While cloud computing is as old as the Internet itself, only recently has it become more widely recognized among the general public. If you’ve routinely used a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone over the past several years, you’re undoubtedly interfacing with a cloud service on a frequent basis.
The role of cloud services is to supply access to user data and applications from anywhere, at any given point in time from your device. For most businesses, managed cloud services are desirable because the price is low, especially when compared with the cost of hosting servers on-site.
Small to medium-sized companies benefit from mobile access to data because it helps them maintain a completive edge in their respective markets. By the end of 2021, as many as 60 percent of small business owners took advantage of managed cloud hosting services, a figure that has more than doubled in roughly three years.
Cloud computing for small businesses
The browser-based cloud applications commonly in use today are accessible by desktop computers and mobile devices. Small businesses can expect to pay roughly $10 a month for the most popular applications. These introductory packages are most suitable for freelancers and individual proprietors because they offer a few basic reporting services along with expense tracking and invoicing features.
Both Android and Apple devices are compatible with most cloud-based accounting applications, which allow the user to access their financial data, expenses, and invoices from any connected location in the world. Accounting software providers incentivize the use of their cloud products with free upgrades, among other cost-saving advantages. As such, cloud-based accounting products are seeing a boost in popularity over traditional bookkeeping software.
A vast majority of small businesses benefit from cloud services for the following reasons:
- Enhanced efficiency
- Affordable security features
- Customizable functions
- Reduced risk of data loss
- Worldwide accessibility
- Instant and continuous upgrades to the latest tech
As more small business owners become familiar with cloud computing, distinguishing between the different types of services remains elusive. Managed IT service providers come in handy in helping budding entrepreneurs find cloud services that best fit the needs of their organizations. For starters, a managed service possesses all the necessary tools to perform an analysis to expose any inefficiencies currently present.
Below, we take a look at the different types of cloud services businesses can take advantage of along with the benefits related to each service:
Platform as a Service
Users who are keen on building their own internet applications and services usually take advantage of a platform as a service cloud environment. This type of cloud service allows business owners to construct anything from simple to highly advanced enterprise applications. The Platform as a Service requires hands-on facilitation of its development tools and database management. Because of this, the service is most commonly used by full-stack developers who possess the skills to take advantage of this specific type of platform.
Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a service contains all the same features as Platform as a Service without the additional layer of middleware that allows for customized application development. Infrastructure as service packages provides configured IT infrastructure and software by way of a virtual interface. Basic services include the use of servers, storage, data networking, and security functions. The most common infrastructure service providers are email hosting companies.
Small businesses utilize infrastructure as a service for tasks like internal testing and development. Infrastructure as a service is likewise deployable for website hosting and data recovery, or any high-speed computing needs companies may have. Smaller businesses benefit from infrastructure as a service considerably because it helps them save on costly capital expenditures associated with IT infrastructure such as hardware and data storage equipment.
Disaster Recovery as a Service
Perhaps chief among all benefits to a managed cloud service is the ability to safeguard sensitive data, even in the face of a disaster. Unexpected outages and data loss remain a problem for companies of all sizes because they contribute to costly network downtime. On average, a single day of system downtime costs businesses as much as $8600 according to recent reports. Those figures can spell ruin for a small business operating on a lean budget.
In the event that your network does fail, the goal is to get back and running as quickly as humanly possible. A trusted managed disaster recovery as a service enables and enhances this process by ensuring all the data contained in your system is retrievable on the cloud to quickly get your network up and running again.
Consult with PCH Technologies
Ultimately, the combinations of available cloud services are as numerous as they are diverse. PCH Technologies, a premium managed IT service provider in New Jersey, can help you find the best cloud service to keep your company on pace for continued growth and long-term success.
Call PCH Technologies today at 844-754-7500 to learn more about which managed cloud service solutions benefit your small business.