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5 reasons why you need to move to the cloud
Fri Apr 22 2022
Is your organization holding back on cloud migration?
While cloud migration across the world is on an exponential rise, larger organizations can be reluctant to make the move. This is usually thanks to perceived barriers including potential risks, migration complexities, or a lack of specialist expertise. But organizations that fail to migrate to the cloud risk paying a much higher price for their inaction.
This year alone, global cloud spending forecasts are US$482 billion – a significant increase from US$314 billion in 2020. By 2025, Gartner predicts 85% of organizations will embrace cloud-first principles. With cloud environments becoming the ‘new normal’, the question around cloud migration is now not if - but when.
In this article, we cover the five most compelling reasons why it’s time for your organization to overcome resistance and make the move to the cloud.
Only in the last few years have large organisations in sectors like financial services, manufacturing and energy started to get serious about their cloud first journeys. Even now, they've really only dipped their toes in the water.
These organisations recognise that a new requirement has emerged to achieve digital transformation and leadership post-COVID: Every business must be a cloud first business."
Reason #1 Reduce costs
If there’s one way to get your CFOs attention, it’s the opportunity to reduce costs. And this is one of the biggest advantages of moving to the cloud for any organization.
Traditionally, organizations pay large upfront costs for their IT. This includes purchasing physical servers, network equipment, and software licences, as well ongoing storage and security. Other associated costs to consider include maintenance, upgrades, and salaries of in-house employees that can help manage it all.
When you move to the cloud, all these different costs are covered in the one ongoing, pay-as-you go fee. And because you only pay for what you use, this generally means overall lower ongoing IT costs.
Reason #2 Enhance security
Security is a primary concern for most large enterprises and it’s easy to see why.
Cyberattacks are at record highs, with a 50% increase year-on-year in 2021 worldwide. Targeted organizations can suffer significant financial and reputational damage, with IBM reporting that data breaches cost businesses an average USD 4.24 million in 2021.
Migrating to the cloud can help organizations better manage this threat by helping reduce this risk. Cloud environments include inbuilt security elements such as data encryption, unique logons, private networks, automated security updates, and ongoing monitoring. Which means you get automatic access to your cloud hosts security expertise.
Reason #3 Increase agility
The flexibility to change direction and scale up or down as you need is a huge benefit of cloud migration. Thanks to the pay-as-you-go model, it’s easier to respond to change and move quickly. There are no lengthy contracts, time-consuming upgrades, or ties to outdated technology.
Instead, organizations can introduce new applications and quickly boost capability. Depending on the solution, these applications can help your organization meet changing customer needs, improve processes, better analyse data – and fast. As a result, organizations can quickly adapt to change, realise ROI sooner, and become more competitive.
Reason #4 Better collaboration
Migrating to the cloud helps foster large-scale collaboration, which is more important than ever in a world of hybrid and remote workplaces. Here’s how:
- Employees can log and work from anywhere, allowing teams from any location to communicate with ease.
- With access to the same information at the same time, teams can make build a shared understanding of priorities and make informed decisions in alignment.
- Multiple users can make updates at the same time, helping to reduce version control issues, errors, and rework.
- Employees can access the same information in real-time, which can help speed up responses and align goals across different teams.
Reason #5 Improved productivity
All these reasons combined help drive another key benefit – improved productivity.
Moving to the cloud can enable digital transformation across core processes across your entire organization. This can include data analytics, customer relationship management, people management and more. Most cloud solutions can integrate easily with existing systems, allowing employees to access information fast with minimal delays, rework, and errors.
The result? Better business decisions fast, more time to focus on high value tasks, and more opportunity to innovate.
"Cloud can do just that: provide the services platform for driving innovation and disrupt markts in ways that will lead to growth, better customer retention and efficiency."
It’s time to reach for the cloud
The verdict is in – the benefits of moving to the cloud can no longer be ignored. If you’re ready to embrace the cloud and reap the benefits across your organization, we can help. Visit our migration hub to see how the Easy Agile team and experts within our Partner network can help make your cloud migration a success.