As the take up of cloud computing continues to increase, it’s fair to say that most with even a cursory association to IT have developed some kind of opinion on this revolutionary technology. While thousands of ardent fans sing its praises and strongly encourage its adoption, an equal number of critics tell tales of cloud catastrophe and urge caution to all who will listen.
So which side is to be believed? And what are the real truths behind cloud computing? We take a look at some of the most persistent myths in order to debunk, demystify and educate.
- The Cloud is just for IT companies
It’s not just super hi-tech companies that can benefit from the cloud, from the tiniest of startups to the biggest of retail giants, cloud computing offers advantages to them all. Think point-of-sale retail management software to hosted email and backup services, the multifarious faces of cloud computing mean that whatever business you’re in, chances are, it can simplify your life significantly.
- Security risks are a big problem
Cloud providers live or die by the security of their product. As well as competing on price and service, they’re also competing on security, so it’s in their interest to stay ahead of the game and uphold the highest standards. Remember, cloud businesses have to build secure data centres that are independently audited and adhere to strict standards. In fact, when you consider the number of penetration attacks that there have been on on-premise environments, statistically, it’s been proven that companies cannot manage security as well themselves.
- Migrating to the cloud is more hassle than it’s worth
Generally, migrating to the cloud is a pain-free exercise, so long as you work in partnership with a trusted and experienced cloud provider. A reputable provider will help your business migrate while ensuring minimal disruption by working closely to support business operations from the outset. As the long term benefits of cloud adoption can include greater efficiency, cost effectiveness and ensuring that your business abreast of technological advances.
- Cloud computing should be used for everything
As versatile as cloud computing is, it’s a myth that moving everything to the cloud is necessary for businesses to see real benefits. Moving legacy applications to the cloud, for example, isn’t likely to be worthwhile, particularly when they were developed to deal with the hardware and infrastructure constraints of the 90s or early 00s. Businesses that attempt to do so won’t be able to take advantage of the new platforms full capabilities nor see a real return on their investment.
- Cloud adoption will save you money
While cloud adoption often will save you money, this shouldn’t be the sole motivating factor for migrating. With benefits such as increased agility and security, the cost of migration may not seem as significant. In fact, Gartner’s 2014 CIO survey shows that cost savings account for only 14% of the reasons organisations choose to use the cloud.
Debunking the Myths :
When looking into cloud adoption, there really is no replacement for analysing your individual situation and assessing the implications of migrating from a capital and operational expenditure perspective.
Whatever you think you know about cloud computing, remember, incorrect assumptions often serve to impede innovation and prevent your organisation from making real progress. Do your research, challenge your perceptions, and you’ll soon be in a position to judge the true benefits for yourself.[su_box title=”About Maytech” style=”noise” box_color=”#336588″]Maytech provides a global cloud platform for secure and reliant data transfer, wherever you are. Maytech operates a global data network with hubs in Europe, America, China, UAE and Australia. Providing accelerated transfers and fast regional downloads worldwide.[/su_box]
The opinions expressed in this post belongs to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.