Most of us interact with cloud computing on a daily basis, but if you’re not entirely sure what the term means, consider this post a back-to-basics lesson on how it will benefit your business.

What (and where) is the cloud?

Data has, is and probably always will be stored on some form of digital medium. Traditionally, that was on your computer’s own hard drive, or on a server within your premises.

This brought with it some challenges - namely the risk of data loss due to hard drive failure, expensive server maintenance and the inability to access your data unless you’re sat in front of the machine storing it.

With cloud computing, data is still stored on a hard drive, but it’s one owned and operated by a service provider. It could be in a building somewhere in your hometown or on another continent, but you’ll still be able to access it on virtually any device of your choosing, providing you have an internet connection.

The same goes for apps. We’re now increasingly using web-based versions of software that used to be installed directly on our computers. Known as ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS), cloud apps are typically provided on a subscription basis and can also be accessed from virtually any device with an internet connection.

What are the benefits of the cloud?

Let’s first consider the time and money you can save by investing in the cloud:

• there’ll be no more large upfront software costs - just manageable monthly subscriptions;
• you won’t need to invest in expensive on-premise servers and network infrastructure;
• you’ll benefit from updates that arrive immediately and without the whole system needing to be closed down for extended periods of time; and
• in-house IT resources won’t be in as high demand.

Beyond cost and time savings, the cloud offers significant productivity benefits.

Files stored on cloud services can be accessed and shared no matter where employees happen to be, which makes collaboration blissfully easy. If you’re still emailing documents to one another and ending up with multiple versions of the same file, cloud computing will be a breath of fresh air.

With systems like DocuShare Flex from Xerox, document heavy processes such as invoicing can be automated, thus freeing staff from repetitive tasks.

The prominence of the cloud in everyday life means the majority of new hires you make will already be digitally native (whether they know it or not!). And, with cloud apps enabling you to add users with nothing more than a simple sign-in, getting new recruits up and running is a much quicker process.

What about cybercrime?

Stories of big business data breaches and personal data theft seem to be forever in the headlines. It’s therefore understandable if you feel anxious about relying too heavily on cloud technology.

In reality, storing your data in the cloud can be safer than keeping it on a hard drive in your premises. The latter makes it subject to viruses, crashes and accidents, but it’s also a lot easier to walk off with a hard drive full of confidential business data than it is a cloud storage solution.

If you pick the right cloud services supplier, you’ll benefit from enterprise-level firewalls and cybersecurity and up-to-the-minute backups. Doing that in-house is both complex and far more costly than an SaaS subscription.

Without the cloud, digital transformation would be painfully slow and inherently insecure.