According to IDG’s 2020 Cloud Computing Study, 92 percent of organizations run at least part of their IT infrastructure on the cloud. The entire concept of enterprise cloud computing, from hosted applications, virtual workstation, server, and network environments to cloud management services, is quickly catching on in various commercial sectors.
Clearly, more entrepreneurs realize the competitive, economic, and efficiency advantages of leveraging cloud solutions. Let’s look at how all those benefits combine to simplify enterprise IT infrastructure.
Low reliance on in-house IT resources
Reduced investment in IT hardware and software tops the list of cloud computing advantages. Generally, IT spending is on an upward trend, but over recent years, companies are spending relatively less on enterprise devices and software due to the proliferation of cloud services.
Although cost-savings is a common motivation for cloud migration, it’s only half the story. Minimal in-house IT investments eliminate room for critical errors, including malicious attacks, accidents, and physical damage. The cloud also saves you the headache of finding the right resources for putting together a powerful and reliable IT system — not to mention the lifetime maintenance of the entire infrastructure.
Single pane of glass management
Most on-prem IT facilities consist of different devices and software often linked or synced through common interfaces or APIs. Such setups make it difficult to alter one element without affecting the others. As a result, scaling, reconfigurations, and upgrades become tedious, time-consuming, and expensive.
Cloud management is a lot easier since you can run updates, roll out new apps, configure computing environments, troubleshoot systems, manage networks, and change permissions remotely from anywhere via a single console. For instance, unlike traditional wireless controllers, the cloud-centric Meraki’s MR access point treats multiple networks as one and allows you to manage and control them all under one roof. Such capabilities reduce complexities and redundancies in IT management.
Infrastructure mobility
Cloud resources are readily accessible from anywhere at any time since there’re no physical barriers. Unrestricted access opens up new possibilities of remote working, globalization, and boosted collaborations. On top of that, it also means that cloud management is much easier to deal with by letting a managed cloud service take over security and resource monitoring. The cloud allows you to take your business on the move — never missing a beat regardless of geographical location.
Efficient IT usage
It’s much easier to fine-tune cloud IT infrastructure to meet specific digital performance requirements for your business than calibrating on-prem systems to a narrow range of specs. With cloud computing, you only pay for what you need when you need it. You can conveniently adjust specs, such as storage capacity, computing power, and network bandwidth, by simply clicking on buttons or switching to a different tier of cloud products and services.
Seamless cloud management and flexibility give you the power to dial-up your computing power at any time on-demand. It also eliminates IT redundancies and bottlenecks, streamlining your computing throughput and making your digital infrastructure more agile.
Secure IT deployment
CIOs often question the security of cloud storage and services, particularly the public cloud. According to Gartner, most cloud security breaches occur not because of a lapse in the cloud’s security but from poor cloud management and control. In many ways, the cloud is far more secure than an on-prem resource center.
For one, the cloud is completely resilient to physical damage from natural disasters and accidents. Second, you can add several extra layers of security to cloud systems, including MFA, encryption, access controls, and firewalls through third-party cloud-managed security such as Meraki MX.
The real beauty of cloud computing is that it allows businesses to access and utilize high-end IT resources that would otherwise be out of reach. Partner with a cloud management expert and begin leveraging the power of the cloud to expand your digital scope and simplify your IT processes.