By Tony Stratton, iland director of APAC Sales &
Marketing
Just like any strong relationship set to stand
the test of time, there should not be a trade-off between security and
flexibility. And much like a relationship, businesses need a cloud that makes
them feel safe, that they can rely on and that adapts to their needs and wants.
According to figures from analyst firm Gartner, the
worldwide public cloud market is forecast to spike to $331.2 billion by 2022 -
an increase of nearly 82 percent since 2018. In fact, through 2022, Gartner
predicts the cloud services industry will grow nearly three times the rate of
the overall IT services.
In theory, the benefits of cloud are clear,
but as with any investment, it's only really an investment if you get out more
than you put in. That's why you need to ensure that you pick a solution that
aligns with your company's values and equally importantly, demonstrates its
worth from the word go.
So, as we emerge from a decade of cloud hype,
it is plain to see that cloud is maturing. It is now more intuitive, and
evidence shows, its relationship status with businesses is shifting away from
"it's complicated" to a firmer "in a relationship." This Valentine's Day, let's
stoke the fires of our romance with the cloud. It's ready to impress and it's
got more to offer than ever before.
Transparency
is key
The key to a successful relationship is clear
communication. The same goes with your cloud provider who should deliver
unparalleled transparency into cloud resources and costs. Your cloud partner
needs to be able to easily spot and remedy misaligned resources and forecast
your cloud costs before month-end with predictive billing capabilities.
A cloud partner isn't supposed to keep you on
your toes. In fact, its primary advantage is to be a steady and reliable
support, helping you to achieve your business goals. Its focus on transparency
should allow you to plan with your annual budget in mind, safe in the knowledge
that you won't be derailed by unexpected charges, which in some cases may cause
catastrophic and irreparable cash flow problems for SMEs and enterprise
businesses alike.
It's
all about trust
When it comes to remaining compliant, there
isn't much room for manoeuvre. You have to put all of your trust in your
advisor and know that they're there to guide you through the rough and the
smooth. The often-confusing domain of providing audit documentation,
interpreting regulatory requirements and answering security questions has led
many to shy away from cloud usage but sometimes the best things come from
taking a leap of faith.
Due to several motivating factors, including
discontent with inefficient legacy systems and the need to comply with
corporate regulations, organizations have opted to place their trust in both
private and public clouds. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2020, an enormous
90 percent of organizations will adopt hybrid infrastructure.
Protect
yourself from heartbreak
Think of backing up your data to the cloud as
your corporate prenup. As much as we all hope cupid is on our side, protecting
ourselves from disaster is a sensible and wise business decision. Ensure you
have a disaster recovery strategy in place allowing you to quickly restore your
data after a hack or human error.
Recent data from Accenture shows that, over the last five
years, the number of security breaches rose 67 percent and the cost of
cybercrime has gone up 72 percent. Juniper Research found that cybercrime has
already produced $2 trillion in damages and it estimates that number will reach
$6 trillion by 2021. All businesses are vulnerable to attack, but without a
plan B, the financial impact could be devastating. This is why a comparatively
small investment now, could lead to a lot less love lost later down the line.
The answer is simple. With a transparent and
trustworthy cloud partnership in place, you can keep heartbreak at bay for
good.
##