5 Components of Cloud Infrastructure

Business infrastructure establishes how a company operates. The more aligned the infrastructure is with desired business outcomes, the more efficiently a company can run and scale. Infrastructure often requires a tremendous investment of finances, physical space, and human resources. This can slow growth and lock companies into a single location or region. This is where cloud infrastructure comes in.

components of Cloud Infrastructure

Improved Business Processes

Cloud-based technology is on the cutting edge of business continuity and efficiency. From unparalleled disaster recovery options to incorporating template-driven IaC, or Infrastructure as Code, streamlining and simplifying your business operations has never been easier. Flexible combinations of software and services which can be upgraded and customized. As your company scales and enhanced business process flow, taking advantage of cloud infrastructure provides several other benefits, including simplifying scalability, improving data security, increasing accessibility, and positively impacting the bottom line.

Simplified Scalability 

Since the cloud is maintained by another business it can be expanded with less internal effort, cost, and coordination. Upgrades and modifications can also happen more quickly and with less downtime because you have access to a dedicated external team.  Also, you don’t have to tax internal employees by adding to their existing responsibilities. Since these external teams are dedicated to maintaining, upgrading, and managing data centers, they often do not have the learning curve many internal employees may have when new software releases and updates become available. Consequently, simplifying and speeding up product rollouts. This single factor allows businesses to grow and pivot with their market seamlessly without compromising quality or system performance. Additionally, since data centers do not have to be maintained on-site, companies that were once tied to a single location are free to expand wherever their business takes them.

Improved Data Security

There is an inherent feeling of safety knowing everything is in-house and for some this sense of security is worth the added cost and decreased flexibility. However, migrating infrastructure to a cloud-based solution means there are fewer people with access to your data. Less access means more security. Additionally, hosted data centers often utilize high-end security software and take other security measures. Some businesses may have the manpower and finances to do this. An overlooked update can lead to data vulnerability that would be weakened by hosting data on the cloud.

Increased Accessibility

It is the anytime, anywhere data access that may be the biggest draw to cloud infrastructure. This increased accessibility is another reason companies are utilizing the cloud. It can scale and pivot so rapidly in response to market changes and growth. This benefit doesn’t stop at scalability, but extends to human resources, as well. Having the ability to do business anywhere there is an internet connection is huge. This means new hires whose positions don’t require them to report to a central location can be on boarded from anywhere around the world. Additionally, companies can offer this increased flexibility to existing employees. This creates the potential to significantly bolster employee satisfaction and morale.

Impacts The Bottom Line

Taking advantage of cloud infrastructure can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. Maintaining a private data center is expensive, requiring upfront and ongoing investments in equipment, software,  physical space, and personnel. In fact, many businesses report 30 to 50 percent savings when switching to a cloud infrastructure solution. It’s rare to find a technology-based solution with this many benefits.

It is safe to say that the cloud is here for the long haul. In an increasingly global economy having your business infrastructure on the cloud may provide a competitive advantage over others in your market. From scalability to excellent data security, unparalleled accessibility to a marked improvement on the company bottom line, the advantages of cloud infrastructure are hard to ignore. Businesses exploring options that support both short- and long-term data and computing needs will certainly benefit from giving this solution serious consideration.

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Kevin Gardner

Kevin Gardner loves writing about technology and the impact it has on our lives, especially within businesses.