Top Cloud Computing Trends

The idea of cloud computing has been around for over 50 years; however, it is only in the last decade that it has evolved from being something service providers suggested to businesses as a new idea to becoming the technology that supports the majority of modern enterprises.

For many businesses, it is no longer just about whether cloud computing is right for them, but how much of the IT infrastructure should be moved to the cloud. The growth of cloud computing among businesses has been rapid in recent years and is only set to carrying on becoming more and more popular as new technologies and systems are developed and rolled out.

Cloud computing is no longer considered a useful tool for businesses, but an integral part of the infrastructure and a way to accomplish business goals and enable growth.

Cloud Computing Basics

Cloud computing is a term referring to the use of the cloud for IT services such as software, systems and resources. A cloud is an IT environment stored remotely, offering remote and scalable IT resources to both individuals and businesses. Cloud computing stores everything on the internet, providing remote access to files, systems and software from anywhere with an internet connection.

Businesses have been embracing cloud technology in recent years, utilising it as an effective way of managing IT systems that are scalable, reliable and accessible.

The Growing Trend

IT executives and business owners no longer need to be convinced that cloud computing is the next dominant technology on the horizon, in recent years it has become an established and well-known method for infrastructure, software and storage. While many people might think cloud computing has hit its peak popularity over the last few years, it is showing no signs of slowing and 2018 is shaping up to be one of its biggest and best years to date.

The cloud computing market was predicted to grow by 21% in 2018 compared to 2018, and now we are more than halfway through the year it is clear to see this prediction is becoming a reality.

Recent advancements in virtualisation technologies, new data protection policies and increasing options for cloud connectivity are all resulting in cloud computing becoming more and more popular by the day. The fastest growing segment of the cloud computing market is cloud system infrastructure services (Infrastructure as a service / IaaS), which is predicted to increase by nearly 36% by the end of 2018.

As more and more businesses are starting to see the benefits and making the move over to the cloud, this number is only set to continue to rise. It is predicted that by 2020, 83% of enterprise workloads will be in the cloud, with 2018 being the year that most cloud service providers will go on a buying spree to strengthen their platforms security.

The greatest concern amongst IT professionals that results in them adopting a cloud computing strategy is security, which is no surprise with the newly introduced General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that can see businesses charged with hefty fines in the event of a security breach.

Cloud Computing Industries

While cloud computing is growing in popularity across a range of industries for their IT functions; some industries are adopting the technology as an innovative method of helping them succeed in an ever-changing marketplace. The media industry has had a real boom thanks to cloud technology, allowing audiences to access a range of content in a variety of ways including multi-screen entertainment and on-demand viewing.

Compared with the manufacturing industry which uses the cloud for sales support, logistics and product development. Some industries are less keen on the cloud, seeing it as not secure enough for their business models. Industries that rely on a significant amount of sensitive personal data are a bit slower on the cloud bandwagon, such as the banking and insurance industries, who mainly use cloud computing for administrative functions as opposed to storage.

A recent study from the Cloud Industry Forum shows that the overall adoption rate for business cloud services in the UK was 88% in 2017, and 67% of users expected to increase their adoption of cloud services over the next 12 months. There are many positive reasons for adopting a cloud-based solution for your business, including a competitive edge, reduced costs, improved efficiency and scalability.

Jumping on the cloud computing bandwagon can help your business to update its capabilities to fit with requirements and manage resources around changing workloads. With the expectation that cloud computing will only continue to grow in popularity throughout the rest of 2018 and beyond, there is no better time to introduce a cloud system to your business.

If you’re ready to bolster your security and help your drive growth, then talk to our experts at Cyan Solutions who can show you the benefits of cloud computing for your business.

Cyan delivers a tailored cloud based solution

The way businesses need to work is changing fast. Employees, and consumers, want more flexibility, quicker access to information, and the ability to work and communicate from anywhere at any time. All without compromising security or giving people a muddled or fragmented experience.

Why move to the cloud?

Fewer and fewer companies are choosing to invest in traditional onsite hardware. Instead, they are embracing a modern way of doing business that removes the upfront expenditure and burden of onsite IT whilst empowering staff to work more efficiently.

A cloud solution allows you to leverage industry-leading technology, often too complex and expensive for small and medium sized businesses to afford. You get the performance and reliability of enterprise-grade infrastructure without the associated costs or management overheads. You also significantly reduce cyber risk as key business assets are protected in secure data centres.

Why choose Cyan cloud services?

With so many cloud services available in a swamped marketplace, selecting the right solution for your business is crucial. Standard cloud models often aren’t a good fit and business suffers as a result. When you start to lose control of important IT assets or governance of sensitive corporate data, then the risks quickly escalate. You may also need to respond rapidly to fluctuating customer needs. This is a modern-day challenge for any business.

