The Added Benefits of Relying on the Cloud

Relying on the cloud is not just an option, it’s an advantage. Far from being simply the alternative to an onsite solution, the cloud has become the platform of choice because it offers benefits and avoids obstacles that no other deployment option can. These are some of the added benefits of relying on the cloud that every enterprise should be eager to embrace.

• Adaptability – The cloud offers instant access to capabilities that perfectly match your needs. Then, when those needs change, you can quickly and affordably adapt your capabilities without worrying about disruptions or limits.
  
• Business Continuity – Any onsite deployment is vulnerable to disasters in the form of weather, maintenance issues, or tampering. The cloud is just the opposite. No matter how your physical location is impacted, assets housed in the cloud are kept perfectly safe and can be accessed instantly.
  
• Maintenance – When you rely on solutions housed in the cloud, most of the IT maintenance and monitoring those solutions require is handled for you. That both lowers costs and ensures you are always relying on the strongest and safest solution possible. Cloud ERP case studies have also shown that once IT teams are free of the burden of routine maintenance, they can be a much larger asset to the enterprise they serve.
  
• Op-Ex Only – Unlike almost every other type of IT solution, ones housed in the cloud only create operating expenditures and never create capital expenditures. Since the startup cost is so much lower, cloud solutions are much easier to get up and running. In the vast majority of cases they also cost significantly less over the lifetime of the solution.
  
• Collaboration – Since cloud solutions are accessible from anywhere on a broad range of devices, they make collaboration a much simpler and more productive process. A cloud orientation ensures that the benefits of a new piece of IT extend as widely as possible. That maximizes the value of your team while reducing the frequency and consequence of mistakes and inefficiencies.
  
• Mobility – Related to the previous point is that cloud solutions are ideal for team members who work remotely or regularly travel for work. The data and applications that are essential for what they do are housed accessibly in the cloud rather than trapped in the office. This kind of capability is essential in the age of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and whatever comes next.
  
• Security – The cloud actually enhances data security since cloud vendors invest heavily in securing the platform. It would be prohibitive for any single enterprise to invest in the same level of security resources, but the cloud spreads them across enterprises at a fraction of the cost.
  
• Capabilities – Cloud platforms are built using world-class technologies. In most cases, SMEs would be unable to afford technology of the same quality or capability on their own. By relying on the cloud, these enterprises are able to boost their competitive advantage and take advantage of the kinds of IT traditionally limited only to major players.
  
• Sustainability – The cloud relies on significantly less energy and resources than an onsite deployment would. That leads directly to cost savings, but also helps companies to bolster their green credentials.