Cloud computing in the business’ arsenal: benefits and opportunities

Within the last few years discussions about a cloud, cloud computing, private and public cloud have become increasingly popular. Every entrepreneur is looking for maximum profit from IT (information technologies) tools while investing less. By now, cloud is beneficial to companies willing to reduce expenses and increase business efficiency, therefore almost unlimited options and extensive tools make cloud attractive to many companies, as well as government institutions and individuals.

Business in the cloud environment

Year 2009 has shaked the global economic system, forcing businesses to look for cost-effective solutions, that is why virtual data storage and processing tools became a favorable and successful option to cut outsourcing expenses. Cloud can be accessed from anywhere, anytime - cloud user only needs to have a computer or a digital device (smartphone), and an internet connection. Cloud provides options for uninterruptable business continuity; as a result, companies can implement long-term strategies, adapt to evolving environment and lower investments, for instance, financial savings on new hardware purchase.

Choose your cloud

There are three main groups using cloud solutions: those who use publicly available internet resources based on cloud (email, photo and video exchange, internet banking etc.), those using public clouds hosted by global providers (Amazon, Microsoft, Google) and customers of professional IT companies like Baltic data center operator DEAC, who specializes in building public and private clouds. 

What is the difference between public and private cloud? Both solutions are based on the data center infrastructure; but if security and process management flexibility is an issue, DEAC advises to build a private cloud. Private cloud is built for a specific group or company running all processes on a dedicated infrastructure, it allows to manage scalability and adjust processes to specific company’s needs. As opposed to the private cloud, public cloud space is shared with several users, connected to the cloud via internet, and this is a cost-effective way to go – costs on electricity, licensing, applications, hardware are split among all tenants.

DEAC offer their customers to build private or public clouds on the powerful virtual platform. Access to the cloud is provided 24/7/365, minimized system downtime allows to process data more quickly. DEAC virtual platform provides customers with the highest availability, reaching 99,99%, which is equal to 4 minutes of downtime per month.

More with less

Cloud and its costs will not be equal to anyone, because of specific network, storage or hardware configurations dedicated to a single customer, besides, payment is charged only for the necessary solution.

Investments are inevitable almost in any business, therefore DEAC cloud has its attractive side – solution brings benefits like minimized capital investments (OpEx) and optimized operational expenses (OpEx), in addition,  by differentiating expenses, company can predict and evenly distribute monthly expenses. The cost-effective way is to reduce company’s expenses on hardware, software or support – these solutions are included in the monthly payment for cloud usage. Total monthly expenses are much lower compared to creating and maintaining company’s own infrastructure. A trusted cloud provider can take care of these concerns so that the company can use its current assets to invest in further business development.

Maximal safety

Gartner Group research shows that 40% of small and medium-sized enterprises, using personal network and internet, are subject of hacker attacks, besides 50% won’t ever know they were attacked. No doubts, almost everything has an element of risk, for instance, 90% of companies who lost their data only for 10 days will go out of business within the year, and 50% of them - immediately. Clearly, one of the most reliable and predictable solutions for business security could become properly managed cloud, based on the powerful data center infrastructure and provided with latest software and multi-level security systems. Company can estimate the most appropriate cloud tools to protect their business data from unauthorized access and loss.