Cloud computing is for everyone but not for everything

Cloud computing is rapidly growing in popularity and general awareness, to a point where businesses of all sizes are looking into whether the medium is appropriate for their needs. So, what sort of businesses can cloud hosting effectively and securely handle? The simple answer is – all of them. From small business hosting to larger corporations, cloud computing can make your business more affordable and versatile. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it should replace all of your existing hosting solutions. The best way to approach cloud hosting is to see it not as an all-or-nothing proposition, but as a way to streamline your IT requirements at appropriate points. Examine all of the functions of your current hosting solution and think about whether it could benefit from multi-tenant cloud computing, in-house hosting or a combination of the two. A major benefit of taking a hybrid approach to hosting is that you can cut your overheads on IT, storage and general maintenance, without taking too much of a risk. Until cloud computing evolves to a point where it is the norm, an innovative, open-minded approach to hybrid hosting could give you a significant advantage over your rivals who are slower to pick up on new opportunities. One of the most common concerns with cloud hosting is the idea that it is less secure and reliable than in-house hosting. In truth, cloud hosting is generally very secure, and far more data breaches take place in corporate data centres than among hosting providers. But nevertheless, there are instances where, for the time being, companies may wish to exercise a note of caution. For example, from small business hosting to larger corporations, a great many businesses avoid using public cloud computing for extremely sensitive financial information, or anything that requires compliance with the rules of the Payment Card Industry (PCI). Quite often, solutions which need to meet strict security and compliance specifications are best housed on private cloud solutions. Another option is to combine multi-tenant cloud hosting with a broader kind of cloud computing – wherein traditional managed hosting is performed on servers that are dedicated to specific customers, but are owned and managed by a hosting provider. Top-line hosting providers are generally more reliable and secure than in-house data centres, and can still cut down your IT overheads significantly. If you are interested in engaging with cloud hosting and would like some more information, talk to a dedicated and reputable hosting company to find out what package would be best suited to your business. The natural versatility of cloud hosting allows for a tailored hosting package to be constructed around the unique needs of your business, so don’t be afraid to shop around to find out as much as you can before committing to a plan. It could be one of the most important decisions you make for your business. 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.