12-27-21 | Blog Post
Without a doubt, cloud-based technology is changing the way the modern business world operates. As this technology grows and evolves, small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) are reaping the benefits.
Simply put, cloud technology refers to saving files and accessing programs over the internet by remote servers instead of using a company’s hard drive or local network.
There are many ways companies use the cloud to work more efficiently. One of the simplest ways businesses save time and money is backing up their data in the cloud. Business owners know data is vitally important to the company’s success and longevity. By backing data up in the cloud, SMB owners are assured the following benefits:
Traditional computer hardware is expensive to own and maintain. When SMBs switch to a cloud-based backup, there is less need for capital expenditures, like hardware. When companies don’t use as much hardware, they don’t have to rely on employing or contracting an expensive IT team to maintain equipment. Cloud-based backup plans are relatively inexpensive subscriptions. The savings SMBs gain from not dealing with capital purchases and equipment maintenance could easily pay for a yearly subscription.
As SMBs grow, their need for backing up data increases. Instead of purchasing new servers each time a storage expansion is necessary, a simple change in the cloud backup subscription is a simple solution. If a company’s backup needs decrease for whatever reason, scaling back on a cloud subscription will save money and resources. It’s much easier than trying return an unwanted server.
Accessing data backed up in the cloud is easier than ever. A connection to the internet and a computer or smartphone app is all SMB owners need to see their data. No running back to the office or fumbling around with portable storage is necessary. Business owners have access to their data anywhere and anytime.
For those not familiar with cloud storage, the idea of putting their company’s data in a hypothetical digital cloud may seem a bit unnerving. Cloud backups are significantly more secure than simply having data backed up on a hard drive.
Cloud-based networks have teams of IT professionals monitoring and protecting their servers around the clock. In addition, if a disaster like a fire or flood occurs, retrieving data from damaged local servers could be difficult or impossible. Some businesses may not recover from the data loss and close their doors permanently. When data is backed up remotely, theft, disaster, or hardware failure is not an issue for retrieval.
Cloud-based services continue to make backing up data more user-friendly. With just a few mouse clicks, lost data is restored. Business owners have easy access to a cloud service’s customer support. If there is an issue with cloud data, the service is responsible for taking care of the problem–not your IT department. This means scaling back on IT costs or utilizing the IT department to better benefit the business.
With many cloud-based services, updating backups are automatic. No longer do SMB owners need to worry about who or when the backups occur. The cloud provider is responsible for all system, software, and data backup updates.
As the popularity of the cloud increases, SMBs are discovering the benefits of backing up their data. This affordable, time-saving business solution gives many owners the peace of mind that their data is secure and easily accessible from anywhere. Instead of worrying about replacing aging servers or finding the space for more expensive hardware, business owners are setting up a backup service in just a few minutes and forever changing the way they do business.
Don’t let your data disappear forever. Contact Otava to find out how easy backing up important data on the cloud could be.