What Are the Benefits of Cloud Computing?
10 advantages of cloud computing
There are many reasons to adopt cloud computing and some will be more important to some businesses than others.
This list certainly isn't exhaustive, but we've put together 10 of the most valuable advantages.
Easy to implement
With cloud hosting, your new infrastructure is already being managed for you. This makes the set-up process far simpler than setting up your own system of dedicated servers.
Accessibility
It doesn’t matter where you are, or what device you are using. When everything lives in the cloud, you can log in anywhere using any device. It’s a secure way of giving your employees the flexibility to work from home or in multiple office locations.
Minimises downtime
The cloud allows employees to save work online - often automatically. This means work is not lost if a device is damaged. File and data recovery can be performed easily and quickly, too.
Lower cost per head
Compared to offline technologies, cloud-based services often work out as more cost-effective per individual employee. This saving is particularly noticeable for businesses with a high headcount.
Increased productivity
Cloud-based tools like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Docs can boost productivity. These enable users to work collaboratively on the same documents at the same time - even when in different locations.
Consistency across businesses
With cloud computing, everyone can access the same software and use the same processes. Customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools rely on cloud computing, and these can ensure consistency in business processes across multiple locations.
Big data
As everything is stored in the same place, cloud computing makes analysing large sets of data easier than ever before. Using cloud-based machine learning services, you can understand your collective data and use this to inform better business decisions.
Security
Many businesses are concerned about the security of cloud computing, but it actually seeks to secure your data. This is because your cloud host is extremely concerned about security and will therefore be continually monitoring it. Your data will also be encrypted, and you can even add extra security measures if you choose to, too.
Automatic software updates
Cloud-based applications automatically update themselves, so there’s no need for you to waste time for system updates to be installed. This also eases the pressure on your IT department.
Sustainability
Hosting on the cloud can be a more environmentally friendly solution, resulting in less of a carbon footprint. This is because they encourage staff to use virtual services and products rather than physical ones. This cuts down on paper waste and improves energy efficiency.
What are the benefits of cloud computing for business?
The advantages we have discussed apply to all forms of cloud computing.
To maximise your efficiencies, it's important to choose the cloud service provider that will best meet your needs.
Benefits of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for business
Google Cloud Platform offer a variety of products that can help with infrastructure modernisation, data management, application development, smart business analytics & AI, and productivity and work transformation.
The secure products can be used across all industries, from retail to life sciences. For example, for retail, GCP can be used to transform the entire retail value chain with AI-driven digital shopping assistants creating a seamless customer experience, while a real-time inventory management and analytics improves logistics. In contrast, for life sciences, improved data management, AI and machine learning, and API management are all working together to accelerate the discovery and development of new patient treatments.
Benefits of Microsoft Azure for business
Microsoft Azure is a constantly growing set of cloud services designed specifically with business needs in mind. Their aim is to give businesses the freedom to build, manage and deploy applications on a global scale.
Security is a priority, with $1 billion US dollars invested per year to protect customer's data from cyberthreats. They also boast 90+ compliance offerings, which is the largest portfolio in the cloud computing industry. They are trusted by government to build secure solutions, and financial services to improve customer services and optimise risk management.
Benefits of Amazon Web Services (AWS) for business
AWS describes itself as “the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform”, with over 165 fully featured services offered from data centers globally.
Its users range from startups to some of the largest enterprises in existence, as well as government agencies. AWS helps its customers to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower overhead costs. With the largest community of customers and partners, AWS is trusted to securely provide services for the likes of the military, global banks, and many high-sensitivity organisations.
What are the benefits of cloud certification?
Whichever cloud platform you choose to use, you'll want a fully-trained and certified workforce to fully reap the benefits of cloud computing.
At Jellyfish Training, we offer various training courses leading to Google Cloud certification. To help your team gain an overview of the GCP, we offer a one-day Google Cloud Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure course.
If you're interested in more advanced courses or learning about the many other ways we can help your business, visit our complete list of courses.
