Cambridge Online is part of the G-Cloud Framework (a secure Government approved cloud service). Its Microsoft Dynamics NAV and CRM products are available on a cloud platform (Microsoft Azure), but what does this mean and what benefits would moving to the cloud bring for SMEs?
Flexibility to change as you change
Scalability
With the economy recovering, businesses are seeing the need to expand their operations. Traditionally this means investment in new IT infrastructure and personnel which is both costly and tim- consuming. By basing their systems on a cloud-based service, SMEs can scale up their needs quickly, cheaply and when it suits them and have the expertise on call whenever it is needed.
Flexible working
Having systems based in the cloud gives SMEs the ability to work from anywhere with an internet connection, providing ultimate flexibility in structure and working practices. It gives them the opportunity to allow employees to be more flexible in how and where they work. Their workforce have the ability to access their systems from home, on holiday or while travelling for business.
Reduced Costs
Reduced IT Costs
Moving to cloud computing should reduce the cost of managing and maintaining IT systems for SMEs. Rather than purchasing expensive systems and servers for their business, SMEs can reduce their costs by using the resources of their cloud computing service provider. It also means they are able to use cheaper PCs, as all the processing power needed to run their systems is based in the cloud.
Reduced Capital Expenditure
Cloud computing services are pay as you go, so there’s no need for capital expenditure at all. And because cloud computing is much faster to deploy, SMEs have minimal project start-up costs and predictable ongoing operating expenses.
Reduced staffing costs
Cloud vendors employ teams of experts dedicated to ensuring continuity of service. This means SMEs no longer need as many staff to keep your systems and servers running.
Reduced energy costs
SMEs using cloud computing services only use the server space they need, which decreases their carbon footprint. Using the cloud results in at least 30% less energy consumption and carbon emissions than using on-site servers. And again, SMEs get the most benefit: for small companies, the cut in energy use and carbon emissions is likely to be 90%.
Peace of mind
Stronger Security
In the early days of the cloud, many people had concerns about how secure the service was. However, as cloud computing has grown, businesses have gained a better understanding of how it works, so many of these concerns have been put to rest.
Rather than weakening IT security, for many SMEs cloud computing improves their companies’ defences. This is because of the large amount of money cloud providers spend on securing their infrastructure, keeping their customers' data safe. These service providers can afford to invest in the latest solutions and preventative approaches, whereas relatively few individual businesses can to the same degree.
Always up-to-date
Every cloud computing provider is responsible for server, software and network management. Upgrades are provided at the vendor-end, rather than in-house, which saves SMEs both time and money. When the cloud provider invests in new solutions, these are made available to all their customers at no extra cost.
Continuity of business
In the event of a disaster, whether fire, flood, theft, technology outage, or snow and ice, with their systems on the cloud SMEs have the option of allowing their employees to work from a different location. Employees can log on as normal, access their work desktop, and continue as they would have done on any other workday. It also means that vital documentation and records are not lost.
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