How to Leverage Cloud Computing For Your Company’s Success

The cloud grows more important for modern technology infrastructures by the day, and due to this, implementing the cloud isn’t simply a matter of when, but how. Some organizations still haven’t made the move to the cloud, but this is probably because they don’t understand the vast benefits that cloud computing can bring to the table.

In other words, while you know that the cloud can be a great chance to push your business to greater heights, you need to take a risk if you want to see a return on your investment. Many of the world’s most lucrative services, like Netflix and Amazon, have seen outrageous growth thanks to cloud computing. Your business can experience cloud-based growth as well, but you need to be willing to explore new opportunities in order to do so. Cloud computing, in particular, is a service that’s especially kind to growing businesses, and it’s flexible enough to allow your business to adapt to its current needs easily.

We don’t want you to rush head-first into the cloud, though. Instead, we want you to do your research and take a moment to better understand what your specific cloud computing needs are. We recommend that you consider each of these three unique cloud computing options.

The Public Cloud
SMBs of all kinds are looking to the public cloud for cloud computing, and it’s easy to see why. The public cloud has great functionality for the services that the typical SMB needs, and it doesn’t require the in-depth maintenance that an in-house infrastructure would need. Unfortunately, this often means that the business is missing out on the ability to implement secondary security features and customizations that would be available for a private cloud solution.

Keep in mind that public cloud solutions are dependable, but they are set up as a one-size-fits-all solution, supporting many different users who are all basically getting the same service. Limitations of a public cloud solution include: not having a choice of where specifically your data is hosted, what hardware it runs on, or how it’s protected.

The Private Cloud
Businesses that are more security-minded or just want more control over their data will usually opt for the private cloud. A private cloud is usually hosted either in-house on company hardware, or managed and hosted by a managed service provider. Compared to the public cloud, private clouds offer more control over the settings and configurations of your cloud infrastructure. This means that you essentially have more control over your cloud solution, which means you can also integrate additional security features for your cloud infrastructure. One example of this is integrating a Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution to beef up your cloud’s data security.

The Hybrid Cloud
Businesses that want or need to utilize the efficiency of the public cloud, with the functionality of the private cloud, have another option for their cloud infrastructure: the hybrid cloud. Not only does your business get the ease-of-use of the public cloud, but it will also be able to fully leverage the security solutions and configurations that private cloud users boast about. It’s great for organizations that need to get the most out of their cloud infrastructure, without sacrificing functionality.

With so many options, you might have trouble gauging what kind of cloud solution you want. Computerware can help your business choose which cloud solution will benefit you most. Give us a call at (703) 821-8200 to learn more.