We live in an information technology society that allows us to communicate with one another from almost anywhere in the world. Technically speaking, this means a lot of data has been created in the process. And when it comes to data storage and protection, the cloud offers immediate benefits to small businesses.
It has been estimated that cloud storage has nearly quadruple in usage since its inception in 2014. That’s an annual growth rate of nearly 35 percent, which is quite impressive. So, why are small businesses using cloud storage as the best form of back-up of their data? Well, it provides multiple benefits to their operations system and let’s discuss some of those advantages that could be beneficial to your small business.
Faster and Easier Recovery
Cloud storage is the best form of back-up source if you have been a proponent of at physical storage plan. Why? Well, small businesses may not have access to the internet like their larger counterparts. Thus, it wise to back-up your data in the cloud.
No one is trying to suggest replacing physical storage, but it’s important to store copies of your data work away from the workplace that prevents a system malfunction from escalating further. We have all seen too many natural disasters that decimate an area’s entire communication infrastructure. Businesses of any sizes need to have a storage plan in place to continue operating during a disaster of this nature, and cloud storage seems like a smart recovery process.
Easy Maintenance and Increases Productivity
One of the biggest complaints of any small business is the downtime that takes place during the workday for hardware/software updates. Some owners feel they lose as much as 18 workdays in a given year to the process.
The solution to this problem is switching to a cloud storage system. This move should help small businesses to reduce the workload of their IT staff and other potential costs. The cloud’s service provider is responsible for the maintenance and update of the system’s hardware and software.
Better Collaboration Among Workers
We have all learned that today’s workplace isn’t necessarily having all workers housed in one location. If you have a reliable internet connection, then you can collaborate with co-workers from anywhere in the world. Cloud storage offers them to share documents and graphics in real-time, even supervisors can receive project updates from a remote location.
Many workers feel this approach helps them to become more productive because it forces them to find a balance in their professional and personal life. Telecommuting from home or another location requires plenty of data sharing to finish the project on time. All it takes to complete the task is to finish your portion, then unload the file on the cloud for others to contribute their section of the project.
Unlimited Storage Space
Most cloud storage companies offer free or low-cost unlimited space to first-time customers. This is ideal for small businesses who have a limited operational budget but hold a ton of data and hard documents that drain their server’s storage space. It’s not good business practice to run out of space that momentarily stagnates your workday. Free or unlimited cloud storage is a much better course than spending money to purchase additional hard drive space.
Cost Effectiveness
Too often, small businesses are hesitant to take on a chance that could cost them in the long run. However, cloud storage space isn’t one of those questionable business purchases. Why? Well, there is no additional costs once the purchase is finalized. Buying more cloud storage space is far more affordable than purchasing another storage device or additional hardware. Finally, you would never have to budget maintenance cost each quarter because there is no hardware or server to monitor each day.
