Businesses relying on aging IT systems may want to consider adopting new and innovative technologies such as cloud computing. The cloud is far different from traditional on-site systems because it is hosted off-site and is accessible through the Internet, allowing employees to access work-related documents anywhere, regardless of their physical location.

But what really makes the cloud attractive for companies is its affordability. Rather than having to allocate an upfront capital investment for architecture that may never be used to full capacity, firms leveraging cloud environments only pay for the services they consume, keeping costs in check with budgetary needs. Organizations that are still not convinced that the cloud is right for them have little to lose and a lot to gain because they can try out the solution and cancel at any time without further financial penalty.

Should a business require more computing power or storage capacity to house mission-critical data, it can without buying additional hardware or software. This flexibility makes sure that companies never waste resources and are always ready to meet ever-changing industry demands quickly.

Cloud computing supporting corporate strategies
The future of companies may rely heavily on cloud computing if a 451 Research survey conducted on behalf of Microsoft in May is any indication. The study found that more than half of businesses believe the cloud is crucial for supporting growth opportunities and corporate strategies.

Moving forward, spending for cloud services will likely address a variety of operational demands, explained Michelle Bailey, vice president of data centre initiatives at 451 Research.

“The study clearly shows a strong customer preference for full-service hosting solutions over the next two years, with substantial investment increases in security services, database, shared servers, backup and recovery and managed hosted desktop,” Bailey said.

The real key to the use of cloud computing in the future depends largely on the relationship between vendors and clients. Bailey indicated that companies will place a greater emphasis on service providers that can foster growth for years to come.

Businesses interested in adopting the cloud to replace outdated infrastructure in favor of scalable environments can turn to FlexITy for support. The service provider is one of the most trusted vendors in Canada, offering managed services and cloud systems to help clients stay updated with the latest and greatest solutions IT has to offer.

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