Cloud computing is attractive for small and medium-sized businesses looking to make the most of the technology available today at lower costs and reduced risk. The upfront investment is low, they don’t need to invest in software and hardware, licensing and renewal costs are kept to a minimum, total cost of ownership is reduced and they only pay for what they use.Companies need to assess their business needs and infrastructure before taking a decision. Not all solutions work best in the Cloud or on-premise and the choice requires a review of all aspects of any solution.
The case for keeping everything on-site:
The advantages of Cloud-based solutions:
Third parties are doing the hard workThe third, ‘Hybrid’ solution involves a mix of both platforms. Many businesses opt for this as an ideal ‘first step’ into the Cloud. Companies keep their secure on-site servers to handle file storage and applications, but use a Cloud-based package such as Office 365 for e-mail, on-line storage, file sharing and collaboration.