By Jon Lucas, Director, Hyve Managed Hosting
According to research from Cision, the cloud computing market will have grown a further £344 billion by the final quarter of 2025, taking the market past the £600 million mark. To put that into perspective, it represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 17.5%, and it’s the sharpest incline we’ve seen when it comes to the adoption of cloud services. Naturally, some of that incline will be due to the fallout from the pandemic, with businesses embracing cloud solutions in order to facilitate a new era of hybrid, flexible working. But it’s not just desk-based industries adapting to remote productivity that are leaning heavily into the cloud – it’s happening across the board. At the end of 2021, more than two-thirds of all enterprise infrastructure was cloud-based, with 81% of business leaders saying they had a multi-cloud strategy in place or in the works.
The takeaway? Cloud computing isn’t just a one-off fix to cope with the “new normal”, it’s the central pillar on which companies are building their entire futures, regardless of industry. From office blocks to haulage companies, universities to restaurants, our processes are gradually moving online. With all businesses across a variety of industries now eyeing up the cloud as part of their future, what better time to debunk some of the myths around the technology? Here are just some of the fictions that persist around cloud technology and why you shouldn’t buy into them.
My data isn’t secure on the cloud
This is one of the biggest turn-offs for business owners, particularly those that aren’t necessarily digitally savvy. The thinking behind the myth is sound – more exposure means more risk, right? But keeping your data locked away in your office is akin to stuffing money under your mattress instead of using a bank. It may feel safer because it’s closer, but it’s actually at its most vulnerable. It’s also very expensive to maintain even a moderate level of security. Companies that keep their data on-site have to employ staff to constantly monitor their data, ensuring that their servers are patched and up-to-date at all times. Using a private cloud provider means that all security updates and patches are handled externally, leaving your business with little more than a manageable monthly cost.
Yes, but private cloud security isn’t as flexible as on-site security
While on-premise security might feel like it affords more freedom, that freedom comes at such high costs that it virtually limits your ability to innovate. If a business with an on-premise cloud solution wanted to upgrade its servers or build in new features, for instance, it would have to foot the bill on its own, including the need for any additional hardware, software and other resources. That makes staying ahead of the curve financially prohibitive. A private cloud solution, on the other hand, will provide access to the very latest security patches and features via a subscription-based model, and they can easily be configured to your company’s specific needs.
Private cloud security is prone to more breaches than on-premise
This is a myth because your business is vulnerable to cyberattacks and breaches regardless of its setup. Just by virtue of being in the cloud, you get exposed to potential breaches. The important factor is how you’re able to detect and respond to those breaches. A full-fledged private cloud solution will allow your remote workers, for instance, to use technology such as virtual machines to ensure that, no matter where they log on from, they fall under the company’s protection. On the other hand, with an on-premise solution, your business is less agile and makes itself vulnerable whenever your workers decide to log on from home or another remote location.
Private cloud security is too much of a headache to manage
Another falsehood. With an on-premise solution, you and your team are responsible for your own security and compliance. It’s costly, requires in-house expertise that’s increasingly thin on the ground, and will throw up plenty of challenges throughout the implementation period. Most private cloud providers, however, will have dedicated security teams that will talk your staff through each and every step of the setup, ensuring that your business can stay productive while the migration takes place. No downtime, no headaches and no fuss.
When all is said and done, private cloud security is a far more cost-effective and easy-to-manage solution than trying to do all of the heavy lifting yourself. What’s more, moving to a private cloud solution isn’t the great leap that many businesses think it is. With the right partner in place, the migration from on-premise to a private cloud solution will be painless and barely noticeable to employees working ‘on the ground.’ Furthermore, once completed, you will enjoy enhanced security, increased control, greater efficiency and none of the mess usually associated with keeping on-premise solutions up-to-date and cyber-fit.
