As technology has evolved over the years, so too has the relationship between management and Information Technology (IT) deepened. Today, with the emergence of the pandemic, management and IT have never worked closer.
Technology has become central to all businesses, with the need to support a flexible and adaptable workforce. Security considerations, cost and how emerging technologies can be leveraged to support business, are all primary considerations for management. This is where cloud technology comes into play. Cloud technology has become the way of the future in this increasing challenging world.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is a technology that promotes and supports the virtual office where all you need is an internet connection with a web browser and any device to connect. You can be located anywhere around the world. It promotes a greener planet where businesses do not have to invest in expensive hardware. Instead, a business’s cloud infrastructure, including their data storage, is outsourced to cloud providers like Microsoft or Amazon. They have fields of powerful servers where businesses rent space, paying only for the resource allocation they consume on a monthly basis. Not only does this reduce hardware costs but staffing costs that would have otherwise had to support the hardware and updates to software such as the operating system.
Cloud technology offers a variety of services on-demand. Anything from virtual databases and virtual servers to applications and telephony services. There are public, private and hybrid cloud options. The technology is scalable, so resources can be added and removed in a few simple clicks. Cloud computing puts powerful tools at the fingertips of business.
Supports management decision-making in innovation and growth
Cloud technology supports businesses in taking advantage of opportunities with a quick develop, deploy, and manage model for new products and services. These are opportunities a business would have otherwise had to forgo because of the time it would take to scale up the resources to pursue that opportunity, or the costs involved in doing so would have been too great.
There are two main ways in which cloud technology helps make this happen. Firstly, management has access to real time data. Machine learning technology and analytical tools provide businesses with real time data that can be used to aid in decision making and to spot potential opportunities or weaknesses in business processes. Cloud technology has put the customer closer to management than ever before.
Secondly, the scalability of cloud resources. Not only would it take a long time to gather the data to make the decisions, but management would then have to consider if the business had the resources to pursue the opportunity, or if it didn’t, it would need to consider how long it would take to gather them. Management would need to then consider the cost of purchasing new equipment, and if the opportunity didn’t prove successful, they would have all this obsolete hardware.
By the time the business ventured into development and deployment, the product or service may not even be relevant. There are open-source cloud platforms and tools that can help IT teams deploy, provision, and manage workloads and environments quickly. Overall, cloud technology reduces the risk of innovation and leads to business growth.
Easier management planning, organisation, and control
Cloud computing has a pay-for-what-you-use monthly cost structure that is easy to work with and helps with management budgeting and forecasting for better control and less headache. There is less chance of unexpected expenses because hardware, and staffing to maintain and support that hardware, is outsourced to the cloud provider.
Cost predictability can be further enhanced with Managed Service Providers (MSP) where the management of the cloud service can be outsourced. For example, businesses can outsource the responsibility of cloud security, with automate secure cloud options and access control, reducing the need for specialised internal IT teams.
Before cloud environments, it was harder for management to see the big picture. Processes which were once unmeasurable can now be measured. The consolidation of data centres and data processes means management can quickly spot bottlenecks.
Predictive analytics can identify trends that management can choose to pursue. Customer feedback can be collected on a massive scale. Cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and analytical tools can collect high volumes of data that can be organised and presented for better planning and strategising. Multi-cloud management tools and procedures allow management to monitor and secure applications and workloads across multiple public clouds.
By centralising a business’s technology infrastructure in a virtual digital space, cloud technology supports transformative, remote collaboration. Gone are the days of business departments working in isolation. Powerful collaborative tools like Teams encompasses a business communication channel for management to inspire the organisation through formal and informal announcements by sharing news and company values.
Cloud technology is changing the face of management. It helps management stay connected with its business and supports efficient and effective decision making. Talk to the cloud experts at INTELLIWORX to find out how they can help your business access the power of a cloud management platform.
