Benefits Of Cloud Computing Flexibility

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Network Dependency may mean dependency to the internet, but it means independence from the office. Employees are now more able to access data from servers outside the office and not hard-wired in-house servers—creating a more flexible and mobile work lifestyle for organizations.

Not only does cloud computing provide flexibility for workers, it provides flexibility in implementing   changes and new technologies without high risk and cost. Because organizations aren’t bound to a hard-wired IT infrastructure that cost billions to create in the first place, the have room to experiment and change things with the ability to just as easily revert back to their original system if things do not work out.

Cost Reduction and Increased Efficiency

The low barrier of entry and the pay-per-use model offered by cloud computing makes it very versatile. It is scalable for large corporations and affordable for small ones. Since a massive amount of resources is not needed for everyone, they can be leased to other clients, and the cost can be divided among those clients. A cloud provider can offer an infinite amount of resources to many users. Because of reduced cost and time, organizations can focus efforts elsewhere and be more efficient.

Reliability

While internet connectivity and the provider itself being subject to outages is a scary fact of the nature of cloud computing, there is still more reliability in comparison to in-house systems because of the economies of scale. The vendor is more able to give 24/7 technical support and highly trained experienced staff to support the infrastructure at its best condition, and the benefits will reach all their clients. Compare this to each organization having a team of on-site IT people with varied skill set.

Security Gains

Yes, there are security risks with cloud computing. But as mentioned above, the traditional, in-house data storage system comes with risks as well. The gain here lies within smaller, newer companies with low-budget for implementing security systems and less know-how about security technology. The cloud provider already provides the hardware and knowledge for the most current security measures.

It is evident that implementing a new data system comes with serious risks to consider, but it is also clear that the benefits of cloud computing can be factors that help business grow—especially smaller ones.

Like anything it is important to plan implementation properly and consider all areas that will be affected. Vendors can certainly aid in doing this.

Applications

 Gmail

Gmail is a free, advertising-supported serviced provided by Google. Gmail was launched as an invitation-only beta-release on April 1, 2004 and it became available to the general public on February 7, 2007, though still in beta status at the time. As of November 2010, it had 193.3 million users monthly.  -  Wikipedia.

Gmail is becoming more and more widespread throughout the small business community because it lets small business owners work remotely so much easier. It has increased spam protection, it organises incoming emails from each sender into more of a conversation, rather than just chronologically listing them. Gmail also includes a live chat facility so that you can connect with other Gmail users in real time.

Most importantly, with Gmail you can customise your email address to include your business’ domain name!

2.  Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a free time-management web application offered by Google. It became available on April 13, 2006, and exited the beta stage in July 2009. Users are required to have a Google account in order to use the software.  -  Wikipedia.

I use Google Calendar all the time. It is the best way I have found for my V.A.’s to know what I am doing, where I am, and also when they are able to make appointments for clients to meet me and so on. When they make my appointments, they also attachFourSquare details of the meeting point, they can upload images, files and other text including meeting participants’ mobile numbers in case someone gets lost – and best of all – they can share it all among themselves as well as with me!

Google Calendar is free. However, there could be costs from your mobile provider if you choose to use SMS notifications and so on.

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3.  Google Groups

Google Groups is a service from Google that supports discussion groups … based on common interests. Membership in Google Groups is free of charge and many groups are anonymous. Users can find discussion groups related to their interests and participate in threaded conversations, either through a web interface or by email. They can also start new groups.  -  Wikipedia.

4.  Google Docs

Google Docs is a free, web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. Data storage of any files up to 1GB each in size was introduced on January 13, 2010.  -  Wikipedia.

A lot of my web-based and website-based forms are done using Google Docs. The functionality that Docs offers me in being able to integrate, collate and refer to word documents, spreadsheets, presentations and so on is really handy and best of all, stored offsite on Google’s secure servers so I don’t have to worry about space, either in my office or on my computers.

5.  Google Sites

Google sites is a structure wiki and web page creation tool offered by Google as part of … Google Apps. [It] started out as Jotspot [and] it was targeted mainly at small-sized and medium-sized businesses.  -  Wikipedia.

This one was referred to me by a few of my Twitter followers when I was researching this post, but to be honest, I have never used it. I am, however, a massive fan of Wikis like WetPaint, and any application that allows like-minded people (clients or business partners) to collaborate and share information sounds like a good idea to me.

