More Reasons to Consider the Cloud

The CGNET blog has featured a lot of cloud news over the past couple of years, but for those who remain unconvinced by posts like Cloud-Based Services for Foundations & 5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade to the Cloud, a bit more motivation can be found herein.

“We fear change.”

In a piece on the Microsoft Small Business blog the author elucidates some of the main objections to transitioning to cloud based services. Change of any kind represents possible risk at any level of business, so natural barriers form themselves between current operational methods and moving to the cloud: security, cost, and knowledge are three key challenges. This article does a good job addressing these concerns. The author points out that contemporary cloud services are not designed for the uniquely qualified, but for ease of use regardless of personal experience. The cloud is also more secure and less expensive with each passing year.

“The surge is coming.”

Forbes recently released a report on the adoption or cloud infrastructure by government agencies in the United States. Though the report does concede that there has been slow growth thus far in public sector organizations making the jump into the cloud, that situation will likely change soon. As of 2015, there is a congressional advisory group (the Cloud Computing Caucus), and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) that are both devoted to studying cloud computing. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Defense is reportedly actively pursuing a series of pilot programs to investigate the feasibility of upgrading some of their operations to the cloud.

Organizations that decline to make the decision to upgrade run the risk of losing a competitive advantage. For non-profit and charitable organizations, every dollar not spent on brick-and-mortar infrastructure and in-house technicians is a dollar that go directly to the services and benefits their organization is devoted to. Since CGNET became an Office 365 Cloud Deployment Partner a year and a half ago, many organizations, large and small, have successfully made this transition. Microsoft itself was recently singled out by Gartner as a standout vendor for cloud services due to its innovation and execution. CGNET continues to stand ready to assist with any and all cloud-related questions and concerns.