Cloudy with a Chance of Savings: How to Cut Costs with Cloud Technology

Maximise Efficiency and Minimise Expenditure with the Cloud

From reducing the reliance on cumbersome, expensive, on-premise technology to enabling your business to grow with easy scalability, the benefits of cloud technology are many. Making the move to the cloud enables your business to take advantage of digital solutions that boost productivity, streamline workflows and increase revenue. One of the biggest benefits cloud technology can provide for businesses is the ability to cut costs thanks to a range of factors, which we’re going to explore in this article.

So, if you’re looking to make the move to cloud and want a deeper understanding of the financial benefits it can offer for your business, keep on reading.

What is Cloud Technology?

Cloud technology covers a wide range of solutions, so it’s key to have a firm understanding of what it actually is. The ‘cloud’ is a virtual space within the internet where digital resources and solutions can be hosted and accessed from any location. Put simply, cloud technology is any platform, solution, tool or resource that is hosted within a cloud environment rather than being stored on local (on-premise) computer hard drives.

For example, if you save documents via OneDrive (a cloud storage application) rather than to ‘My Documents’, you will be storing those documents within a cloud environment instead of saving it to your computer’s hard drive. These documents would be available whenever you log into OneDrive, regardless of where you log in and you wouldn’t need to access them via the same device that you used to save the document to OneDrive with.

How Does Cloud Technology Work?

There are three types of cloud computing deployment: Private, Public and Hosted.

What is Private Cloud?

Private cloud is a cloud environment can only be accessible to a single business, which offers a high level of control. As it is dedicated solely to the needs of the business that owns the cloud environment, businesses can take advantage of customised architecture to create an environment that fulfils their needs exactly. In a lot of cases, a business will maintain their own private cloud infrastructure on-site, but there is the option to contract a third-party cloud vendor to host and maintain their cloud environment off site if required.

Public Cloud

Public cloud is the most popular model of cloud computing services, as it offers a wide range of solutions, platforms and resources to fulfil many duties within a business. With Public Cloud businesses can access a range of features on a subscription-based pricing model. In comparison to Private cloud, businesses do not have to be responsible for the maintenance, management and development of their cloud infrastructure. A third-party vendor will be responsible for the upkeep of the cloud environment. This offers less control compared with Private cloud, but means that businesses don’t have to factor in the cost and resource associated with managing their own cloud infrastructure.

Hybrid Cloud

As the name suggests, hybrid cloud combines both public and private cloud solutions. Applications and data can be shared between private and public cloud based on the needs and policies of your business. A common example of the use of hybrid cloud would be a business utilising private cloud environments for their IT workflow and storing sensitive information and using public cloud resources for handling data that isn’t sensitive. Using the hybrid cloud in this way, means that both private and public clouds can be integrated in a way that ensures optimum performance and access to customised spaces for specific data without compromising security.

Cloud Technology vs Traditional Solutions

The world is going digital, which is resulting in less reliance on traditional, on-premise solutions and increasing the adoption of cloud-native solutions that are delivered via the internet. Solutions such as traditional PBX phone systems and on-premise servers are being replaced by cloud-hosted phone systems and cloud storage solutions, which are more cost-effective, easier to scale and contain features that are support the progression and growth of a business.

Going forward, new technology that emerges will rely on cloud infrastructures to host and support them, so moving to the cloud now not only allows a business to make the most of more up-to-date solutions, but also prepares for the next advancement of business technology.

Examples of Cloud Business Technology from Elite Group

From virtual desktops to cloud-hosted phone systems there are a wide range of cloud solutions that businesses can benefit from.

Cloud Computing Solutions

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop is a desktop and application virtualisation service that runs on the cloud. It provides users with access to their office desktop and applications via the internet, so whether they are working from the office, from home or on the go, they have access to the same desktop and all of its functionalities.

Azure Hosting

Azure Hosting allows you to remove the complexity and costs associated with provisioning your own IT infrastructures with specific cloud solutions that are tailored to the needs of your business. With Azure Hosting you can test and deploy platforms and applications that are bespoke to your business, allow your employees to access virtual desktops and gain real-life insights into your business’s operations for improved decision-making.

Cloud Connect

Cloud Connect provides a direct link into many of the largest Cloud Service Provider platforms, such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Salesforce. We connect our core network to yours and also to your chosen cloud provider with dedicated bandwidth based on the requirements of your business.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 combines communication, collaboration, security and intelligent cloud services with world class security within one solution. Users can access the full suite of Microsoft Office applications from a range of devices, from any location.

Cloud Communications

Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS)

CCaaS is a feature-rich, virtual contact centre solution that unifies chat, email, fax, voice and more within one platform. Deployed in the cloud and customisable to a business’s precise requirements, CCaaS enables personalised customer journeys and provides impactful insights into your customer’s experience.

8×8 X Series

8×8 X Series is the first-of-its-kind Experience Communications as a Service (XCaaS)) platform that unifies voice, video, chat and contact centre into one cloud-based communication solution. 8×8 provides a powerful alternative to traditional on-premise office phone systems and can be accessed from any location.

Mitel MiVoice Business

MiVoice Business is a cloud-ready communication solution that integrates voice, email, messaging, mobility, presence, conferencing, contact centre and applications within one platform. You can choose to either host the solution yourself or host it within our secure, Azure infrastructure.

Gamma Unified Communications

Gamma Unified Communications solutions provides traditional call management features alongside functions, such as call recording, auto-attendant, disaster recovery and more. The communications platform can be accessed from laptops, PCs and other devices, as well as VoIP desk phones.

Read more: 15 Questions to Cut Costs with Cloud Communications

How Can Cloud Technology Reduce Costs?

Hardware

With solutions hosted in the cloud, there is less reliance on costly hardware. The reduced need for physical hardware, means there are no lengthy installation periods that cause expensive downtime and if maintenance and management of your cloud solution is offered by your provider, your business doesn’t have to factor in the associated costs and resource needed to manage your solution in-house.

Streamlined Processes

Cloud solutions streamline workflows by making accessing data straightforward and automating menial tasks. Traditional solutions, can slow operations down, costing your business money. In contrast, cloud solutions allow your team to focus their attention on more tasks that provide more value for your business.

Disaster Recovery

With data stored and accessed from your cloud environment, your users have access to your business applications, platforms and software, regardless of location. So, if disaster befalls your physical office space, your business can continue operations. Furthermore, with secure data backups in the cloud, your workload is always protected.

Only Pay For What You Use

As your cloud solution is tailored to the needs of your business, you only pay for the resources you use. You can easily scale your cloud solutions up or down, as needed without overpaying and your subscription can be easily modified to fit your needs.

Make the Move to the Cloud with Elite Group

If you’re ready to take your business to new heights by migrating to the cloud, we’re here to help. Whether it’s hosting your business phone system in the cloud or migrating your business data to a cloud environment, our experienced specialists are here to help!

Contact us today or call 0344 875 8880.