If you are hesitant to jump into cloud hosting and are worried about the potential risks, this is definitely the article for you. Cloud hosting is an ever more popular option for businesses around the world, and while it does carry a few risks (much like anything), the far greater risk can be in your business being left behind by your competitors.
Here we will take a look at some of the potential issues with cloud hosting, and explain why it is indeed very much still worth it…
1. Data Security
Data security is one of the preeminent issues facing companies today. There are ever increasing threats to your data security, and so many ways that people can exploit weaknesses and access information that they shouldn’t have. From hackers and natural disasters, to human error and accidents, there are many ways that your critical data can be put at risk.
Data access can be a risk with cloud hosting; deciding who exactly can access your information, when, and how. For example, shared infrastructure, with many servers being accessible by multiple companies, opens up an extra possibility for data leakage or access risks that need to be carefully managed.
However, cloud hosting is still far more secure than the alternative.
2. Technology
As technology is constantly evolving, you have to trust that your cloud hosting providers are evolving along with it.
This can include constant training, the adoption of the most recent innovations, and upgrading or re-architecting computer resources.
The best service providers will ensure that any enhancements are added as and when they occur – and that they are organised enough to cope with these advancements as they arise, for your benefit.
3. Financial risk
There is a cost to cloud hosting, and the risk can come if you don’t properly manage how your business is using it.
If you don’t know, or you underestimate your requirements, you can overspend your budget all too easily. There are plenty of hosting plans available, and it can be tough to know what you need and when. You could be forced to pay more up front than you need, or feel obliged to upgrade quickly in order to meet your growing requirements.
Again, it is a lot less risky than the alternatives. Firstly, a lot of the best companies will offer a degree of flexibility with their cloud hosting services. You should be able to scale up or down depending on your needs, and some Australian cloud providers won’t require heavy long term commitments, but allow you to pay-as-you-go.
Further, if you opt for a single server host or remain in-house, you are putting all your eggs in one basket. Any number of issues could arise and cause you to lose valuable data, time, and business, so cloud hosting is the far safer choice from a financial perspective.
Conclusion: Is it still worth it?
The answer has to be a resounding yes. There are risks that go along with cloud hosting, but the rewards are far greater and far more likely to occur.
The issues with new and ever-changing technology, threats to data security, and expense are all equally (if not more) likely with a private cloud or alternative system.
As such, the best way to face the risks is to commit to cloud hosting with a reputable provider.