Adopting cloud platforms can bring great business benefit without forcing dramatic change.
Many business owners believe they must dramatically change their software and business processes just to embrace cloud working models. Too often they are left believing that any business use of cloud technologies requires changing software and systems over to subscription web-based solutions which enable the much-desired anytime/anywhere working model. What too many businesses aren’t being told is that there are ways to move to cloud platforms without losing their investments in people, processes and business knowledge.
The benefits of a cloud computing model are many, with mobility and managed service being the most obvious. Less evident are the potential cost savings, because the subscription approach to paying for IT services may, on the surface, look like an equivalent or even higher cost over time.
What isn’t being factored in is the potential to improve processes and increase productivity. These benefits are often achieved simply due to a centralized management and access approach, and are not necessarily attributable to the adoption of new software tools.
The cloud is the right answer for deploying and managing IT for many businesses, and delivers more value than on-premises systems can for the same price.
Eliminating the on-premises server and network with a cloud server implementation should be considered first, before changing out the software and tools in use throughout the organization. Hosting the existing applications means users can access their regular desktop software via the cloud, allowing the organization to fully retain their investments in people, processes and knowledge, and to build on that foundation with centralized service and improved collaboration..
Businesses of all sizes and types are are finding that the cloud, hosted applications and remote access provide the answers to a variety of business IT problems. Even more, those answers are being provided affordably, with a simplicity of setup and with higher levels of service than is usually provided for with localized IT.
Small businesses and enterprise organizations alike can experience many benefits with a cloud hosted and managed IT approach. It doesn’t take a comprehensive application or process overhaul to begin improving internal IT operations for the business, and it makes no sense for a business to give up investments in training, process development, and people knowledge in exchange for a centrally managed and remotely accessible system.
Rather, the smart business takes the steps to solve the real issues of IT management and mobility while allowing users to continue performing their tasks and doing business as usual – only better because the platform is now working for them.
Mendelson Consulting’s NOOBEH cloud solutions team helps businesses move from aging, expensive and underperforming local IT infrastructure to modern, managed infrastructure on the Microsoft Azure cloud. It’s all yours, and it’s all private.
