Small businesses can benefit from cloud services

Cyber attacks are on the rise, with new variants emerging constantly. Skilled tech workers are difficult to find, and the shortage is worsening. Money and resources that could be used to grow startups and small businesses are instead being devoted to building, securing, and maintaining in-house information technology infrastructure.

The good news is that subscribing to a comprehensive package of IT services provided and hosted by a third party can significantly lighten the tech burden for small businesses. These cloud services offer the same benefits enjoyed by larger organizations with bigger budgets and can be significantly less expensive than the alternative.

How cloud services lower costs

Trained, experienced tech workers do not come cheap, especially given the ongoing and worsening shortage of available personnel. Because their skills are in high demand, small businesses with in-house IT departments may find it difficult to keep employees and fill open positions. Quality cloud service providers not only have trained and experienced IT pros on staff, but they may also offer their services to their clients 24/7. Because the salaries of their IT staffers are split among multiple clients, the cost to each client can be significantly reduced.

Building an internal infrastructure complete with, among other components, networking equipment, servers, applications, and large uninterruptible power supplies capable of supporting the equipment during a power outage is quite expensive. Replacing systems and applications when they are no longer supported is also costly. Failing to do so creates security vulnerabilities. Cloud service providers already have the infrastructure. As with their employees, the cost of that infrastructure and its maintenance is divided among the provider's clients. Again, clients reap the benefits through cost savings.

Increased security

A single successful ransomware attack can destroy a small business or startup. Not only could the organization lose critical data, but the associated costs, loss of customer trust, and damage to the company's reputation could make recovery impossible. This is but one among a growing list of security threats that must be addressed.

A quality provider of cloud services has trained security personnel on staff. Staffers keep abreast of emerging threats and ensure that their networks and systems are kept up to date with the most recent security patches. They utilize secure methods for remote connectivity and monitor the activity on their networks, looking for anomalies that could indicate a threat. Should an incident occur, they are prepared to minimize damage and downtime and assist their clients with a speedy recovery.

Cloud service providers offer encryption services that provide another layer of security for data in transit and at rest. They can also help their clients comply with regulatory requirements relating to data security, access, and storage.

Incident/disaster response and recovery

Small businesses and startups that are unprepared to respond to a disaster, cyber attack, system failure, or other significant disruption could face long recovery times, loss of income, and damage to their reputations. Some may even be forced to shut down permanently.

A provider of cloud services can work with clients to formulate individual response and recovery plans tailored specifically to meet the needs of each one. Clients can identify the data and systems that are most critical, and that should receive priority treatment in the recovery process.

Cloud service organizations provide data backup services for their clients, allowing them to quickly restore essential data should the need arise. Because the data and systems are located off-site, physical damage to the client's business location as may occur in a natural disaster will not impact the organization's critical technology infrastructure.

Availability of analytics

For startups and small businesses hoping to expand, knowing what works and what doesn't is extremely helpful when allocating scarce resources. Cloud providers can furnish their clients with detailed analytics that break down business services and activities, measuring their effectiveness and helping managers decide where to focus their attention in order to grow the business.

Collaborative services

Cloud services can include collaborative tools like file sharing and meeting applications that help their clients' employees share data and work together more efficiently. These tools save time and can be used to develop more effective workflows.

Scalability

Once clients have discovered what works and what doesn't and where their resources should be allocated, their cloud service providers can scale their environments accordingly. More resources can be allocated to the most effective operations, while others could be scaled back to eliminate waste. With a cloud service provider, there is no need to buy more servers or to try and downsize operations without without taking a big financial hit.

Mobility and the remote workforce

Many startups and small businesses found the transition to remote or hybrid work models difficult, if not impossible, to manage. Some didn't survive. Cybercriminals found new ways to target security vulnerabilities associated with remote connectivity and the use by employees of their own personal devices to connect.

Effectively, every client of a cloud service provider is remote, thus these providers are well-versed in the best practices for facilitating remote work without compromising security. They provide secure connectivity to their clients' offices and to remote employees. They have the ability to allow, limit, or block the use of personal devices like phones, PCs, and tablets to access company resources.

Final thoughts

Cloud services providers have created a multi-billion-dollar industry. The pandemic accelerated the growth of this industry, and as more competitors entered the market, costs to clients decreased. With cloud services, small businesses and startups now have access to the same level of technology and technical services as larger organizations.

There are no huge startup costs like those associated with building an in-house IT infrastructure. Clients of cloud service providers need not search for qualified technology workers at a time when they are scarce. There is no need for them to budget for the replacement of aging or unsupported equipment or applications.

If you are starting a new business or managing an organization that has not made the transition to cloud services, perhaps it's time to explore the possibilities and find out how your company could benefit.