Fact vs. Fiction: Data management and cloud technology

Cloud technology has grown significantly over the last ten years and worldwide spending on cloud services and infrastructure is expected to double over the next five years. More companies are adopting this virtual technology to streamline their data and automate business processes.

According to Gartner, the cloud is forecast to grow 23.1% in 2021 to total $332.3 billion, up from $270 billion in 2020.

Despite the cloud’s prevalence, there are a certain amount of misconceptions that can affect business efficiency, impede innovation, and prevent companies from leveraging it the right way.

Let’s explore few fictions about managing data on the cloud and look at the facts that dismiss them.

Fiction: Cloud computing is the new kid on the block

Fact: In spite of the cloud's pervasive presence in the business world today, it is still often considered a new technology. Chances are you've actually been using it for a few years now. If you have used an internet-based service to stream videos, edited emails through your phone, or logged in to your social media account from any device, you were actually using the cloud.

Fiction: Email is the only source of sharing information with external users

Fact: Before the advent of cloud technology, most of us shared files through email. It has its pros and cons—sending files back and forth, long turnaround time, and security breaches are some of the downsides that have frequently affected email users.

Cloud-based document management systems have increased the scope of data sharing as they enable secure collaboration from a single platform. Sharing data with your team members or outside the organization can be safely done with a click.

Fiction: You cannot access your cloud files without an internet connection  

Fact: Most cloud storage platforms provide comprehensive sync options to make work on the go possible. By syncing your cloud files to your laptops or mobile devices, you can access them whenever and from wherever you want, even without an internet connection. The changes sync back to the cloud once you have an internet connection. 

Fiction: Investing in the cloud results in poor ROI

Fact:Forrester Consulting conducted a Total Economic Impact (TEI) study to examine the potential ROI of investing in the cloud. They determined that for a composite organization based on existing cloud adopters, the expected ROI is 111%. Smart IT investments pay off in improved efficiency and increased profits.

Fiction: The cloud is only for large enterprises

Fact: Whether it's a company with five members or an organization with 10,000 employees, businesses of any size can benefit from using the cloud. The cloud is based on a concept called virtualization that can scale as you need.

Fiction: You'll have zero control over your data on the cloud  

Fact: A good cloud storage platform provides seamless access to your data and maintains the confidentiality, reliability, and integrity of your information. Many cloud file management solutions provide a comprehensive admin console to control your data. Your data is stored virtually on servers across the world with fewer chances for security breaches.

Fiction: Cloud computing is too expensive

Fact: Cloud computing’s "pay-as-you-go" model allows you to scale and provision your computing resources. You only pay for what you use and you can more than make up the cost through reduced on-premises servers and storage systems, as well as decreased software licensing.

Fiction: Dropbox, Box, OneDrive are the only options providing cloud-based services

Fact: Yes, these companies are huge, but WorkDrive is emerging as the strong alternative solution with economic pricing and unlimited features. Many software providers offer data storage in the cloud. However, WorkDrive not only stores your data in the cloud but also protects it and provides fine-tuned accessibility controls for your team members.

Gone are the days when we had limited resources to manage data. Now, we can access and control information in multiple ways. There can be no doubt that the cloud era has started and it’s here to stay. If you are considering moving to cloud storage or planning to change your cloud provision, feel free to contact us at WorkDrive. We'd be happy to get you started with a free trial.