By embracing the cloud, enterprises can use modern online infrastructure and start to think about how it might serve customers digitally in new and potentially innovative ways. The availability of mature, cloud-based services means that one can access the capabilities required with little overhead cost.
Moreover, cloud computing in the business world can help new businesses to access the required data and work from any part of the world with an Internet connection. It enables startups for example, to get up and running promptly because of swift services and professionally-arranged infrastructure. With the cloud, startups also get access to experts doing what they do best.
Traditionally an enterprise, whether small, medium or large scale, is likely to spend a great deal on computer equipment in this age of digital transformation. Typical expenses include servers, software tools, database licenses and other IT equipment that are needed to perform tasks like payroll, performance management, paying bills and tracking sales leads.
Traditionally an enterprise, whether small, medium or large scale, is likely to spend a great deal on computer equipment in this age of digital transformation. Typical expenses include servers, software tools, database licenses and other IT equipment that are needed to perform tasks like payroll, performance management, paying bills and tracking sales leads.
Moving to the cloud no matter the size of your business drastically eliminates such up-front costs, leaving you with more capital at hand to invest on other business plans.
Minimizing cost as a result of moving to the cloud manifests in a few different ways. To give an example, cloud computing services charge on a per-user basis. That includes both public cloud solutions and private cloud solutions hosted by third-party service providers.
If the needs increase, it’s easy to upsize your Cloud capacity, drawing on the service’s remote servers. This means that expenses only relate to how many people need access to the cloud, as opposed to a traditional server set up in which costs are flat whether you have one user or several users. Similarly, if you need to downsize again, the flexibility is baked into the service.
Minimizing cost as a result of moving to the cloud manifests in a few different ways. To give an example, cloud computing services charge on a per-user basis. That includes both public cloud solutions and private cloud solutions hosted by third-party service providers.
If the needs increase, it’s easy to upsize your Cloud capacity, drawing on the service’s remote servers. This means that expenses only relate to how many people need access to the cloud, as opposed to a traditional server set up in which costs are flat whether you have one user or several users. Similarly, if you need to downsize again, the flexibility is baked into the service.
One of the best ways to scale up your business is using Cloud ERP. It’s easy, and a complete system. Even on a personal level, services like Dropbox and Google Drive are cloud storage solutions. Cloud computing services and its many forms and functions, like SaaS, IaaS platforms, and PaaS, comes with major advantages, as side saving money or protecting your data.
Now, let’s discuss in detail the real benefits of Cloud Computing for startups.
- Increased levels of productivity
- Increased automation of tasks
- Maintain a competitive edge
- Increased Levels Of Productivity
Your startup can become more flexible by accessing well-maintained technology if you rent space in the cloud. Startups can also access some of the latest tools and technologies, which were only for large companies, with the help of cloud computing. Your startup can now act fast and efficiently and give tough competition to the larger enterprises of their industry.
The cloud offers the best way to keep your business organized as well as innovative. And enterprises irrespective of size have reported back great results. Thus, cloud adoption has become a proven method to boost productivity. It has become a bona fide business strategy for both small and large scale enterprises. A proven method of increasing productivity among virtual employees is cloud adoption.
Buying cloud services, either in the form of a single application like Salesforce.com or their entire datacenter is often more cost effective and more reliable. Other solid cloud service providers such as, AWS Cloud, Google App Engine, Oracle Cloud and Microsoft Azure have robust security protocols in place to ensure that you have complete confidence in allowing them to manage your data.
Digitization of the business world has indeed increased adoption of the cloud, which has exponentially added to the amount of data, programs, and systems that an enterprise needs to manage in order to keep up. A virtuous circle exists between software users and software developers in SaaS Clouds: developers can improve the software faster because they can see usage and performance data in real time.
Meanwhile, users get the latest software upgrades as soon as they are released, without having to pay. Users can always upgrade resources according to their growing business needs.
Why Do Startups Need The Cloud Computing Model?
The cloud provides the necessary tools to sort through lots of unstructured data quickly and easily, a major challenge faced by startups. Thus, cloud computing makes it easier for you to handle "Big Data." Traditional data storage methods (not cloud) have not always provided a simple way for digital businesses to carry out advanced analysis of their databases.
Though businesses have struggled to trust the cloud computing model, especially when it comes to migrating mission-critical applications, in 2018 however, eBay started using Google’s cloud option in a different way by testing machine learning algorithms that assist with image recognition.
