2 Signs Your Business Is Ready For Cloud

Are you considering a move to the cloud? Not all companies are ready to buy cloud services right now. But, some are, and it’s important that you recognize the tell-tale signs. Following are the two biggest ones you should pay attention to in order to know if your company is ready.

Sign #1: Aging Systems
Are you still trying to get every last ounce out of your Windows XP and/or Windows Server 2003/R2 and SQL 2005 licenses? Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity to discuss a $8,000 to $15,000 on-premises equipment and software investment, this is the perfect opportunity to look into the cloud! It is not necessarily an all or nothing decision.  More than likely, it is a more effective strategy to try one IT service ““such as email- and migrate it to the cloud.  If it is a favorable experience, and has an overall benefit to your business, then consider moving other IT solutions to the cloud as well. Another option that we discussed in our article about Hardware as a Service would be to create a “private onsite cloud” by buying your technology on a monthly payment (same as the cloud), but it can be housed onsite and managed by an outsourced vendor to retain security but get the budgeting and service benefits of a cloud solution.

Sign #2: The Distributed Workforce
According to the latest research from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the distributed workforce is now a reality for 30% to 45% of all employees. Having remote and virtual employees enables companies to get things done round the clock, plus it makes it easier to attract hard-to-find skill sets beyond one’s local community.

If your company is expanding its virtual workforce, this is a great opportunity to have a discussion about the cloud. After all, cloud solutions and services are designed from the ground up with remote access and mobility (another trend closely related to the distributed workforce) in mind. Besides, if your company is progressive enough to recognize that it can work more effectively without micromanaging its employees, then it’s a logical next step to recognize that managing fewer blinking lights in the server room is a smart business move, too.

To get a better understanding of whether or not your IT infrastructure is ready for the cloud, click here for a free Cloud Readiness Assessment.