Dropbox is a web-based file hosting service … which uses cloud computing to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the internet using file synchronization. There are both free and paid services, each with varying options.  -  Wikipedia.

I love Dropbox and use it all the time. Quite often my small business clients have to send me big files for instance (text, audio or video) and to do that via email is a bit of a nightmare. But they are able to upload the files to Dropbox and I can instantly have access to them, either on my computers or on my phone.

I find it’s also a great way to share images and video that I take as a snapshot on my phone straight to my computer (or someone else’s computer) to then upload to my social media channels and so on.

And the Dropbox on my phone is identical to the Dropbox on my computer which I love.

7.  Basecamp

Basecamp is a web-based project management tool launched in 2004. Basecamp primary features are to-do lists, milestone management, forum-like messaging, file sharing, and time tracking.  -  Wikipedia.

8.  Highrise

Highrise is a ‘shared contact management’ web application which supports basic CRM tasks. The application centers around person and company pages, which collate information such as images, notes, and contact detail.  -  Wikipedia.

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9.  Backpack

Backpack is a web-based personal information manager and intranet for small business. The application has two main functions: user-created pages (which can include text, images and files) and an iCalendar format calendar. Features of the user-created pages include to-do lists, inline photo galleries, notes and file attachments, and page sharing.  -  Wikipedia.

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10.  Campfire

Campfire is a business-oriented online chat service. The application uses Ajax technology for real time communication. To use the application, users must either create a new chat room or be invited to one. Unless a chat room is specifically chosen to be "off the record", browsable transcripts of chats and uploaded files are stored for future reference.  -  Wikipedia.

11.  Evernote

Evernote is a suite of software and services designed for notetaking and archiving available in a paid version or a more restricted, advertising-supported, ‘free’ version. A ‘note’ can be a piece of formattable text, a full webpage or webpage excerpt, a photograph, a voice memo, or a handwritten ‘ink’ note. Notes can also have file attachments. Notes can then be sorted into folders, tagged, annotated, edited, given comments, and searched.  -  Wikipedia.

Evernote is my current favourite cloud app. I am always finding new ways to use it in my everyday life both personally and business related.

It allows my usual stream of consciousness to actually be useful instead of just having my thoughts, ideas, research and other random notions escaping to the atmosphere never to return!

I make notes, record video clips, take photos of interesting offers or other blog-worthy ideas and then tag everything on Evernote which thankfully collates and keeps everything in an organised place where I can find and use it all at a later date.

Evernote has, for me, replaced the clunky way I use to have to record everything in the Notes of my phone – usually never looked at again.

Best part is when I put something on Evernote on my phone it automatically puts it onto Evernote on my computer as well (and vice versa) – really handy.

Evernote is free but you can also upgrade to Evernote Premium for $5 per month or $45 for a year.

12.  Xero

Xero is an online accounting software product for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as personal finance. [It] allows business owners and their employers, accountants, bookkeepers and other financial advisors access to up-to-date financial records in real-time with the only system requirement being a suitably-configured internet browser.  -  Wikipedia.

13.  PayCycle

PayCycle Inc. is an online payroll service started in 1999 by Rene Lacerte and Martin Gates. [It] was the first company to introduce a completely internet-based payroll service.  -  Wikipedia.

14.  WorkFlowMax

WorkflowMax allows you and your staff to track time, manage jobs, create quotes, purchase orders and invoices. Using the advanced reporting, measure how productive your team is, whether you’re on schedule and more importantly how much money you are making on each job.  -  WorkFlowMax website.

15.  Logmein

LogMeIn is a suite of software services that provides remote access to computers over the internet. The various product versions are designed for both end users and professional help desk personnel.  -  Wikipedia.

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16.  Carbonite

Carbonite is an online backup service available to both Windows and Mac users that provides unlimited backup space to consumers and small businesses. It is named after carbonite, the fictional substance used to freeze Han Solo in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.  -  Wikipedia.

Carbonite has saved me more than once with file recovery and back up issues – most notably, that I am rubbish at backing stuff up. It is definitely worth the yearly fee.

17. Springpad

Quickly and easily save ideas and information you want to remember. Springpad automatically categorizes your stuff and enhances it with useful links. Share your stuff, set reminders and get alerts to relevant news, offers and deals.  -  Springpad Website.