One machine learning task with a 40-day completion time using eBay’s in-house systems required only four days with Google’s help.
Increased Automation Of Tasks
Cloud computing is now mainstream. Digitization has changed the business landscape. Thus, digital transformation is challenging enterprises to move to some type of cloud platform in one way or the other. Many enterprises no longer question the value of cloud computing.
Increased Automation Of Tasks
Cloud computing is now mainstream. Digitization has changed the business landscape. Thus, digital transformation is challenging enterprises to move to some type of cloud platform in one way or the other. Many enterprises no longer question the value of cloud computing.
Building on virtualization, cloud platforms provide the ability to run these virtualized workloads on rented infrastructure managed by the cloud provider, freeing IT from having to maintain physical data centers and the infrastructure that runs in them.
Cloud service providers are exploring more ways to create the true fully automated cloud environment. Nowadays, most clouds based systems are built on virtualized infrastructure technology. Virtualization, is simply the creation of a virtual version of something, such as virtual storage devices.
Cloud service providers are exploring more ways to create the true fully automated cloud environment. Nowadays, most clouds based systems are built on virtualized infrastructure technology. Virtualization, is simply the creation of a virtual version of something, such as virtual storage devices.
It is however, not to necessarily create a cloud environment, but it enhances faster scaling of resources in a way that non virtualized environments find difficult to achieve.
While the cloud has become the go-to choice for many enterprises for data storage, project analysis and team collaboration, artificial intelligence capabilities are now layering with cloud computing for better automation which includes helping enterprises manage their data, look for patterns and insights in information, deliver customer experiences, and optimize workflows.
Digital businesses are not the only enterprises involved. All major industries, including manufacturing and retail are currently undergoing a period of major digital transformation.
Manufacturing: In the realm of manufacturing, companies are implementing automated processes. The increasingly global supply chain means that companies have the ability to sync data and operations over a large area and multiple suppliers. According to a recent survey conducted by the Manufacturing Alliance for
Digital businesses are not the only enterprises involved. All major industries, including manufacturing and retail are currently undergoing a period of major digital transformation.
Manufacturing: In the realm of manufacturing, companies are implementing automated processes. The increasingly global supply chain means that companies have the ability to sync data and operations over a large area and multiple suppliers. According to a recent survey conducted by the Manufacturing Alliance for
Productivity and Innovation, pressures within the supply chain itself have begun to drive adoption of automation across the board. Cloud-based tools that help facilitate these functions are not only more flexible but they offer the scalability necessary for future expansion and growth.
Cloud-based Preventive Maintenance Solution can make use of the wasted 72 percent of data collected in manufacturing facilities. This helps to eliminate production gaps and unplanned downtime with a top-rated, cloud-base. Create work orders, schedule maintenance, manage and track spare parts, and standardize your data to gain inventory visibility.
Cloud-based Preventive Maintenance Solution can make use of the wasted 72 percent of data collected in manufacturing facilities. This helps to eliminate production gaps and unplanned downtime with a top-rated, cloud-base. Create work orders, schedule maintenance, manage and track spare parts, and standardize your data to gain inventory visibility.
Unlike humans, machines can analyze this information in seconds. Thanks to this data, the machines can increase the uptime of equipment, boosting efficiency and productivity.
Retail: With cloud computing, retailers can also have an enterprise-wide supply chain visibility. In the world of retail consumption, a (physical) product or service makes the journey from producer to consumer in five stages - planning, sourcing, producing, distributing and selling.
Retail: With cloud computing, retailers can also have an enterprise-wide supply chain visibility. In the world of retail consumption, a (physical) product or service makes the journey from producer to consumer in five stages - planning, sourcing, producing, distributing and selling.
With the cloud, retailers can have supply chain systems capable of adequately handling their business without stock-outs, expedited deliveries, or high inventories.
In retail, cloud computing and Big Data can provide meaningful insights about customer preferences that can help in making merchandising decisions. Another thing that the cloud can offer retailers is automated threat detection and the use of artificial intelligence to monitor and maintain systems.
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In retail, cloud computing and Big Data can provide meaningful insights about customer preferences that can help in making merchandising decisions. Another thing that the cloud can offer retailers is automated threat detection and the use of artificial intelligence to monitor and maintain systems.
