Over the past decade, the phrase "cloud-first" has become common language among those involved in business technology. The term has developed a definition all on its own and essentially refers to cloud-based technology as a leader in the industry. It has established itself in conversations regarding IT projects in industries across the board and has most recently become a trend to look out for in 2021.
It’s not surprising that the cloud-first mentality has become a common theme in the computer world because it allows businesses to get their hands on top-rated technology with little effort. Since 2013, several enterprises have established a cloud-first policy, and it has quickly become the choice of employers because it requires no in-house technical management, freeing up time and staffing for other projects. Adding to the additional time gained, the enhanced functionality of being a cloud-first business is a sought-after piece of the efficiency puzzle, especially because in-house options have proven to be more challenging.
By putting a cloud-first strategy in place, you’re immediately reducing your overhead costs. With in-house servers, you are typically required to pay any fees upfront — a pretty penny, compared to the pay-as-you-consume setup of the cloud-first option. When a business adopts the cloud-first strategy, it subscribes to a service provider for software, platforms or infrastructure and has the potential to obtain the best services at low and secured rates.
In addition to the obvious cost-effective perks of going cloud-first, there are no requirements to have on-site hardware or capital expenses. For smaller companies with growth goals, cloud-first offers the option of additional storage and can be initiated on demand, allowing the business owner to only pay for what they need.
More convenient than the in-house option, backup and restore can be instituted from anywhere simply by using a computer, tablet or smartphone. To prevent data losses that can occur during disaster incidents, data in cloud-first can be backed up in as often as 15-minute intervals, and the time for recovery of small data is greatly improved. As an added bonus, you won’t have to stress about taking on the role of managing the complex technical aspects that are often necessary with an in-house server. Your subscription provider will include the management and support of the system, as well as upkeep and security.
The combination of added value, better uniformity, cost-effectiveness and less waste all point toward cloud-first as the better investment for most businesses; however, it’s crucial to have a solid strategy in place when implementing a cloud-first way of working.
Like all things in business, you’ll need to take into consideration a few key factors that will help you map out your plan. Choosing the right cloud provider for your needs should be a top priority, and you’ll likely need to brainstorm with trusted employees to narrow it down. First, take the time to establish the security risks of your business. From there, you can assess the policies of the available cloud providers. The provider of your choice should educate you on how the cloud migration will affect security and what they can do to protect the business in the process. Whether you are migrating some or all your assets to the cloud, a thorough security approach will save you complications in the long run.
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CEO at DefendX, overseeing Secure Data Management- File Discovery, Compliance and Mobility for our customers globally. Read Joe Cutroneo's full executive profile here
