Small business owners know that it’s necessary to accomplish a great deal without access to the larger body of resources that larger operations have on hand. That means it makes sense to utilize resources that provide plenty of benefits while allowing the business to operate on a leaner budget. One approach that’s worth considering is cloud computing for small business Seattle rather than relying on a local server. Here are some of the advantages that can come with this approach.
More Control Over the Cost of Owning and Maintaining Hardware
Basing your company’s network in a local setting does cost money. You have to invest in at least a primary server and a backup server. There’s also the need to prepare a space to house those servers. You may also need to run more cables and wiring to ensure everything works to the best advantage. Even after you set up everything, there’s the ongoing cost of maintenance and the periodic expense of upgrading your local hardware.
Opting for a cloud environment eliminates much of the expense. That’s because the partner providing the cloud space takes care of all those tasks. You still need to supply your employees with devices that they can use to access the cloud, and those will need to be updated from time to time. Even so, your hardware costs will be a fraction of what they would be otherwise.
Employees Can Work From Just About Anywhere
The ability to work remotely without the need to store all sorts of documents and files on a local hard drive certainly enhances the ability of your employees to work from just about anywhere. As long as they have access to a stable Internet connection and you’ve issued them the right type of credentials, they can be anywhere and still get their work done.
Think of how that can make a difference when conditions make it impractical to work from the office. Employees can work from home, while they are taking a business trip on behalf of the company, or any other location they like. You may even consider structuring the company so that most of the employees do work remotely. Think of what that could do in terms of saving money on maintaining a central facility.
Enjoy the Latest in IT Security Without the Cost
It’s not just the hardware that your cloud partner takes care of on an ongoing basis. Issues related to maintaining IT security also fall into the range of services that you receive. All safety protocols are updated on a regular basis, including the software that’s used to maintain the cloud location.
It’s not just the cost savings that you get to enjoy. Those automatic updates to security measures also mean that you and your data are protected using the most recently released updates. Think of what that means in terms of preventing proprietary data from getting into the hands of unauthorized parties who could use it to harm the business.
More Control Over Access and Use of Documents
The security measures do keep those who have no reason to get to your documents from doing so. At the same time, those measures make it all the easier for your employees to access everything they need to do their jobs. This is true whether an employee is managing a task alone or happens to be working with several other employees as part of a project.
Thanks to the use of cloud computing for small business Seattle, there’s no need to pass documents around by email and have each recipient make edits before passing it on to someone else. Collaboration is much simpler in a cloud environment. Authorized personnel can gather at the same time, make edits on a document in real time, and everyone can see exactly what’s being done. Think of the time this could save on everything from preparing responses to Requests for Proposals to updating the employee manual or preparing implementation materials to be sent to new customers.
Make the Most of Automatic Software Updates
Security updates aren’t the only type of software updates that can be set up to automatically take place. It’s easy enough to structure the small business cloud account so that other software that your business uses can also be updated automatically. That will mean no one within the company has to manually arrange for, approve, and implement new updates of any type.
You can arrange for the updates to be downloaded and installed into the cloud setting after your typical business hours. If the business does operate around the clock, the updates can be implemented during a time frame when there’s usually little to no network activity. Your team can shut down for the day and start back the following morning with all the updates in place.
Backing Up Data and Recovering From a Disaster is Simpler
Creating backup files is something that must be done. You want all new data entered each day into the accounting databases, sales databases, and other key elements to be added to the backup without fail. In the event some sort of disaster takes place, the backup can be activated and there’s little to no loss of valuable data.
Another benefit of this approach has to do with disasters that make it impossible to use your physical facility. Even employees who don’t already work remotely can be granted access to the cloud network from home. The result is that the business can still function fully even in the midst of some type of disaster. As long as everyone has Internet access, they can still get things done.
Reducing Your Company’s Environmental Footprint
You may not think that your small business has an impact on the environment, but it does in several ways. There’s the resources needed to manufacture the hardware and equipment you keep in the main office. You also should think about the amount of energy it takes to power all those devices and even the fuel used to get employees to and from work. All the way around, your footprint may be larger than you think.
Cloud computing means that it’s possible to reduce that footprint. There’s less hardware to keep in the office. In fact, you can often have more people work remotely and operate a smaller and more energy-efficient central office. Knowing that your energy consumption scales up and down in the cloud environment based on activity also means no energy is wasted. That’s a good thing for you and for the environment in general.
There’s more that you should learn about the possibilities that cloud computing offers for your small business. Talk with an expert today and explore all of them. You may find this is the solution needed to take your operation to a whole new level.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.