Machine learning, the internet of things, big data, and other data-heavy workloads have become the standard way for enterprises of all sizes to boost their competitive advantage. However, one of the biggest challenges is the data –gravity and latency issues that often occur because of the distance between where the source data is generated and resides and where the data is sent to the cloud.
One of the ways an enterprise can protect itself against latency issues is to allow cloud-native applications to run on-site in edge sites where their data can be processed and analyzed at the point of origin, which is more effective and efficient than sending the data to the cloud for processing. Cloud computing is drifting into the “Fog” or towards the edge away from centralized computing models.
Security and Compliance
Many regulated industries, including banking, finance, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals, are subject to strict regulations and compliance policies. Compliance issues and a fear that the enterprise will lose total control over their own data make moving data and workloads to the cloud problematic. It is true that cloud vendors continue to evolve. It is a primary reason that most companies are using a hybrid cloud to protect their most sensitive data internally and through their cloud providers.
Focus on Your Core Business Competencies
Most companies do not have IT as a core competency. Cloud computing allows companies to leave the IT headaches to their cloud provider so that the company can focus on its core business competencies and business expansion.
Lower Operating Costs
Small businesses and enterprise businesses alike can benefit from the ability to do more with less.
Cloud computing optimizes hardware utilization while virtualization increases the value of physical server hardware resulting in significant savings. For example, suppose you usually have five servers working at an average of 10% CPU utilization. In that case, you can “virtualize” the five servers onto one physical server in the cloud, sharing the resources. This decreases the need for rack space and power usage. It also makes it much easier to manage. You can create copies of your servers and quickly get them up and running. You can automatically allocate appropriate resources or turn off unused servers during periods of low use to optimize your savings.
Enable Collaboration and Flexibility
Businesses that rely on a high level of collaboration will love cloud computing. Because it is easy to retrieve and save files through the cloud, it enables employees to work from the same master document. Collaboration tools make it simple to upload, edit and comment on documents improving and streamlining the collaborative process. The other benefit of collaborating within the cloud is that managers can easily track and manage individual work on assignments. Cloud collaboration also makes it possible for greater flexibility. Telecommuting or working in the field can occur using various devices, including smartphones and tablets, making your organization more responsive and agile.
