Over the last ten years, cloud services have grown massively. In 2022, their popularity is expected to grow by a further 25% and by 2026, the public cloud industry is set to be worth $800 billion. Despite the fact that 94% of businesses use at least one type of cloud service, there are still a lot of organisations that are asking about the right time to move to the cloud.
When you listen to one of our first ever podcasts that we will release later this month, then you will hear Matrix IT’s CTO Matt Faulkner address this question. In case you missed it, here are the key takeaways.
Businesses are often put off moving to a cloud environment as they mistakenly believe it has to be done all in one go. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Moving to the cloud can be done gradually, on an application or functional level. By tackling one process or area of the business at a time, the most suitable cloud services can be sought.
Before you get started, let’s look at a few things to consider…
Costs of moving to the cloud
The first thing to think about is how much it is going to cost your organisation to move to the cloud.
Cloud services are often charged on a subscription basis. This means you’ll only pay for what you need or use and can change your licence to suit your business’s evolving needs. This is beneficial as it can save you money and give you flexibility.
There are situations however, when transitioning to the cloud can be more expensive. For example, if you have purchased software outright. Moving to a subscription model means you may have additional costs on top of this.
The level of functionality provided by cloud services
The second question to ask yourself is whether cloud services will provide the same functionality as the software you are used to. Cloud applications are often basic in the first instance, but grow in functionality over time or with increased subscription costs. If you’ve never had on-premises software before, this basic level will most likely suffice, at least to begin with. However, if you are moving from a complex on-site software package, you may need to consider if cloud services will meet all your needs.
A good example of this is the Microsoft Office Suite, which when first released had very basic levels of document functionality compared to the desktop version.
Cloud services security
The third and most important consideration is the security of cloud services. Security is a huge concern, whether you are in the cloud or not. Making the move to the cloud can raise additional security issues, particularly as many businesses now operate with a hybrid working model.
When you are using cloud services to store sensitive company data, client data or applications, it is only right you’ll want to ensure they are secure. So what steps can you take to protect your data in the cloud?
- Vet the organisation providing the service. Check if they are Cyber Essentials secured or have other relevant accreditations.
- Check where and how your information is stored and whether it is encrypted. Your business is responsible for data protection under GDPR, so it’s worth doing some extra research or asking the questions to ensure they are using reputable hosting and appropriate security measures.
- Confirm what security features they offer to you and your users. For example, do they offer multi-factor authentication or integrate with identity providers such as Google or Microsoft?
Moving to the cloud with Matrix IT
We hope this has given you something to think about when considering cloud services.
If your business is ready to move to the cloud and you’d like some help getting started or talking through your application strategy, get in touch with Matrix IT today.
