The fast-moving industrial space has begun a shift towards cloud computing. Companies from all sectors and of all sizes are migrating to the cloud for higher efficiency, increased productivity, tightened security, and other additional benefits.

So, what do you mean by cloud computing and how to know if you are ready to move your business to the cloud?

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing, in simple terms, is when you store, manage, network, analyze, and process data on the internet (which is referred to as the cloud). There are three types of cloud services, which are sometimes referred to as cloud computing stacks because they lie on top of one another. The first type is the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) that lets you rent servers, networks, operating systems, and other IT infrastructure from a cloud computing company on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The second type is the Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) wherein the cloud computing companies supply an on-demand environment for developers to create mobile and web apps. The last type is the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in which the cloud computing companies offer hosting, managing, and maintaining software applications along with handling the infrastructure, updates, and security.

How to shift your business to the cloud?

Shifting to the cloud requires planning and commitment. One needs to give a comprehensive thought before making this shift. To catch on to this trend, many companies are now offering cloud computing services to lets users migrate their business to the cloud. Some of these companies are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, IBM Cloud Computing, Alibaba Cloud Compute Service, etc. If you want to shift your business to the cloud, register on one of these services and choose the right product for your business.

What are the benefits of shifting business to the cloud?

Shifting the already established business to the cloud, no doubt has many benefits, and hence this ongoing trend. The cloud gives you the freedom to increase resources as per your needs. For instance, the company manufacturing and selling woolen garments is expected to witness increased sales during winters and muted sales throughout other months of the year. The cloud gives you the flexibility to multiply the resources when the situation demands so. Another key benefit is the cost-cutting. Since you rent someone else’s space, you don’t have to invest extra on IT professionals, servers or other related expenses; you just have to pay to the cloud providers according to your needs.

Among the various available cloud services, the automatic cloud backup is one that reserves your data. Since the data once lostis difficult to recover, this cloud backup service is an excellent way to safeguard your files.

The cloud service providers handle your updates and security.Additionally, the cloud storage facilities like Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and SkyDrive lets you store and share data on the cloud. Contrary to the old-fashion method of sendingdocuments via email attachments, this cloud storage cuts down your time and have a large storage capacity as well.

When to shift your business to the cloud?

Now that you know the meaning of cloud computing and its many underlying benefits, you would wonder when is the right time to shift your business to the cloud. Use the following checklist to know whether your business is ready to make the shift.

1. Your customer data is secured:

Moving your business to the cloud requires a potent database security. Your customer database including personal information and payment details should be secured before you shift to the cloud. Make sure to comply with information security standards like the PCI DSS before you consider taking your business to the cloud.

2. You can see more revenue opportunities:

Moving your business to the cloud could bring in more revenue opportunities if you know the right technique. Your purchases could increase twofold if you review your existing products and make them in compliance with the cloud. If reselling your products in a cloud-friendly way could create revenue opportunities, then you should consider shifting to the cloud.

3. You are ready for recurring revenue:

Once you take your business to the cloud, you create recurring revenue opportunities contrary to the one-time sale you made before. For instance, you would send email reminders and create online offers to make your customers revisit you. Is your business ready for recurring sales? Do you have enough supply and resources to feed the recurring demand? If the answer is yes, you can take your business to the cloud.

4. You have a quick billing system:

When the customers repurchase from you, your business grows beyond the limit. You have to keep a record of customer orders, shipment, and other sale invoices. When your business expands, your billing is needed to be quicker than before. So if you are planning to take the enterprise to the cloud you must have a quick billing system.

Rebuilding your organization in compliance with the internet is a smooth process if executed in a good order. A proper amount of planning coupled with a thorough analysis of the future scope would elevate your business to a different level.