To cloud or not to cloud


Online software and cloud solutions seem to be the new buzz words when it comes to daily used apps.  Why is it such a big deal?  What are the benefits?  What are the risks?

When you purchase software, there’s always the issue of upgrades.  Upgrades to download and install which could take up quite a lot of time.  It can be a complicated process for a non tech savvy person and it can go wrong, forcing you to seek expert support.  When you use cloud-based software, the upgrades are done for you and you are simply notified of improvements and benefits as soon as you log in again. You may also choose to skip upgrades but eventually your software becomes out dated, especially if it does not keep up to date with hardware and operating system advances.

Do you always have an internet connection?  If not, online software might not be right for you.  Having a stable, always-on internet connection is important to get the performance you expect from your software.  Paying a fixed monthly amount and not being able to connect half the time seems like a waste.

Contrary to this, if you always have access to the internet, you can quickly connect to your software and do what ever you need to do.  Whether it’s invoices, quotes or checking on personal things.  To these things while commuting, while on holiday or after hours at home can be a great advantage.

When you are using enterprise grade software for home or business, you’ll probably need to invest in one or more servers to run it.  Apart from the upfront investment, it can be costly to maintain and upgrade as required.  For a medium to large sized business, you might need a whole IT department to maintain your hardware as well as the space to store everything.  Keep in mind the security and safety measures which should be in place to protect your servers.

Cloud computing allows for easy sharing of records.  If you and someone else have to collaborate on a project, both can access it even while in different countries or time zones.  Some applications allow you to control the level of access people have.  Some cloud accounting software have accountant/bookkeeper access.  You do the quotes and invoices, they take care of the rest.  All on one easy-to-access platform.

Some cloud solutions have limited storage included in the service they offer.  Additional storage might cost extra if at all an option.  Having your software locally installed, gives you control over the amount of storage space you have and can easily be adapted to your own personal needs.  Sometimes hosted services can be very costly when it comes to storage space. 

When you use local installations of the software you need, you require some form of data recovery plan in case of an emergency/theft/fire etc.  With some cloud solutions, back ups are included in the service you pay for, meaning no additional effort is required from your side, should you need a back up version of your records, simply contact them to obtain it.

Taking the above benefits and disadvantages into account, it is best to consider all the options before making a final decision when it comes to local or cloud.  For most needs, small to medium businesses can easily use cloud software at a much cheaper rate.

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