Benefits of SaaS And The Hybrid Cloud
More and more companies are switching to a Software as a Service (SaaS) model and Hybrid Cloud. That’s because of the huge number of benefits, especially where SMEs are concerned.
Flexibility and Agility
Flexibility is a massive factor for the Software as a Service Model. The advantage of being able to scale up and down, according to a company’s operational requirements, makes businesses more lean. This means they essentially don’t pay for more than they use. Take Office365 as a case in point- not all users require the full suite of Office software (Word, Powerpoint) etc. They may only require basic email accessed from a browser; here, the kiosk flavour of license at a reduced monthly fee will suffice with the added benefit of scaling up to access other services when required.
This agility that cloud computing affords an organisation is a dream for those in financially responsible positions. This leaves directors and managers safe in the knowledge that they can adapt the scale of their solutions to what they need at that present time.
Software Updates
Automated updates occur on a monthly basis at Xero, the online accounting package. Whilst many businesses previously found themselves tied to Sage, Quickbooks or the like, Xero is rapidly deploying new accounting features to their cloud software, making money matters far easier to manage and digest.
Updates can sometimes be a pain with new functions that you didn’t ask for and the disruption to employee use. The beauty of the cloud for those businesses that use SaaS platforms is that all updates are catered for. Rolling them out is seamless, with some software giving users the option to use different versions if workflow requires it. For example, over 10 million users worldwide are using Basecamp Classic, 2 and 3, the global project management platform.
Storage and Mobility
Storage is being re-appropriated with firms reassessing local storage needs on individual PCs and the server space they designate at the office, meaning both physical and virtual space can be freed up for other uses, not to mention a reduction in the significant hardware investment that some previously proprietary software required, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which can be reduced by switching to the cloud.
We live in an era in which mobility is key. The laptop, tablet and smartphone are the devices of choice for many workforces, seamlessly switching from one to another. The cloud fits very nicely into this requirement of multiple devices as employees can access all the same software that they would do while in the office. This can cut down on a lot of sending files via email across devices when key information is needed fast!
The Hybrid Cloud
The hybrid cloud is growing from strength to strength. There are three main types of cloud computing: public, private and hybrid. Public sees companies share an off-site server with others and receive services, such as storage and applications through a public network. Private are for more security conscious companies to have full control over their data. This leaves Hybrid, which is fast becoming the pick of the bunch for many organisations.
The hybrid cloud offers the best of both worlds, allowing firms to apply their own security measures surrounding services which will involve the exchange of company data, such as email and use public parts of a network for areas of IT provision which they are happy to. Companies can also pick and choose whether to use public or private cloud on a project by project basis, using local IT infrastructure or cloud based, depending on cost and convenience.
Please contact us on 020 8342 5015 to learn more about online software.