When it comes to working in their own business cloud, businesses have their own specific needs. In this article, we look at some of the key considerations for a business cloud. We also recommend 5 cloud solutions that solve enterprise-level tasks. These offerings focus on file synchronisation, i.e. cloud storage. Any of these solutions can be installed on SIM-Networks servers and clouds: we offer corporate platforms of any scale.
Looking for a solution for your home? Then find out more with our guide to your own cloud guide for your own cloud.
The Business Cloud - Definition and Introduction
The first thing to clarify about the Business Cloud, or a corporate cloud, is its definition.
A corporate cloud is a remote platform where businesses install programs and where they store files. In general, cloud computing refers to the outsourcing of programs to a server. The special feature of a cloud is that it can always provide you with as much computing capacity as you need for your applications - independent of individual units - as a large "cloud".
When people talk about cloud storage, they usually mean external storage with advanced features. The focus is not on applications and computing power, but on storage capacity. You always get as much storage as you need without having to run another server. The provider takes care of organising the units for you.
This article is specifically about cloud storage for your business.
For more information on terms and different solutions, see the literature below.
7 Reasons to get Business Cloud Storage
1. Work more efficiently
A business cloud can save your company a lot of time. Sharing data across the company is easier when everyone has access to all the important data in the cloud, even from different devices if necessary.
2. Managing permissions
Does not every employee or customer need to have access to all your files? Depending on the provider, you can flexibly manage who has access to which folder or file in your cloud storage. This means that rights and access management is included in many business cloud storage solutions.
Depending on your individual requirements, you can fine-tune the settings for your business with the right cloud provider.
3. Backup
Providers specialize in business clients and cloud computing, so they often offer backup services. For example, SIM-Networks' cloud offers the BaaS service which allows you to automatically upload data to geographically distributed storage.
4. International communication
Often, businesses need to communicate between offices or across national borders. What might be difficult to organize on your own can be easily done with business cloud servers available worldwide. This makes your business flexible and ready to expand or relocate.
5. Additional business features
Depending on the cloud software, you can share and edit files and track all changes. You can manage individual members' calendars, view some file formats directly in the browser - without installing additional software on your company computers – and have access to many other professional features. It all adds up to better, more convenient workflows.
6. Secure communication
Even when using your own solutions, you often have to rely on external vendors. So why not choose a cloud provider? Depending on the provider, cloud solutions for businesses can meet the highest security requirements.
Your data can be stored in the cloud using data encryption and definable virtual units so that not even the provider has access to your company's communications and files. Of course, this also means that you should be able to trust the cloud provider and use the cloud infrastructure of a trusted source.
Cloud service providers are just as concerned about security as their customers - you. This is the only way they can build long-term trust in their external cloud solutions and win business customers.
Finally, there is expertise. Business cloud providers will be heavily focused on security. Most SMEs don't have the capacity or see the need to train their own staff in business cloud security measures. This is why you should rely on a strong partner.
7. Management
Your organization will not have to deal with technical details and maintain the equipment up to date. Others will do it for you. The provider is responsible for the servers in the data centers, guaranteeing stability and security.
Disadvantages of a Business Cloud
Despite all the advantages, there are also some disadvantages:
Trust
You must trust the provider that will be handling your company's sensitive data. In particular, you should pay attention to whether the provider complies with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the ISO/IEC 27001 standard and, where applicable, other regulations depending on your country (e.g. the German Criminal Code, StGB).
So choose your business cloud provider carefully.
A more attractive target
A business cloud provider holds hardware for many companies at the same time. This increases the attractiveness of such data storage for hackers.
Conversely, it also means that the provider itself can and will upgrade, knowing the attractiveness of attacking its infrastructure. In addition, many business providers offer detachable virtual units. If not even the provider itself has (unencrypted) access to your data, then it is no different for potential intruders.
They would usually have to go through the trouble of accessing all the individual units.
Key Criteria and Concerns
In addition to the pros and cons of a solution, there is probably another question that is on the top of your company's agenda: what do I need to look for in a business cloud to make the right choice for my company?
The top 3 criteria for choosing the right cloud provider are likely to be the following:
1. Data Security For legal reasons you may need to store your data securely. It is also in your interest to protect important company secrets and valuable know-how so that no one else can access them. Business cloud offerings are all about security.
This includes individual access rights for members of your team or company.
2. High Reliability Your business probably doesn't need the latest software update right away, unless it needs to fix security vulnerabilities. Instead, high availability and reliability are probably more important to you. Access to your data must be guaranteed at all time.
3. An Individual Solution for Your Needs Businesses need to be productive, so software that is tailored to the needs of the organisation is crucial. Customisation and the availability of teamworking features are critical when choosing the right business cloud provider.
The Right Solution for Your Business You should keep all these criteria in mind when choosing your cloud solution. We highlight a few providers that should meet your needs.
