Businesses in all sectors of industry and commerce have undergone some dramatic changes in the last few decades. One of the key changes has been the move to the digitalization of the modern workplace.

Previously, storing and retrieving physical documents, data and information were common practice. Today, this is considered to be incredibly outdated in most organizations and almost all important pieces of data and information are now held in the digital domain.

Businesses moved to storing data on local servers that allowed staff to access them on company premises. Subsequently, there has been a shift to cloud-based applications and solutions in the last decade of business.

The move to cloud methods allows a business to have greater freedom in how and who accesses data, and it can be a key way to boost productivity – especially in a workforce that is working remotely or adopting hybrid methods of working.

In this article, there is an explanation of the cloud options that are available to your business today.

All-in-one cloud solutions

As a first point, businesses now have access to all-in-one cloud solutions for a wide range of their operations. These cloud-based platforms offer businesses the ability to control HR, CRM, business intelligence and a wide range of other important functions under one cloud solution.

One of the most popular platforms is IFS Cloud, which allows businesses to control virtually every aspect of their operations from a single cloud-based solution that links seamlessly with other applications and software packages.

All-in-one cloud platforms are popular due to their ease of use and the ability to control an entire online suite of programs and applications from one main access point. They are scalable to enable business growth and expansion, whilst also allowing upgrades and routine maintenance to take place with minimal interference with other systems.

Cloud storage

Many businesses now routinely use cloud storage products to hold their company files and important data. Normally, a monthly fee is required to use the services and the amount of data that can be uploaded to the cloud is a key determinant of the charge.

Cloud storage providers use the latest encryption methods and security features to ensure that the data cannot be intercepted, read or stolen when it is being uploaded or stored. This method of storage also reduces the need to store files and information on local business servers, which can help to reduce IT infrastructure costs and the need for a large team of IT professionals.

Backing up data to the cloud

As well as storing data on the cloud, businesses also have the option to back up information which is held in an online location rather than on company systems. This is vital when looking to make secure copies of important project, personal or financial data.

As with cloud storage, backing up data using this method has similar security benefits. If there are local IT problems, power outages or even an office fire that damage equipment, the backups can ensure that no data will have been lost and business continuity is not affected.

Many firms routinely use cloud-based backup systems and can even schedule the frequency of backups so that this occurs automatically at pre-determined times.