How to Navigate the World of Enterprise Cloud Computing

Your Complete Guide to the Creating an Effective ECC Solution

To put it simply, cloud computing is when you use the internet to manage, store, and process data. If you think you’re already in on the trend, you’re probably right– cloud computing is everywhere. You use it when you check your bank account online, when you share vacation pics on social media, and when you work on that novel you’ve been writing in Google Docs. It’s a powerful tool in your personal life, so why not extend it into your professional life as well?

Whether you’re planning to jump into cloud computing on your own or you’re hiring cloud computing experts to guide you through the process, you should know the basics of enterprise cloud computing before you get started.

A few things to think about:

• Enterprise cloud computing offers major benefits to your organization
• There’s a lot of enterprise cloud computing software to choose from
• Doing some research on types of ECC companies will help you choose the right software for your business (don’t worry– we did the legwork for you)

Enterprise cloud computing gives your company more control over when, where, and how your tech is used.

Benefits of Enterprise Cloud Computing

Remote Access

One of the biggest benefits of cloud-based software is that it can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. That means a couple of things for your company:

• Employees are freed from their desks, increasing workplace flexibility
• Projects don’t grind to a halt if a key team member can’t be in the office
• Collaborative projects become much easier to organize

These benefits can make your company more productive and more attractive to job-seekers, ultimately helping you create a positive work environment and snag more of your top picks on the job market.

Scalability

Whether you’re in charge of the tech department at a large corporation or you’re establishing the technology strategy for a startup, one thing is for certain: your company’s IT needs are constantly changing.

For large companies, scalability means that you can make your cloud-based software more robust to support big projects and shrink it back down after they’re done. For smaller businesses, it means that as you grow, your tech solutions can grow with you, eliminating the need to completely rethink your IT strategy every time your business goes through a growth spurt.

No matter how big or small your company is, scalability is a major asset.

Cost Effective

It is a truth universally acknowledged that software is expensive. It’s even worse when you’re buying software for an entire organization. Updates are hard on the bank account, and installing those updates on every one of your company’s devices can be incredibly time-consuming. Luckily, enterprise cloud computing eliminates those issues:

• All of your expenses (new hardware, new software, software upgrades, etc) can be included in your contract
• Software updates can be pushed to your entire network simultaneously, eliminating wait-times for your employees
• The simplicity of managing and updating ECC software means your company will require a smaller staff of IT experts

There are tons of enterprise cloud computing options out there, so if you want to make informed decisions about your company it’s important to know how they tick.

The 3 Types of Enterprise Cloud Computing Every Company Should Know

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

When you work with an Infrastructure as a Service company, you are essentially renting server space through the IaaS rather than purchasing it directly from an expensive data center or server facility. This means that you only have to pay for the resources you actually use, like RAM, processor, server, or storage space.

Because IaaS companies deal with maintaining the servers and supporting any necessary software, opting for an Infrastructure as a Service Solution lets you take advantage a cloud-based infrastructure without the hassle of managing it. Plus, because you are renting server space rather than purchasing it, your company doesn’t have to shoulder the expenses in case of a hardware-software failure.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service companies provide cloud-computing by delivering applications over the internet. They provide you with all of the equipment and programming tools you need to work with their product effectively. While PaaS companies don’t maintain your company’s entire infrastructure the way an IaaS company does, they do handle:

• Application hosting
• Operating system
• Defining user access
• Integrating their application with your existing application management database

One thing to consider with PaaS companies is that your business may have to accommodate changes suggested by your cloud-computing provider. For example, if your PaaS makes the switch from developing code in Java to Python, your company may have to do the same.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service providers eliminate the burden of installing and running applications on your own server space, which saves you time and storage resources. SaaS is often followed a subscription model, which two major benefits:

• You don’t have to buy separate software or the hardware to support it
• If you no longer need the software, you can simply unsubscribe

Outsourcing software maintenance to another company takes a lot off of your plate, but it can also make dealing with bugs and customization tricky. If a customer encounters a bug in the SaaS software, for example, you may not be able to address the issue as quickly as you’d like because you’ll need to reach out to your SaaS provider. That being said, be sure to do some research on your SaaS company’s customer service track record before you commit.

Choosing the right enterprise cloud computing solution takes some careful thought.

Choosing the Right Enterprise Cloud Computing Solution for Your Business

When you’re finally ready to make the leap and invest in an enterprise cloud computing solution, you’ll want to dedicate some time to figuring out your company’s needs and assessing whether or not potential providers will meet them.

Try to answer these questions about your company:

• What am I hoping to get out of enterprise cloud computing?
• Would Iaas, PaaS, or SaaS accomplish my goals most effectively?
• Is my company prepared to deal with any challenges presented by Iaas/PaaS/Saas?
• How much can my company invest in enterprise cloud computing right now? Will that number change over time?
• How often do my company’s technology needs change?
• Based on my own IT experience and my company’s other IT resources, how much support will I require from my enterprise cloud-computing provider?
• Will enterprise cloud computing be a part of my business’s disaster recovery plan?

Enterprise cloud computing can be tough to navigate at first. Keep these things in mind, and you’ll be well-equipped to explore ECC solutions and find the best path for your business to take advantage of everything enterprise cloud computing has to offer.