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Is Your Business Clouded? 3 Reasons to Skip Transferring Information to the Cloud

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Daniel at 2:32 am

In recent years, more and more businesses are transferring data to the Cloud. Some are doing it because of the seemingly unlimited space the Cloud offers. Others are participating to help their company go green by reducing the number of paper records they need to keep, but is it worth it?

As the world keeps turning and technology continues to evolve, there are great strides in information tech, but sometimes “keeping up with the times” is not as good an idea as it might seem. Below are three reasons you may want to consider stepping back in time a few years and waiting for the Cloud to perfect its imperfections.

Connection Problems

Have you ever been working on a vitally important paper or project only to lose all your progress with the loss of power, connection, or the occasional spilled coffee? It’s massively annoying, to say the least. In the hype of being able to save your information to something you can’t lose like a thumb drive, many companies jumped on board the Cloud without considering a few things.

One of those is the reliability of the connection to Cloud computing. A third party service is needed to operate a business through Cloud computing. So, if the service goes down for any reason, your business shuts down for the duration of the malfunction. If you insist on using the Cloud, make sure you have a backup plan for such occasions.

Security Issues

As with any computer related issue, there are always security issues. It just so happens, at least for now, that the security issues that stem from using the Cloud are not as easily controlled. Many companies have agreements with IT companies to share in the responsibility of the safety of your info, but there are many downfalls in the process.

For instance, most companies allow their employees to install Cloud apps of their choice. Sound nice right? It does until you think about the fact that there are quite a few of those individual apps that IT may never pick up on. When that happens, you could be leaving sensitive material out in the open without even knowing it.

Too Much Money

They say that many downfalls start with small compromises and before you know it, you are trapped in a pit with no rope to climb out with. The Cloud is set up the same way. A contract for Cloud-based services reads a lot like a cell phone agreement or a cable contract.

Your original cost may seem to be the financial break of the century, but as you continue in your contract, you may notice a few things that weren’t evident in the beginning. For example, information transferred into the Cloud is free.

After a certain amount of outbound traffic, however, you will pay extra. Usually measured per GB. There are quite a few extra charges for customizing your Cloud experience, as well and it’s possible that you may not be able to transfer those customizations to another provider without paying extra, if at all.

It may even do you better to invest a one time fee in a piece of software, such as Microsoft Office 2017, and use it for a few years, rather than paying continuing fees for access to something you can’t guarantee the security of your info on.

One day, the Cloud may actually be able to offer what it promises. For now, this day is not it.

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Insights on money, career and trading