This little cloud is everywhere! And for good reason: it offers many benefits to both businesses and end-users. Its rapid adoption by many companies is due to the advantages offered by this new system: unlimited access to all your IT resources. Although it has been criticised by some and adopted by others, the Cloud does not leave people indifferent; it raises issues. It is not easy for any company, even in the age of digitalisation, to take the step towards the cloud.
A Healthy Sector
The Cloud market is growing rapidly and is showing steadily rising figures. According to Gartner an American consulting and advanced technology research company, the global public cloud market is expected to reach $383 billion in 2020, a rise from $246 billion in 2017. *
There are now a variety of Cloud offers: Public Cloud, epitomised by giants such as Amazon via AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Azure (Microsoft), but also Private Cloud or Hybrid Cloud (an intermediate solution between private and public).
Depending on the strategic goals of your company, you may have a real interest in moving towards a Cloud equivalent. This is the case, for example, in sectors such as medical and financial, which have increasing amounts of data to host. Even though these sectors host highly sensitive data, they have managed, thanks to cloud experts, to implement sufficient layers of security in order to best protect their data. Thanks to its advantages, such as the provision of on-demand resources, the cloud is gaining ground and is even succeeding in convincing these « sensitive » sectors.
This technology allows your company to remain competitive in a market where there is more and more data and information to be stored on your servers. Failure to make the transition to the cloud will delay the digital transformation of your business. Eventually, you will have to undergo this change.
Changes in Perspective for Companies
In order not to be left behind, migration towards the cloud should be anticipated and planned. Even if the Cloud remains divisive, anticipation is what will help you avoid falling into the trap of becoming a « two-speed » company. Beforehand, it is essential to define a Cloud strategy that will suit your company, taking into account your needs and expectations. The majority of the financial investment will be for the storage and use of your on-demand data. Migration, on the other hand, is not what will cost you the most, you will even come out on top as long as it is in line with your initial strategy. Consider calling on the services of a cloud expert who can help you implement your strategy.
The major change is therefore at the structural level, as it will be necessary to replace your physical servers with a Cloud equivalent. You will always have your own servers in the Cloud, only they will no longer be physically located at your company. Outsourcing your IT will allow you to focus on your core business. Thanks to your cloud provider, your company’s servers will be entirely managed by your cloud provider, who will be in charge of their security and operational maintenance. Thanks to them, you will benefit from a better quality of service!
New vision
This new vision is a real change for managers and employees alike. The Cloud brings a new way of using your resources, a new mode of consumption, a new way of working! Its emergence is due to a better availability rate than with local infrastructures. In the event of a problem with a server, cloud experts are able to react quickly, which considerably reduces your site’s downtime. Your resources are available 24 hours a day via an internet access. This permanent availability allows you to considerably increase your performance in relation to your initial situation!
Finally, the way the cloud works allows you to introduce new ways of working, such as Home Office: your employees will have all the resources they need to work remotely or from home.
The Stakes of the Cloud within your Company
Once your strategy is established, the challenge for you will be how to integrate the cloud into your business. One of the main challenges is scalability, which means being able to allocate resources according to your needs. If you need more resources over a defined period of time, this is possible. All you have to do is ask your cloud expert.
On the public cloud, for example, you are billed on a consumption basis. You only pay for what you use. This aspect is not negligible, especially for companies with strong Internet appeal, such as e-commerce sites, international federations, etc. Thanks to the cloud you will be able to have the necessary resources to handle large peaks in traffic (sales, Black Fridays, sporting events), and pay based on your consumption.
Today, Clouds are present everywhere in the world, allowing companies to bring services closer to users. This is a significant strategic issue if you have subsidiaries in other countries. The cloud allows you to set up resources in different regions very quickly. For example, you may need it for temporary projects.
In addition, it allows you to store certain data in a defined country thanks to your provider’s datacentres. Microsoft, is a good example with its entry in the Swiss Confederation in September 2019. Microsoft Azure is now serviced by new datacentres in Geneva and Zurich.
The Security of your Data
Identifying a cyber attack before it threatens customer data is the main challenge for your Cloud provider! Cloud experts have the resources to engage more security means than a local infrastructure. The challenge for you is to find a trusted service provider, with whom you will be able to implement exchanges, with the aim of developing your infrastructure security according to your needs.
Finally, if you host ultra-sensitive data, you can choose a service provider specialising in data security. It will benefit from all the necessary resources to increase security on your platform. The key is to work with a cloud expert who meets your expectations based on the strategy you have established within your company.
*Source: Microsoft – Online – Article WEB – https://experiences.microsoft.fr/business/cloud-infra-business/cloud-chiffres-cles/
