore. The responsibility now falls to the cloud vendor. Not having to deal with any unexpected events will allow your company to respond more quickly to and changes to your business that is not handled by the cloud provider.

2. Easy to get updates.
Any software renewals or updates will be handled by your cloud vendor and if it this happens numerous times a year you will not have to pay any fees. The fees will be paid by the cloud vendor. That way your interfaces will be modern and up to day.

3. Cloud Adoption is quick and simple
You will be able to access your cloud applications on any standard web browser at anytime and anywhere.

4. Improved information security
A top concern of yours is the fear of sacrificing your data security while allowing your company’s data to exist outside your internal firewall. Security is usually increased when you use the cloud because of strict ISO security standards that all cloud providers must heed, in addition to any regular security audits.

5. Deployment time will decrease from years to months
The time to value with your cloud solutions is greatly lower than with on-premise cloud applications. The “go live” option for cloud solutions will usually take 2-3 quarters. Some on-premise solutions could take up to 2-3 years to implement.

6. Lower risk with a subscription based cost model
If you use a pay-as-you-go or subscription based cost structure, the cloud service may need a lower initial investment and will likely have a much lower overall cost than that of on-premise models. Cloud computing solutions will also have easy termination if you become dissatisfied with your service.

The increased agility, shorter deployment times, and lower costs and risks, the advantage of cloud computing and cloud applications is obvious.

To learn more about cloud applications and cloud computing, visit Cloud Applications on Local Web.

To better understand what the cloud is and what it means, visit Cloud Computing on Nist.gov.