Navigating the Cloud: A Beginner’s Guide for Small Businesses

If you’re a small business owner, you’re probably used to doing just about everything for yourself. You might be operating on a thin margin, so if it’s cheaper to burn a little midnight oil than to hire someone else, you’ll extend your workday and make sure the task gets done. And while there’s much to admire in this approach, the drawbacks, especially to your quality of life, are evident. Fortunately, there are certain aspects of business that are actually easier to accomplish, more efficient, and cheaper to delegate. This includes contracting out various functions of your computer network to a proven IT professional.

In the past, when tasks piled up, the way to deal with them was to not deal with them. “Just sweep it under the rug,” we’d say. Today, we’ve got a better solution: “Just put it in the cloud.”

What is “the cloud?”

Legend has it that the term ‘cloud’ came from a symbol on a flow-chart used to designate the Internet. Perhaps because these flow-charts were being drawn up in the 1960s, when nobody really knew what the Internet would be, engineers used an amorphous image of constantly shifting vapor. Now that the Internet has been around for about 40 years, we have a pretty good idea how it works, but for most folks who upload or download data, “the cloud” still suggests a mythical realm, composed more of wishes and dreams than cables, routers, processors, and servers.

Essentially, what the cloud means is you are using the Internet to access offsite infrastructure to manage your data, saving you hardware, square-footage, and maintenance costs, while assuring you receive professional curation of your precious files. For many small businesses, cloud service has become absolutely essential.

Types of cloud services and their benefits

There are four major methods of cloud computing:

• Public cloud — Here, multiple parties share resources, such as applications and storage. Sharing reduces costs appreciably, but security is not as robust.
• Private cloud — This method gives you exclusive access to resources. The cost is higher, but you have greater control and security.
• Hybrid cloud — A ‘best of both worlds’ approach that combines private and public cloud features, so you can control costs and enjoy greater security of your most sensitive data.
• Community cloud — Similar to a public cloud, but in this model, entities that operate in a like manner can band together to create shared cloud infrastructure or use the services of a cloud provider.

Cloud services allow access to infrastructure and software, as follows:

• SaaS — With “software as a service,” you pay to access apps for business use. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about licensing, installing, or updating software.
• PaaS — With “platform as a service,” a provider delivers hardware and software tools to you over the Internet. You pay to access the environment and tools to develop new applications.
• IaaS — Via the Internet, you can access “Infrastructure as a service,” allowing you to store data on secure servers. This model supports data recovery objectives, since your backup is kept offsite.

By selecting an appropriate cloud service, you can:

• Save on expenses — It’s generally cheaper to rent than buy. You save on hardware and software.
• Save on floor space — Commercial real estate is at a premium in New Jersey. You don’t need rows of servers cramping your office.
• Avoid the hassles of maintenance — Once you buy equipment or assume responsibility for your software licensing, you need to see to its upkeep.
• Scale up or down at your discretion — Cloud computing is extremely flexible. You can easily increase your data storage whenever you add staff.
• Enjoy greater security — Storing sensitive data in the cloud is often the best way to deter hackers and ensure you can recover data in the event of a disaster.

Cloud computing is a great option for most small businesses, but you must choose the right plan and a reputable provider. At KMF Technologies, our IT specialists provide expert advice based on your specific circumstances. Call us today for a consultation.