Five reasons why your business should join the cloud

Mark Skilton, Professor of Practice in the Information Systems & Management group and seasoned IT consultant, reveals why businesses should be moving their IT systems to the cloud.

1 The cloud cuts costs 

The models of cloud computing used today have vastly scaled in the last 10 years to offer companies and individuals huge cost savings in ownership and use of the cloud services. 

We have become accustomed to free models in consumer cloud services form email, photo sharing to social media to mobile gaming and similarly good quality free services are open to businesses.

2 Speed - the cloud has cut implementation from weeks to hours 

The most drastic change any technologist will tell you that cloud has brought is the speed to implement the solution has increased enormously.

Related course: Full-time MBA

Ten years ago it would take a few weeks to a month to get a large enterprise system up and running, today it is possible to get it going in hours and even minutes in some cases thanks to customer services in the cloud.

3 Ubiquity - the cloud means everything is connected

Another outcome has been the rapid scaling of mobile cloud internet of things, sensors, smart cars, smart homes, contactless payments and other things all hooking up to the internet.

Related course: MSc Management of Information Systems & Digital Innovation

This, together with wide scale telecoms networks, means the cloud is not only 'always on' but 'always connected' and has driven huge changes in lifestyles, from the ‘Uber economy’ to the way we keep in contact with friends and people we love and hold dear, who may live in different places and we can’t see every day.

4 Innovation - moving to the cloud means the 'crowd' can help

Cloud is now the choice of delivery for new ideas and upscaling new solutions. With ubiquity and speed, the notion of crowdsourcing innovation inside and outside the organisation becomes supercharged via the cloud.

It means businesses are able to future-proof their investments by being able to use cloud or multiple-cloud offerings.

5 Security - being part of the cloud community helps

Contrary to popular views on cyberattacks, the cloud also offers increased security, thanks to the protection of the herd that cloud usage can offer the general user as well as corporations.

While cloud can open new ways to spread cyber risks, it also provides ways to manage encryption and perimeter monitoring with professional cyber prevention tools.

Cloud enables expert knowledge to be part of a service and the glue to scaling security access and equity for more people and businesses in society.

Mark Skilton teaches Developing Consulting Expertise and Introduction to Consulting on the suite of MSc Business courses.