Are you tired of wrestling with frustrating local servers? Cloud computing might be the answer.

Cloud computing is an advanced, streamlined and incredibly accessible method of computing that utilizes an extensive network of remote servers to store, host, process and retrieve data. Perfect for small businesses, cloud computing allows a company to do away with the dated local server or personal computer-based methods of storage and step into the age of convenient, collaborative computing methods. Loaded with unique benefits, cloud computing is a smart data solution for small companies and start-ups alike.

Automatic Updates

Small businesses are often tight on time and mundane things, like installing and overseeing routine software updates, can further infringe on an already bare-bones schedule. Software updates are amazingly time consuming, and some companies estimate that their employees spend upwards of 127 hours each month wrestling with on-site security installation and update issues.

A company that utilizes cloud-computing software, however, doesn’t have to worry about updates. Cloud computing suppliers assist small businesses in server maintenance and handle everything from security updates to routine management, which frees up the company’s time for more important pursuits.

Maximum Business Flexibility

In the past, when a small business needed more bandwidth, it was subject to long wait times and plenty of headaches along the way. A company that utilizes cloud computing, on the other hand, can have access to increased bandwidth instantly.

High-speed and business flexibility are largely owing to the fact that cloud computing servers boast huge capacity and, as a result, cloud computing is able to quickly meet business needs better than any other server platform.

Greater Control Over Documents

Before the cloud, files were transmitted via email, which meant that they could only be altered by one person at a time and that the same document was likely saved in several different formats and with many different names.

Thanks to cloud computing, however, documents are easily accessible and retrievable at all times. Additionally, small businesses don’t have to worry about whether or not their employees are working with the most current versions of a document since the cloud automatically provides up-to date versions of all work, across the board.

No Limits on Location

When a small business uses cloud computing, its employees can work from anywhere in the world, just so long as they have Internet access. This makes for better work-life balance and increases productivity and employee satisfaction.

We live in the age of telecommuting, and cloud computing is one of the most effective and secure way to ensure that your company’s employees are happy, well-served and content in their positions, even when they need to stay home with a sick child or simply want to work from a hotel room across the country.

Decreased Carbon Footprint

Cloud computing allows a small business to claim only the server space it needs at any given moment, which decreases the company’s carbon footprint and lessen the long-term environmental impact. This is especially important for small start-ups that are seeking to build and maintain an environmentally friendly image.

Additionally, since the cloud utilizes 30% less energy and results in 90% fewer carbon emissions than on-site server options, companies can sleep well at night knowing that they are consuming resources responsibility.

Increased Security

Before the cloud, small businesses relied upon a team of employees with individual laptops to complete work and collaborate on projects. Unfortunately, laptops often fall victim to theft, damage or electronic flaws and, when they go, they often take a good deal of the small business’s work with them.

When a small business utilizes the cloud, this risk is mitigated. With the cloud, data remains safe and secure regardless of whether a physical laptop goes missing. This allows work to continue, uninterrupted, even in the event of theft or damage to a company computer.

Enterprise-Level Technology

Using the cloud allows a small business to step their technological game up a notch by becoming privy to enterprise-level technology. When a small business uses cloud computing for its data storage and retrieval needs, it becomes nimble and quick enough to act faster than its larger competitors, giving it the upper hand in time-sensitive deals.

Ease of Collaboration

Gone are the days of collaboration meetings that take place in a boardroom and require every one of a small business’s employees to meet at a central location. Cloud computing allows employees to collaborate on projects from anywhere in the world, which increases cohesion and produces high-quality work, regardless of the team’s physical location.

Collaboration is one of the biggest secrets to small business success and companies that improve their collaboration methods also improve their output and boost the overall quality of their work.

The Case for Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is one of the easiest ways a company makes its operations more seamless. By transferring all existing work to a cloud-computing platform, a small business is able to increase collaboration and security while also gaining the tools and equipment needed to be seriously competitive, even against larger and more established companies.