Cloud computing originated as a new way to deliver IT services by using autoscaling to respond to increasing marketing strategies. A marketing cloud is an integration of cloud-based marketing tools like analytics, audience management, social media management, customer profiling and targeting.
Marketing cloud eases an enterprise's effort by tracking and measuring relevant data like customer behavior and preferences, campaign performance and lots more. It also allows enterprises to automate time-consuming tasks. Since everything is automatic, and you won't need to do anything when your enterprise is in the cloud, including regular updates, companies get the opportunity to focus on the core of their businesses.
You doesn't need to worry about backing up the database or any other problem regarding software as compared with standard marketing software solutions.
Oracle Marketing Cloud for example helps enterprises of all sizes to connect with the customer, build the right customer experience and create loyal customers.
Oracle offers series of cloud-based marketing services including:
Data Management Platform for garnering insights from marketing data to target the right audience.
Digital analytics solution that collects, processes and delivers actionable customer intelligence at scale.
Here ae some other reputable marketing cloud service providers:
Adobe Marketing Cloud: Adobe Campaign gives you a single place to manage and automate all your email, ads, and campaigns. Adobe Marketing Cloud, which now includes Marketo Engagement Platform, allows you to manage, personalize, optimize, and orchestrate cross-channel campaigns across B2B and B2C use cases.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: This marketing cloud service offers integrated solutions including-- customer journey management, email, mobile, social, web personalization, advertising, content creation and management as well as data analysis. Customers range from business-to-business and nonprofits to some of the largest business-to-consumer companies.
SAP Hybris Marketing Cloud: Gain deeper customer insights to understand intent and anticipate customer behavior with SAP. This marketing cloud service, enables you to plan and manage all marketing activities and campaigns, while collaborating with teams for seamless execution.
Oracle offers series of cloud-based marketing services including:
Data Management Platform for garnering insights from marketing data to target the right audience.
Digital analytics solution that collects, processes and delivers actionable customer intelligence at scale.
Here ae some other reputable marketing cloud service providers:
Adobe Marketing Cloud: Adobe Campaign gives you a single place to manage and automate all your email, ads, and campaigns. Adobe Marketing Cloud, which now includes Marketo Engagement Platform, allows you to manage, personalize, optimize, and orchestrate cross-channel campaigns across B2B and B2C use cases.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: This marketing cloud service offers integrated solutions including-- customer journey management, email, mobile, social, web personalization, advertising, content creation and management as well as data analysis. Customers range from business-to-business and nonprofits to some of the largest business-to-consumer companies.
SAP Hybris Marketing Cloud: Gain deeper customer insights to understand intent and anticipate customer behavior with SAP. This marketing cloud service, enables you to plan and manage all marketing activities and campaigns, while collaborating with teams for seamless execution.
What To Look For In Cloud Marketing Automation Services?
Most marketing automation platforms have tools and features to assist or automate the management of the following:
Email Marketing — Building and managing personalized email campaigns. All marketing automation software platforms should help enterprises automate their email marketing needs.
Social Media Social Monitoring Tools — These allow you to keep track of a list of keywords across multiple platforms, all in one place, with live updates and analytics as well as crafting social media personas and guiding user experiences.
Mobile Messaging — The service should be able to use SMS, MMS, and push notifications to engage customers. Moreover, there must be cloud-based APIs and quality global connections ensuring messages are delivered fast and error-free.
Managing Ads — Aligning advertising across every channel.
All in all, the cloud provides data accessibility across different channels to streamline processes while making workflows faster which leads to increase efficiency in resource utilization. Cloud automation offers businesses more flexibility, agility, and cost savings. Smart digital marketing programs, that create avenues to engage with consumers in innovative ways, help create better outcomes.
Maintain A Competitive Edge
When your teams can access, edit and share documents anytime, from anywhere, they’re able to do more together, and do it better. Cloud computing has given Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) to think and act faster than bigger and more established businesses. Moving to the cloud gives your business and virtual employees better access to enterprise-class technology.
Many large scale businesses are also leveraging the opportunities presented by cloud computing to foster global expansion.
Heightened methods of security such as encryption, multi-factor authentication and role-based access provides peace of mind that sensitive documents, data and files will be protected when residing in the cloud, regardless of where they were uploaded from.
