The cloud is a future technology that is already being used successfully by many companies – from small start-ups to large corporations. However, some decision-makers remain skeptical. They have questions that must be answered otherwise prejudices will arise and will become obstacles for their business. The cloud offers significant advantages and growth opportunities that companies would be wise to capitalize on. The following four prejudices are particularly widespread.
1. “The cloud is too expensive.”
Many companies think that having their own servers in the basements is the best solution. They think that the hardware has already been paid for and is working well. But they don’t think about the costs of keeping it running and the energy it uses. With the cloud, companies can avoid expensive hardware investments and operating costs and enjoy a scalable environment for their business. It also makes IT operations easier because the cloud is managed by external IT experts, allowing companies to free up their IT department and focus on their main business. Bechtle offers a service where we they take care of all your IT needs, including hardware and software. The cloud can then be used to provide applications and the operating system for all computers in a company, for example.
2. “Our data is not secure in the cloud.”
One particularly stubborn prejudice concerns the security of the cloud. Many companies believe that their data in the cloud is not protected enough against cybercriminals and industrial espionage. This is why they prefer to rely on their own IT department. Its like keeping your valuables in a secret hiding place at home instead of locking them in a bank vault. The biggest risk for companies actually comes from their own data centers, not the cloud. Protecting it is complex and requires a great deal of expertise. If a company doesn't have the staff or time to look after its own data center, it's in danger of being attacked by cyber criminals, which can lead to big financial losses and damage to its reputation. By contrast, professional cloud providers are well prepared for cyber-attacks, because IT security is their core business. They invest a lot in protecting the cloud, updating their systems regularly and employing many IT security experts. They also use a high degree of standardization: They invest a lot to protect the cloud, update their systems regularly and employ many IT security experts. They also make sure that everything is done in the same way, so that if one customer finds a problem with the cloud, all the others are protected.
3. “Local servers are enough for us.”
This is partly true. It depends on the industry and the company’s goals. In some cases, a server infrastructure that is only used on-premises may be the best choice. But a local server is much less flexible than a cloud. If demand increases, a local server can only be adapted by buying new hardware. If demand then goes down, the new devices are just left unused. This makes it hard for companies to react quickly to new developments in the market. With the cloud, you can add more storage as needed with no problem. What’s more, customers only pay for the cloud infrastructure and services they actually use. Also, cloud providers – unlike some companies – have a very good internet connection, which enables fast access from a wide range of locations.
4. “The cloud is addictive.”
Many companies like to be flexible so that they can quickly respond to changes in their market. But with the cloud, companies are afraid of being locked into a contract with a particular vendor. This is when a company is locked into working with one big cloud provider, making it hard and expensive to switch. So, Bechtle works as an independent service provider, helping its customers choose the best cloud strategy. For example, we can integrate cloud services from different providers if our customers ask us to. This means that customers don't have to worry about being stuck with one provider. With a multi-cloud approach, customers can enjoy the best features of all the providers.
It is therefore worth questioning concerns about the cloud and comparing its advantages with those of traditional on-premise solutions. Digital products and services are becoming more and more important, so companies are starting to offer their own applications. The cloud is the ideal base for this and offers lots of managed services that support companies in many areas.
