Cloud computing and cloud storage are all but essential for businesses looking to make the most out of the abundance of data being produced today. They are also useful for businesses that want to upgrade their capabilities without needing to spend millions on hardware upgrades that will soon need to be replaced. All of this might explain why cloud adoption is growing and is projected to keep growing into the future. Cloud computing might seem like a miracle solution, but it does not come without challenges. Here is a brief rundown of some of the challenges facing companies onboarding cloud computing.

Security

Cloud security is an immensely important consideration that needs to be made by companies looking to adopt remote computing. Cloud computing comes with a unique set of security risks. Perhaps the most obvious of these risks involves the amount of data in transit between remote servers and end-users. If this data is not robustly encrypted, then any interception of data while in transit can become a huge cyber security risk. Likewise, the remote nature of cloud servers means that companies can find that they have less control over security in areas they do not own. During consultations with cloud providers, it is essential that the security protocols of the host are interrogated and their track record of preventing breaches is examined.

Cost 

Generally speaking, cloud computing is more cost-effective than on-site hardware computing. This cost-effectiveness, however, relies heavily on good strategic planning and sound management of resources. The key to getting the most value for money out of a cloud computing setup is to fully understand your data and computing needs. Cloud computing companies often price services using a scalable, pay-as-you-go system. This is extremely flexible, but it also means that some businesses buy more than they need. A thorough audit of data use and computing needs within a company is necessary in order to correctly budget for a migration to cloud computing.

Control

Governance and control are factors that every IT department knows the importance of. Making sure that protocols and policies are planned well and adhered to within networks is essential to the safe running of any computer system. With the advent of cloud computing, having full control over protocols and policies has become slightly harder. Cloud-based data centers are usually operated by third parties only barely connected with a mother business. This often means that a company cannot impose its own IT protocols on a data center provider. The best third-party cloud computing providers will happily collaborate with IT departments to establish a joint understanding of suitable governance and control protocols.

Migration 

Successfully switching from on-site hardware to cloud computing is not necessarily a simple task for a business. Many businesses find that they encounter significant problems when trying to move existing applications (especially older ones) onto a cloud platform. Luckily, there are plenty of consultants and companies out there that specialize in helping businesses to migrate to the cloud.

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