What are Some Disadvantages of the Cloud?
Disadvantages or drawbacks to the cloud can be mitigated or avoided completely with the help of an expert business parter and the correct solution for your business needs.
Downtime
This may be one of the worst disadvantages of cloud computing. No provider can guarantee an SLA for 100% uptime and if you are down, you have little to no control over what happens or how quickly your systems are back online. Your critical business systems are completely in someone else’s hands. Cloud computing systems are internet based, which means your access is fully dependent on your Internet connection…the best you can expect to see an SLA on is 99.99999% uptime, with 99.9999% as a more common guarantee. That extra 9 can cost providers quite a bit, services prices to the customer, you, will reflect that!
Security
Will your data be safe? Cloud computing involves sending and storing your data over the internet. Do not use cloud apps that involve using or storing data that you are not comfortable having on the internet, primarily medical or financial data. Established vendors have gone to great lengths to promote the idea that they have the most advanced, most updated security systems, but the truth is, breaches can happen with little to no warning.
In the cloud, data is accessible from anywhere, meaning if you or your cloud provider are hacked, have fired a disgruntled employee, or have simple or shared usernames/passwords, your business data is at risk. However, for most small to medium businesses, switching to the cloud can actually improve security, as most SMBs never had advanced security protocols to begin with. Going with a cloud provider gets you security updates without taking up any time from the IT department.
Cost
Small to medium sizes business may ending up spending quite a bit moving to the cloud. However, it does allow business looking to grow on a tight cash flow to move technology costs into an OPEX billing model. You can reduce staff, hardware costs, and have a predictable monthly bill, but you may pay a bit extra for that convenience, consider your environment and usage and it is extremely likely that it will be worth it for your business.
If your business is currently trying to manage data storage, servers, VPNS and are struggling to keep their mobile workforce connected from any location, the cloud is a good option for you, as your provider fronts all the up front costs to get going and your business pays a simple monthly rate, while freeing up your IT staff to be making business tech advancements.
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