How Cloud Computing Is Helping Companies Operate Through Coronavirus And Beyond

The recent emergence of the novel Coronavirus turned everyday life on its head, but the effects of the distancing and isolation measures taken by governments were perhaps most keenly felt in the world of business and commerce.

With staff forced to stay home and work remotely, firms found themselves relying increasingly on Wide Area Networks (WANs) and, in particular, cloud computing services.

Despite the fact there seem to be signs of light at the end of the tunnel so far as the virus is concerned with the mass roll-out of vaccinations across the UK, most scientists suggest we may face a third wave of the virus later in the year. Moreover, it remains highly likely that some form of distancing will be necessary for at least the next few months, and staff are still being encouraged to work from home where possible.

Has COVID irreversibly changed how and where we work?

The virus has caused fundamental changes to previously established working practices, potentially sounding the death knell of the traditional Monday to Friday, 9-5 work ethic that endured through most of last century. With most staff reporting enjoying a better work/life balance afforded by working from home – and firms recording reduced overheads and increased productivity – many industry experts suggest remote working could last long after the worst of the virus has passed.

What is cloud computing and how can it benefit your business?

In very simple terms, the term “cloud computing” refers to computing services delivered over the internet, encompassing everything from increased storage capacity to remote processing power cloud-based applications. In essence, you can think of cloud services as accessing the power of remote machines from anywhere (and any equipment) that has an internet connection.

As our devices get smaller and smaller – yet the demands we place on them increase by the day – cloud computers can empower even low-spec handhelds, allowing them to perform complex processor-intensive functions. However, it doesn’t just stop there. There are multiple other advantages to be gained from cloud networking that will prove particularly beneficial in these days of Coronavirus and beyond, including:

The best and newest tech: Cloud computing companies spend considerable money to run the latest and best computer technology to power their services – meaning you don’t have to.

A fully scalable platform: In days of old, when companies tended to run their own networks internally, upgrading a system meant buying costly equipment and suffering potential downtime as the platform was changed. However, with cloud computing, upgrades (or downgrades) are as simple as flicking a switch in your back-end control panel or sending a quick email to your support team.

Increased storage capacity, faster processing, remote apps: As mentioned previously, cloud services utilize the storage and processing grunt of powerful machines held remotely – meaning even the lowest-spec devices can perform processor-intensive tasks and access and store files from any location. Remote storage also makes collaborative working and file-sharing possible among teams. Besides, using cloud computing solutions will give you an opportunity to have access to huge storage. Depending on your company size your choice can vary between the private, public, and hybrid cloud. For those who have small businesses using the public cloud will be more beneficial as it will decrease the costs and let you rent and share the same storage, hardware, and network technologies with other companies. If you have a big company private storage will be a wiser choice as it provides computing services to a single entity.

Peace of mind that your files are safe: Experts now suggest data is the most valuable commodity in the world (even more valuable than traditional heavy hitters like gold and oil). As companies come to rely more and more on the data they produce, it’s becoming increasingly important that they protect themselves from malicious attacks. Cloud computing companies have dedicated teams of network security experts monitoring their systems 24/7/365 – plus will take regular back-ups should the worst happen.

Cloud technology is transforming how and where companies and their staff work and, in these increasingly uncertain times, offer a realistic and beneficial solution to remote working. By moving to the cloud today, you could prepare yourself for the working world of tomorrow.