Most small businesses, especially startups, don’t have the funds to sink major dollars into their IT infrastructure. That’s one of the biggest benefits of cloud computing. The cloud has made major changes in, not only data redundancy, but also how businesses operate.

The name “the cloud” is a misnomer. It’s not one place on the internet. Rather, it refers to any location on which you can store data other than a computer. Many businesses use Office 365 which is a cloud-based service. Others use Salesforce which changed the face of the customer relationship management. You might use Google Drive to store your personal files which is another example of a cloud-based service.

Why Cloud Based Services Benefit Small Businesses

When properly utilized, there are countless benefits cloud-based products and service bring a business, large or small. Here are a few:

• Flexibility – If you’re talking about storage, you can buy the amount of space you need today and upgrade when you need it without replacing expensive hardware. Cloud based software provides you the ability to pay for the necessary number of software licenses each month or year and change (up or down) when you need to.
• Secure Storage – Storing files on your laptop leaves them vulnerable. The laptop may be stolen, compromised or even damaged leaving valuable data incomplete or completely missing. By storing your files on the Cloud with a quality provider, the data is safely stored and backed up.
• Remote Access – Whether you have a sales team spread across the region or just have the occasional need to access your data remotely, when it’s stored in a cloud-based system, you can. That also makes it easier to share data among team members.

But is it Secure?

There are three primary types of cloud-based storage; public, private and hybrid. Private cloud storage is, as the name implies, on a private network and is necessary for many businesses including the medical and legal fields. The best-known example of public cloud services is Google Drive. And because it’s public, it’s the least secure. It’s affordable but you shouldn’t use it for sensitive or private data.

As its name implies, a hybrid cloud environment gives you space on a private secure server as well as space on a public server. This is often the choice of many growing businesses as it’s more affordable than a totally private solution.

If your business is growing and you realize that you need secure storage for your data, talk to Toucan Technology Group. We offer many cloud-based services and can make sure your data is secure and redundant so your business is protected. Call us today at (317) 376-4874 or fill out our contact form for more information.