Does your business use the cloud? The cloud has become incredibly useful to businesses of all sizes and in all industries for a number of reasons. However, if you don’t have your cloud secured properly, you’re practically inviting hackers and even other businesses to come in and take a look at your data. That’s why having the right cloud security is vital to your business and its success. But while protection is certainly one of the biggest reasons for this, there are some other reasons having right cloud security is helpful. Let’s take a look at why you need to make certain your cloud security is top notch.
Keep your Data Safe
This is obviously the biggest reason to have strong cloud security—you want to keep your data safe and sound. Good cloud security will make certain that no one who shouldn’t be getting access to your cloud does. But it does more than that—it also makes certain that your employees can’t access anything that they shouldn’t be able to. Some employees only need access to certain files, so you don’t want them to be able to get into other areas of your cloud. This isn’t necessarily because your files are top secret, but the more access every individual has, the greater chance of something going wrong.
Some business owners start their search for a good cloud antivirus program by looking at the most expensive options. However, antivirus programs aren’t necessarily measured by how expensive they are. In fact, you may find a free cloud antivirus for PCs that’s just as good as the most expensive program, if not better. These programs will quickly scan your computer without ever needing to be installed on the hard drive. This saves you space and means that the antivirus itself won’t be exposed to any viruses your devices may have.
Here are a few other advantages of using a cloud antivirus:
- There’s no need for your IT staff to spend time installing and updating antivirus software.
- You know your cloud antivirus is always up to date, which means you’re protected from the most recent viruses.
- Cloud based antivirus programs can work with other virus protection programs, giving you an additional layer of protection from hackers, spyware, and malware.
- These programs can scan any device connected to the cloud, allowing you to make certain that all computers, tablets, laptops, and smartphones are protected from viruses.
IT managers and other supervisors will also be able to use the cloud to look at which devices have been scanned by the cloud’s antivirus and which, if any, were found to be infected. This can be helpful in determining which employees may need a course on computer safety.
Increased Storage Capacity and Automation
The cloud gives you much more space than servers and hard drives. That’s because the cloud is virtually limitless—if you need more storage, you simply expand your cloud. There’s no extra hardware to purchase. Even better, the cloud is fully automatic in some areas, such as updating software. When a new patch or update is released, the cloud automatically updates. This means all of the programs you use will always be fully patched and up to date, so you don’t have to worry about using old versions or having known security vulnerabilities.
The cloud will also sync files with all connected devices and create backups. This means all of your files will contain the most recent information and will be backed up in case of an emergency.
Since programs are kept in the cloud, you also don’t have to worry about filling up the storage on your computers, tablets, and phones. This is especially important with your tablets and smartphones since some of them have very limited space that can’t be expanded. You could, in fact, store all programs and files in the cloud, leaving your devices’ hard drives virtually untouched except for the operating system.
The Cloud will Save you Money
A safe, secured cloud will save you a lot of money. Cloud computing removes the need for owning large hard drives and other storage options like flash drives. You also don’t need to buy software for all of your computers and spend the time installing it. Instead, you pay for the applications you need when you need them, and a lot of them are actually included for free.
You can very easily scale your business as needed, adding more applications or removing them as your projects grow or shrink. You pay for what you’re using, so if you’re going through a rough spot, you can shrink your cloud services to save money and then expand once you’ve recovered. Adding or removing services takes only a few minutes, and the changes to into effect at once.
Paying per use instead of paying for a license can do a lot to save you money. You don’t have to worry about maintaining your own servers, either. In fact, using Software as a Service (SaaS) means that you don’t even have to install software on a computer to use it—you basically stream it from the cloud like you would stream music or a movie.
Cut the Tethers
With all of your software in the cloud, employees are no longer attached to their desktops or even their desk. They can use any computer, tablet, or even smartphone to access their files from the cloud from anywhere they can connect to the internet. Employees who work from home or travel a lot as part of their job will always have access to what they need, and it will always be the most up to date information.
Give your IT Staff more Time to Focus on Other Tasks
Your IT staff is most likely one of your busiest group of employees, but by moving to the cloud, you can free up some of their time. They won’t have to worry about keeping the servers going, updating software, or handling bugs since the cloud can do all of that automatically. This means they can focus on more important things like improving your bottom line.