5 Reasons Why Cloud Computing is Ready For Big Businesses

The use of cloud servers amongst big businesses is on the rise. If you are considering adopting cloud computing or cloud hosting for your business, here are the top five reasons why:

More for Less

Replacing your current server for a cloud server provides value for money by replacing your capital expenses with operating expenses. Hardware and software purchases and upgrades become a burden of the past as service providers fulfil any technical needs; as a result, day-to-day applications can not only be developed but also supported by the cloud, improving your business productivity.

Secure Service

A vigilant approach to server security is paramount, whether your business server is cloud based or otherwise. Cloud service providers are responsible for maintaining tight security on the servers they manage, continually upgrading patches and seeking new ways to detect invaders. It is these additional security skills and resources which benefit cloud server adopters the most.

Open Source

As with the internet, cloud computing is powered by open source software such as HTML, Java, PHP and the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL and Perl). Open source software is reliable, high quality, inexpensive to develop and can quickly take on the latest technological advancements. Cloud providers have even developed their own open source operating systems which are simple to implement, scalable and feature rich.

Implementing Flexibility

Cloud computing doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing solution; it is designed to complement your current IT investment and with careful consideration and planning, it can be adopted over a period of time. Businesses approach moving to a cloud hosting in different ways depending on their performance needs and budget. An example is the “hybrid” approach, where a business transfers less critical applications to the cloud and continues to maintain sensitive functions on a dedicated server. When the dedicated server requires new hardware or replacing, the applications can simply be moved to the cloud server, saving both time and money.

IT Focus Shift

The average IT department spends roughly two-thirds of their budget on maintaining their existing server and applications, casting a shadow on development and improvement strategies. However, new technologies such as cloud computing not only outsource the maintenance to dedicated cloud providers but also require a new level of strategic planning. Essentially, moving to the cloud would enable your IT department to develop better systems to transform business practice, making processes simpler, faster and more effective.

Conclusion

Whatever motivates your business to consider a cloud-based infrastructure, it is clear that the benefits provide your business with a competitive edge. From the latest technology and flexible applications; to a more strategic usage of your IT budget, there has never been a better time for big businesses to adopt the cloud.

Rackspace Hosting is the World's leader in hosting and cloud storage. Since 2001 Rackspace has been hosting and supporting mission critical websites, internet applications, email servers, security and storage services for 6,000 customers.