Cloud computing enables business scalability and flexibility

The most common meaning of the term cloud computing refers to the delivery of scalable IT resources over the Internet as opposed to hosting and operating those resources locally. Cloud computing enables your company to react faster to the needs of your business, while driving greater operational efficiencies.

Cloud computing has a great impact on business thinking. It facilitates a change in the way companies operate, by offering shared and virtualized infrastructure that is easily scalable. It is also changing how we manage these resources. The challenge is no longer about how many physical servers a company has, but more about being able to manage these virtual resources.

Cloud computing offers businesses flexibility and scalability when it comes to computing needs:

Flexibility. Cloud computing allows your employees to be more flexible – both in and out of the workplace. Employees can access files using web-enabled devices such as smartphones, laptops and notebooks. The ability to simultaneously share documents and other files over the Internet can also help support both internal and external collaboration. Many employers are now implementing “bring your own device (BYOD)” policies. In this way, cloud computing enables the use of mobile technology.

Scalability. One of the key benefits of using cloud computing is its scalability. Cloud computing allows your business to easily upscale or downscale your IT requirements as and when required. For example, most cloud service providers will allow you to increase your existing resources to accommodate increased business needs or changes. This will allow you to support your business growth without expensive changes to your existing IT systems.

Impact of scalability on managed data centers. Because of the highly scalable nature of cloud computing, many organizations are now relying on managed data centers where there are cloud experts trained in maintaining and scaling shared, private and hybrid clouds. Cloud computing allows for quick and easy allocation of resources in a monitored environment where overloading is never a concern as long as the system is managed properly. From small companies to large enterprise companies, managed data centers can be an option for your business.

Private cloud computing is a solution for scalable, customized and secure resources where control has to reside with your internal IT department.

Beyond the improvements on business flexibility and scalability, cloud computing has fundamentally changed the way we pay for resources. In the past, tasks that required considerable processing power or space needed significant capital investments in the necessary hardware. Now, cloud computing allows these users to purchase scalable space for heavy duty data crunching on demand, paying for only what they use.

Moreover, a new report by the Software & Information Industry Association, which includes opinions of 49 technology CXOs and VPs, notes that cloud computing’s impact grows even more significant when coupled with mobile and big data analytics.

From infrastructure, to mobility, virtualization, and on-demand applications, the true value of cloud is making its presence known throughout the entire IT ecosystem. Companies will continue to make infrastructure choices, either with or without cloud capabilities, but cloud solutions will continue to offer competitive advantages over traditional solutions.

Photo source: https://www.sxc.hu/photo/539994