Cloud computing grew close to $57 billion in 2014, a clear indication that companies are relying on it more than ever. Around 40 percent of small businesses have already fully adopted the cloud. To give your business the best opportunity to succeed, it's important to understand how your computer system works for you. Most systems use the cloud, which provides them with automatic and up-to-the-minute updates along with an array of other flexible services.
However, there are some risks and concerns that many IT professionals have about using the cloud. In the first installment of a two-part series, we highlight three of those concerns you should address before using a cloud network:
1. Automatic updates
Automatic updates are a luxury until the update removes a certain system feature that you always enjoyed using. Or, worse, it removes a feature that you were relying on for your Monday morning presentation.
For example, when Windows 10 rolled out, some people initially had problems with its automatic update, KB3081424. The update not only failed for some users, but it then reversed course, unloading the update and rebooting the system. Windows then tried to install a patch. This seems harmless until the user logs onto his or her desktop and receives a never-ending amount of error messages and reboots.
2. The internet goes on hiatus
How many times has your company's Wi-Fi gone down and you're left sitting at your desk waiting for it to come back on. You need to access the cloud to print off a report that you'll need to present in an hour. But the internet works on its own schedule, not yours. Having a reliable IT company you can call to solve the problem is very important.
3. Cloud servers go down and capacity issues
Many data centers advertise that they are 99 percent reliable. And the fact is, they might very well be. They may rarely get breached and offer top-of-the-line performance, but what happens when they go off line? They could suffer an outage, get broken into, or, as noted previously, be breached. It's important to have an IT plan in place to ensure that you can overcome these problems.
A major issue with cloud computing is trying to overcome network and capacity issues. While storage capacity tends to double every year, networking speed grows much more slowly, about every 10 years. Because of this mismatch, it can sometimes take longer to copy data from the company to the server.
Before you turn to the cloud, make sure you've identified both its risk and reward. Think about your backup plan if the cloud doesn't function, even for a few moments. Ensure you have a reliable IT partner who can help you solve any cloud virtualization issues.
