The idea of using cloud storage solutions doesn’t have to mean that you’re going completely green and abandoning all papers, even if some business owners seem to think so. It makes it a bit easier to access documents wherever you are, it opens up for smooth collaboration, and even keeps your valuable documents safe in case of a sudden office flood – but that doesn’t mean that there are only advantages to cloud storage solutions.
Here is a neat list of the advantages and disadvantages of soaring upwards and storing your business documents in the clouds rather than the traditional system. It makes it a lot easier to find the best cloud solution for your business, and you’ll be able to make an informed decision.
Accessibility: Pros and cons
Cloud storage makes it easier for everyone to access documents and work projects, right? You can, after all, open your laptop and get to work wherever you are; on the train, in bed or on the beach – it doesn’t matter. Plus, we get to collaborate with each other and share documents on the go, which again opens up for real-time responses and much more effective teamwork system.
The files are simply sent via a link instead of having to be uploaded into the actual email, which again means that your business will be pulling less bandwidth that it used to. It means that you’ll save a bit of money as well as making it easier for everyone to access their work whenever they have to.
The only problem with this is that people seem to forget just have difficult it can be to access a cloud storage system when you don’t have a proper Internet connection. It will, in fact, be impossible to get anything done if the connection isn’t right and small business in the clouds are completely dependent on the Internet.
We all are these days, though, and unless you have employees working in overseas in third-world countries, this will hardly be a problem for your business. Just keep in mind that accessibility, wherever you are, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll always be able to connect and get to work – no matter how much we rely on technology.
Make sure you have a
Proper system for collaboration installed, by the way, to take full advantage of the benefits of cloud storage.
Security: Pros and cons
A major advantage of having all your important documents in a digital rather than a physical format is that they’re safe from the elements. Fire, floods, and the burst of wind are able to send your business into a whirlwind of missing documents you’ll never be able to get back – when it’s safely stored online, however, you can flood that office all you like.
Security from the physical world doesn’t mean that they’re safe from the harm of digital fraudsters, though, and many business owners are stepping up the game in terms of cyber safety. You really need to think about this if you’re going to rely on a cloud storage solution as the threat of cybercrime is bigger than ever.
Preach safe browsing habits to your employees and remind them to treat their personal computers the same way if they take any work back home with them as well. Keep your office computers neat and free up space on Mac if you see that it is running slowly. A slower than usual Mac may mean that you’ve been infested by some sort of cyber virus or it could simply be that you need a bit more space. Either way, you have to keep an eye on the computers and strike rather sooner than later if you notice anything unusual with the machines.
Give your employees and yourself a seminar in cyber safety before you jump on the cloud-wagon, and keep in mind that they’re the ones on the frontline in case of an attack. It means that they should be up to date on the most common ways of phishing, scamming, and infesting computers with viruses so that your business stays as safe as possible.
All in all, there are more advantages than disadvantages to using cloud storage solutions. You don’t have to fully commit to going green quite yet, though, and you can easily use clouds without going paperless. Just keep in mind that Internet is a must to make this work – and if the connection is down, it means your business will be equally down for the day.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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