Recent events have put our business needs into perspective.

Be it a shift in priorities as brands migrate into an almost entirely virtual workspace, or an added emphasis on security due to the increased risk of both physical and remote attacks, the brands of today can no longer rely on the solutions of yesterday.

We find ourselves at a crossroads, one wherein a failure to adapt can drastically impede our business moving forward. Cyber threats are on the rise, the new hybrid working world has created a need to access your information on-the-go and, most of all, the conventional concepts of hard storage and in-person server solutions now present more risks than solutions.

We know the challenges that the modern organisation faces on all fronts, but the question we’re asking is “what can we do about it?”

The answer, you may be surprised to know, lays in the Clouds (or should we say Cloud?)

Before we get into it, let’s look at the numbers:

  • Since the onset of Covid-19, the Cloud computing industry has skyrocketed, seeing an upward trajectory with regards to adoption, infrastructure, spend and development.
  • Studies suggest that by the year 2025, there will be over 100 zettabytes (spoiler: that’s a LOT more than your server room can handle) of information stored in the Cloud.
  • As of 2020, the market value of the Cloud computing industry is estimated at around $371.4 billion.
  • Around 48% of businesses worldwide choose to store their most important classified Data in the Cloud.
  • The average person uses at least 36 Cloud-related services every single day (where do you think your Facebook recommendations and Gmail history are stored?)

All the above indicates a very simple truth: Cloud Computing is on the rise, and with good reason. So much so, in fact, that 80% of companies who’ve adopted a strategy denote an almost instant positive effect on their business and see massive improvements within the first few months. SME’s in particular have noted that a third-party platform can prove 40% more cost-effective than traditional in-house systems, while a resounding 94% of brands worldwide have seen significant online security improvements since making the jump.

The numbers don’t lie. Not only is the technology here to say, but the Data indicates that brands who have made the switch have benefitted tremendously from doing so.

Sadly, there are numerous concerns (and myths) when it comes to all things Cloud (which we’ve also touched on here) that are factually incorrect. Any new technology faces its share of detractors – remember the whole WhatsApp and Telegram debacle? However, the improvements and testimonials of major industry leaders who attest to the security, efficiency, reliability and cost-effectiveness of adopting the new normal are all indicative of the validity (or lack thereof) of these theories.

The reality is that in most cases, the misconceptions are actually polar opposites from what’s actually true. Take security, for example. Many believe that because your Data is stored off-site where you can’t see it, it becomes vulnerable and an easy target for Cyber Criminals. However, the research indicates that at least 95% of Cloud Security failures can actually be traced back to an error on the end users’ side. ISP’s stake their reputation (and in turn their livelihood) on the reliability of their services, and a breach in firewalls which exposes customer Data can often prove fatal to an industry standing. Couple this with the now mandatory protocols outlined in the new POPIA act, and you have a watertight recipe for an almost guaranteed focus on protecting your Data.

True, many brands are hesitant to get on board due to the aforementioned misconceptions, but an unbiased view of our redefined working world and the challenges physical servers face tell us that it’s the only natural solution – and it wouldn’t be so were it not worth the hassle. Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and even Google were some of the earliest adopters of Cloud technology, and the heights to which their brands have soared should serve only to reinforce our vote of confidence.

The sad reality is that, in today’s day and age, a compromise on your Digital Security can be the endgame for your brand. Furthermore, with employees being in a constant state of flux and the workspace of tomorrow guaranteed to be a hybrid one, you need a solution that allows your Data to be easily accessible from anywhere, anytime. Were it not for Cloud solutions, many brands (including our own) would not have survived this difficult lockdown period. However, instead of reeling from the damage, the adoption of said migration allowed us to kick off from day one and our employees to be productive no matter where they resided.

Today’s brand challenges require modern solutions – solutions which facilitate for a rapidly changing work environment and the difficulties we encounter. Truth be told, your brand is already worried about so much that an added stress is the last thing you need. However, with a Cloud migration eliminating the fear of Data loss, theft, storage and expenses, you can keep your eyes on the prize while our tech guys keep their heads in the Cloud.