Cloud computing has been a revelation in the online world and now many businesses are taking advantage of the possibilities available with this solution. With Cloud you’re able to access shared data online from any location. Rather than saving to a hard drive after making edits, data will automatically save online.
When saving data on your laptop this is known as local storage. Of course, you can access this whenever you like, but to share with others you’ll need to keep emailing across any edits. This is the problem a cloud solution will solve. With any work saved to Cloud, you can open the file, edit accordingly and it’ll automatically save. Another user can then access that same file immediately and make their own edits. It’s a real time saver and is accessible 24/7, no matter where you are around the world. But how does Cloud computing stack up when compared to a dedicated server? If you’re confused and need a little help understanding the difference, this definitive guide will help you.
Cloud Solutions
There’s no doubt about it, Cloud computing is a fantastic opportunity for any business. It’ll help you to optimise the overall IT structure of your company and won’t cost a fortune either. For this very reason, Cloud solutions are favourable amongst the small and medium sized businesses around the UK, no matter the demands or workload. What’s more, there are no downsides when it comes to performance, security and control. In fact, Cloud computing is no different to a dedicated server in this regard. Also, rather than being on a server only dedicated to your business, files can be found in a shared environment. You won’t be overcharged either and you’ll just pay for the amount of server space used. This gives you the opportunity to scale up or down accordingly and manage costs appropriately.
Dedicated Servers
If you didn’t choose a Cloud solution for your business, you’re likely to go down the dedicated server route. Rather than being a shared area, dedicated servers are rented for your business needs. For that reason, larger businesses tend to find them most useful. Companies requiring higher levels of data security also choose dedicated servers. There are many commentators now questioning the effectiveness of dedicated servers, especially because of the meteoric rise of cloud computing. As with anything though, whilst there is demand they’ll remain in the picture.
So, with both the definition of Cloud computing and dedicated servers cleared up, let’s compare the two and see which would be best for your business.
How quickly will resources be available online?
With Cloud computing there’s the opportunity to have your business’s resources online for everyone in the company to have access to in just minutes. For dedicated servers this process can take much longer. In some instances it could be weeks.
How easy is it to update RAM and disc space?
It’s possible to update your business’s RAM and disc space with both Cloud and a dedicated server. The key difference though is the speed in which this will happen. With Cloud you can upgrade space in just a few clicks, whilst there would be a more manual procedure in place for adding space to a dedicated server.
How about availability?
Availability is what makes Cloud so popular and data can be accessed 24/7 from any location around the world. Dedicated servers support high availability too, but again it’ll take time to be implemented, whilst building a system into Cloud will cost up to 60% less.
What are the tools like for auto-scaling?
With a Cloud solution you’ll have access to all the tools you require for auto-scaling, auto-provisioning and auto management. There are tools for this with a dedicated server but development could take time. As Cloud is community driven the process is much quicker.
Is there technical support available?
Technical support is crucial when it comes to setting up your IT infrastructure as an in-house team can be expensive. For that reason it’s good to have an independent team on standby who can quickly and easily resolve any problems you’re facing. Technical support is available for both Cloud and dedicated servers.
What are the possibilities of adding stringent security?
A dedicated server would probably be your best bet if your business requires very high levels of security. However, Cloud solutions can be tailor made to your business, so you’ll get exactly what you need.
Are both solutions manageable on mobile?
With iOS and Android mobile devices you’ll be able to manage Cloud servers. This isn’t the case with a dedicated server though.
So, which is the best solution for my business?
With all this said and done, it would seem a Cloud solution provides the better solution for businesses. This is the reason Cloud has become so popular around the UK and businesses are now better managing their IT resources thanks to Cloud solutions. Rather than having a dedicated team in-house for managing your IT support, Cloud offers a better and cheaper alternative. You will only pay for what you need when using Cloud computing and this can be scaled up or down accordingly to your requirements. You can also be up and running in no time at all, with your own login system and permissions granted to all employees. This prevents the access of unauthorised personnel.
Qlic is highly experienced in managing Cloud solutions and we’ll help you to cut the costs of your IT infrastructure, whilst ensuring your data is protected 24/7. For more information on Cloud computing, get in contact with us today on 020 8269 6878 or visit www.qlicit.com/managed-it-services/cloud-solutions/ to find out how your business could benefit.