A fully managed global cloud takes away the burden of running and maintaining infrastructure and replaces it with fast access to compute capacity to quickly innovate and establish footprints in countries around the world and expand your customer reach.
Increasingly, companies have become more comfortable working with cloud-hosted systems. Since the cloud makes it easier for vendors to deploy rapidly evolving technologies—such as machine learning, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and data analytics—and stay current with updates.
Furthermore, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) reflects more core solution capabilities that can manage businesses daily operations in enterprises. Leading companies are taking advantage of the natural upgrade cycle of their ERP systems to fully rethink their ERP strategy, narrowing the core to a limited set of standard functionalities, loosely coupled with functional and industry-specific applications hosted in the cloud.
Now, let's take a quick look at The Journey Of Cloud Computing from 1999 to 2020:
1999: Salesforce.com launches CRM as a service. As at now they currently provide not only customer relationship management (CRM) services but also sells a complementary suite of enterprise applications focused on customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development.
2002: Amazon Web Services (AWS) was launched by the ecommerce giant for developers.
2006: Amazon quickly grew into a company that has fundamentally transformed the IT industry in an era of widespread cloud computing and carved out a market-leading position. AWS launches pay-per-use commercial cloud with S3 (storage) and EC2 (computer) services.
2008: Google launches App Engine. A platform as a Service and cloud computing platform for developing and hosting web applications in Google-managed data centers. Offering developers a scalable application environment.
2010: Microsoft launches Azure IaaS (Beta version).Windows Azure was positioned as an alternative to Amazon EC2 and Google App Engine. Given the strong heritage of building developer platforms and tools, Microsoft chose to launch Azure as a PaaS offering.
2011: Apple launches iCloud. A breakthrough set of free cloud services includes iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream & Documents in the Cloud. Microsoft on the other hand, bought Skype.
2015: Global Cloud industry exceeds $100bn revenues
2016: AWS exceeds $12bn in IaaS/PaaS revenues and now offers 70 distinct Cloud services
2017: Microsoft passes $10bn in SaaS revenue. Salesforce is #2 SaaS player with $8.5bn revenues
2018: Global Cloud IT infrastructure spend exceeds traditional IT
2019: SaaS market exceeds $110bn revenues
2020: Total Cloud services revenues exceed $250bn
Cloud technologies are now generating massive revenues for both cloud service providers and technology vendors. In reality, moving to the cloud generally offers a lot more data security than most businesses can cater for. The resources needed to manage data in-house can prove very expensive, and can be effectively shared across multiple companies by data centers.
Varieties Of Cloud Computing Environment
First, you must decide what kind of cloud environment to adopt. Cloud computing opportunities come in several different varieties: public, private, and hybrid.
Public Cloud: A cloud storage environment offered by a public company, like Amazon Web Services (AWS)or Google Cloud, that caters to a large number of users. While the concept of cloud computing has been around since the 1960s, it didn’t reach public popularity for enterprises until the 1990s. Salesforce, now a top software as a service (SaaS) provider, entered the market in 1999.
Private Cloud: A cloud storage option that is used by only one organization. A private cloud uses virtualization technology to combine resources sourced from physical hardware into shared pools. This way, the cloud doesn't have to create environments by virtualizing resources one at a time from different physical systems.
This is enabling multiple applications and even operating systems to operate on the same physical machine. Additionally, if the resource requirements of an application change, the resources dedicated to the particular virtual server that runs that application can be adjusted to meet them.
Hybrid Cloud: A blend of public and private cloud environments. These kinds of clouds are best for businesses that have substantial cloud computing needs but have varying protection needs or extreme seasonality. Separate clouds become hybrid when those environments are connected as seamlessly as possible. That interconnectivity is the only way hybrid clouds work.
Hybrid Cloud: A blend of public and private cloud environments. These kinds of clouds are best for businesses that have substantial cloud computing needs but have varying protection needs or extreme seasonality. Separate clouds become hybrid when those environments are connected as seamlessly as possible. That interconnectivity is the only way hybrid clouds work.
This enables the organization to meet its technical and business objectives more effectively and cost-efficiently than it could with public or private cloud alone. Most cloud computing, software and service environments are managed by the providers and are updated continuously for maximum performance and security.
Computing power is remote instead of centralized, so users can tap into extra capacity if business spikes. Multiple people can access a shared program or file and collaborate in real time from different locations.
