Cloud Computing - What does it mean for Businesses?

You've probably heard of cloud technology. All the big names in the technology industry are talking about it; but for a lot of people, it's still just a buzz word. Microsoft has been pushing the idea of a cloud for a while, with a couple sitting at an airport waiting for a layover, with the end result being that the cloud ceases their boredom by letting them stream movies from home. What exactly is the cloud and why does it matter for businesses?

First of all, cloud technology is more than just data storage. Essentially, cloud computing means you are pulling data or utilizing a computer or computers over the internet to the heavy lifting instead of relying on your workstation or laptop. The cloud essentially means if your computer were to break, your work and data that is on the cloud will remain in tact. Ideally the cloud is redundantly backed up, managed, and secure, so you can be sure that your data is safe. A concept similar to this has been in play for ages; running a terminal server and having your users remote in is a very tiny scale model of what cloud technology is. Cloud technology can make tech support easier; carefully proactively manage the cloud server(s) that hold all the software and data, and worry less about the workstations. All the workstation needs to be able to do is access the cloud. All the heavy lifting is done within the cloud. This can go even further; if the OS is hosted on the cloud, tech support can completely manage software updates and security without ever interfering with the end user. Backups are automated, reliable, and taken often. Accessing the cloud can be done from any Internet-connected PC, enabling an easy, reliable remote access so you and your staff can access the information and applications they need from anywhere. Cloud technology is still fairly new, but has been improving the ways small businesses (and larger corporations down to tech savvy home users). Call us at 607.433.2200 if you want to see what the cloud can do for your business.