Is The Cloud Right For Your Business?

Tech Tips from CoopSys – Episode 3: Is the cloud right for your business?

In this episode of Tech Tips from CoopSys, we explore a hot topic in the world of business IT: The cloud.

So many small and medium businesses just like yours are hitting a critical crossroads. Whether your server is at the end of its life and you are considering whether to purchase a new physical server…
or you’ve started using cloud-based software applications and would like to streamline your data storage…

Every business out there is unique. There are no two businesses with identical needs, resources, tools, goals, and so forth. Knowing that, it is gravely important to approach IT decisions with this in mind.

When it comes to cloud hosting vs. on-prem solutions, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every business has to factor the pros and cons for themselves.

Scott Spatz, President of Cooperative Systems, has put together this quick reference for you and your team before you make this important decision for your business.

Security, continuity, and costs are just a few of the many components involved in these respective options. This is a breakdown of the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly to help you and your team navigate through to the most appropriate choice for your organization.

We always recommend having a holistic approach and evaluating all the ways and places that your company is storing and using data.

Before you make your decision, here are some important questions to ask:

• How much storage and bandwidth do we need?
  …and what data does that include?
• Are our data needs consistent or do they fluctuate?    And Why?
• What are our operational needs that we are looking to address?
• Do we have the flexibility to cover varying costs of a cloud subscription?
• Alternatively, are we able to invest the appropriate capital for local servers?
• Do we have the physical space and bandwidth to install, secure, and maintain local servers properly? If not, who will be responsible for security and maintenance for cloud services?
• What are our requirements and what is driving those?
  

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We hope this helps you to determine whether the cloud is truly right for your business and how you might be able to leverage cloud technologies to be more efficient and profitable as a business.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any other questions about your options for storing and managing data!