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    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services

    Cloud-based services have seeped into our everyday lives, both at home and in the office. Yet there are still some misconceptions that make business executives and IT managers nervous about implementing cloud-based services in their organizations.

    In an age in which businesses are under increasing pressure to derive greater value with fewer resources, cloud-based services are hard to ignore. There will always be doubters and those who prefer to be late adopters, but for those who are ready to take advantage of cloud-based services, capabilities that might otherwise be inaccessible are suddenly within reach.

    In this slideshow, GFI Cloud shares thoughts on the top five misconceptions about cloud-based services – that they are unreliable, not secure, too expensive, offer less flexibility and control and require too many resources.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 1

    Click through for the truth behind five common cloud service misconceptions, as identified by GFI Cloud.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 2

    As with traditional on-premise solutions, business continuity can be interrupted on cloud-based platforms. But for businesses that have a backup strategy in place, the cloud can actually be more reliable than other types of infrastructure platforms. With the cloud, data can be backed up to multiple locations and services, providing an additional level of protection through redundancy. What happens if your business loses connectivity with the cloud?  Are you blind while your service is restored? You don’t have to be. Good providers will automatically send you email updates of critical events that can be picked up from your phone, or you can simply go across the street to the nearest coffee shop with Internet access and connect to your cloud-based service from there.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 3

    Without the necessary security measures in place, the cloud could potentially be perilous. But this is true of any system used to store critical data and information. Moreover, the cloud offers safeguards that traditional solutions do not. With cloud-based services, additional layers of protection are not only available – they are a priority for top providers. To succeed in the cloud market, security is paramount. Vendors know they need to provide trusted and secure cloud services to their customers.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 4

    At first glance, cloud services might not seem like the least expensive option, but in fact, they save money in a variety of ways. Cloud services allow businesses to more accurately plan their budgets because their pricing structure is typically clear and predictable. Organizations can be confident in their forecasting and know exactly what they are getting out of their IT dollars. Since cloud-based services can be scaled up on-demand, costs are minimized from the outset. Businesses only subscribe to what they need, rather than having to plan ahead and purchase expensive hardware systems or licenses before they will be used.

    Cost savings also come into play, since the backend management of cloud services is provided by the software vendor. With no server to set up or manage on an ongoing basis, deployment becomes a far simpler process for IT administrators. This frees up resources and lowers costs, while also increasing productivity. Cloud-based services save time, and time is money.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 5

    Cloud services facilitate collaboration and the easy exchange of information for today’s mobile workforce. Organizations spread across multiple geographic locations gain much greater flexibility and control. Cloud services allow IT admins and other staff to work remotely from wherever they need to be. As long as an Internet connection is present, physical location no longer makes a difference. In addition, the cloud provides organizations with a more scalable and flexible platform. New services and additional capacity are possible within minutes, so IT can dependably keep pace with business demands and enable the business to grow.

    Debunking Five Misconceptions About Cloud-Based Services - slide 6

    Actually, cloud-based services usually require far fewer resources than traditional solutions. Since IT maintenance is outsourced to the cloud provider, there is less of a dependency on the IT department within an organization. This frees up IT personnel to deal with more strategic tasks and planning. Some cloud-based services are also designed for use by less-skilled employees, enabling greater delegation of responsibilities and further reducing the burden on overworked IT administrators.

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