Cyan cloud services are built and tailored to suit your exact needs. Your servers, software applications, company data, licencing and security concerns all taken care of in a protected, dedicated cloud environment, fully managed and supported by our team of experts.

Everything you need is delivered in a single solution, giving you the performance and control of onsite IT, but with the flexibility and efficiency of a cloud model. With no upfront costs and affordable monthly subscription payments, you can scale and budget as you grow.

Benefits of a Cyan cloud desktop

  • Integrated desktop experience: All users see a familiar Windows user interface from any device.
  • Centralise company data and file sharing: Moving your company data and network shares to the Cloud allows you to manage all your files in one location and take control of access. We can set permissions for file and folder access, prevent files from being moved to public Cloud storage such as Dropbox, or even prevent files from being downloaded to external USB drives.
  • Application compatibility: Your business applications – including industry specific software, finance suites (such as Sage), CRM, etc. – that currently run on your onsite servers will be migrated to the cloud and used in the same way they are now. This also removes any dependence on your software vendor making their app cloud-ready.
  • Microsoft Office 365 integration: Continue to enjoy the benefits of Microsoft Office 365 including SharePoint and Exchange email. We even install the familiar Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc) on your Cloud desktop, so your team will have a single place to go to access everything they need.
  • Cloud desktop personalisation: Your team can personalise their Windows desktop and use the familiar shortcuts and desktop settings they’re accustomed to.
  • Cross-platform capability: Your team will be able to connect and work from any device including PC, thin-client, Mac OSx, iOS, and Android.
  • Reconnect from different locations: The Cloud desktop reconnect feature allows you to start working on one device, for example, your office computer, and then easily continue working on another device, for example, your home computer, without losing what you were working on.
  • Exceptional performance: You will experience fast and reliable performance even if you are using older computers or connecting over slow Internet connections. This greatly improves the user experience and productivity.
  • Access to locally attached devices: Print and scan as normal, directly from the Cloud, to locally installed printers, scanners or copiers.
  • Enhanced security: Meet compliance and regulatory requirement and reduce cyber risk; protect against loss of sensitive corporate data; restrict access to software applications or files and folders for tighter security; centralised roll out of critical security updates and patches instantly protects all your assets.

Our approach

We work with you to truly understand your business and your needs not only now but in the future, to ensure we plan technology solutions which will support the delivery of your growth and development ambitions. We will then create a flexible infrastructure, harnessing the cloud technology to ensure your data is secure and accessible whenever you need it. But it doesn’t end there. We also provide ongoing support and maintenance, proactively updating software and monitoring your systems, making changes and recommendations as necessary.

To discuss how migrating to a fully cloud based platform could help develop your business further contact one of our experts today.

Reasons to consider remote working

More and more companies have workers who work remotely. Now more than ever, organisations are embracing the benefits of remote working for their employees and their company. It enables workers a greater level of control over how they work and increases their motivation and job satisfaction. This in turn leads to an exponential increase in productivity rates. However, many companies are still averse to offering employees the flexibility to carry out their tasks in flexible geographic locations. So, what are the reasons to consider remote working?

Remote working enables employees to be flexible about where they carry out their day to day duties. Whether employees decide to skype into the office from a remote desert island or their bedroom at home, it makes little difference so long as they have an active internet link and can access the files and applications which they require to do their job.

When we talk about remote working, it’s important to note that we are not necessarily talking about a finite thing. Sometimes remote working means being permanently away from an organisation’s headquarters, whereas in other cases it may just mean working from home once or twice a week.

Remote working is a big topic of conversation right now, because of the development of cloud based software enabling remote workers as much functionality at home as in the office. Moreover, project management and task tracking software also monitors key deliverables.

Encourages good communication

Remote working has been shown to actively encourage better communication between employees. Working remotely out of the office doesn’t mean that employees are not in contact with one another. On the contrary, remote workers often make a concerted effort to be available and are able to do so by connecting via phone, skype, email and other messenger options and chat apps. Such communication may not occur so naturally whilst in the office.

Results in happier workers

Choice, freedom and flexibility for workers to choose where and how they want to work results in happier workers. Being able to work flexibly is something that employees relish. Organising your own workflow and work-life balance is something which leads to higher productivity levels.

Reduces employee stress

Remote working gives employees more freedom to work to their own timetable, reducing stress levels by working at their own time and pace. This has a knock-on effect to the total business and by reducing stress and unhappiness in the office, it also leads to an overall improvement in office health and wellbeing.

Reduce office costs

Remote working also frees up office space and reduces energy usage. As a result, companies are free to invest this additional capital into other business activities, such as marketing and recruitment of new employees who can take advantage of the free desk space.

Cloud services are now a no-brainer. Our cloud solutions and managed IT support services are complemented by unrivalled customer care. We help you create an infrastructure where remote working across technology can be easily maintained.