When it comes to staying competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace, small and medium-sized businesses face many of the same obstacles as their much larger counterparts. Data management is a particular issue, but thanks to the cloud, even the smallest companies have access to enterprise-grade storage.
“In the past, it was only larger operations that could afford a sophisticated enterprise-level system for storing and retrieving data,” says Ryan Richardet, President of SysGen, a Canadian provider of fully managed IT services, cloud storage, cybersecurity and technology strategy. “Affordable, enterprise-grade storage in the cloud with the support of a dedicated data cloud team is a major advantage for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).”
SysGen partners with leading brands, such as Lenovo and Nutanix, to offer Atmosphere, a cloud service tailored to increase the accessibility of data and allow SMBs to access high-quality server hardware at a reasonable cost. For a minimal upfront investment, data is stored in a Tier 3 data centre, the safest, most secure facility available. And because that centre is located in Canada, Canadian laws, rules and regulations apply.
According to Richardet, the advantages of cloud storage are numerous. Companies can access data from any device, in any location that has the Internet, without worrying about safety and security. Storage capacity can be scaled quickly and easily according to business needs. Organizations never have to worry about replacing or updating storage hardware, and can rest easy knowing that back up is done regularly, downtime is minimized, and information won’t be lost, even if a computer crashes.
Cost is also an important feature of cloud storage. Utility style pricing ensures users pay only for the storage they use and can expand their usage on-demand with no delays. SysGen sets up and maintains physical hardware, saving its customers money on computer equipment, software and IT resources. Access to additional tools and applications is also both scalable and affordable. Plus, without spending the hardware CAPEX required for the outright purchase of personal servers, that money can be deployed to other areas of your business.
Confidentiality is also an important consideration for the cloud-environment. SysGen protects client data with tools for two-factor authentication, firewalls and phishing prevention.
With Gartner’s prediction that by 2022, 75% of all databases will be deployed or migrated to a cloud platform, the trend toward managed service is sure to continue. Growth becomes easy when a business has the flexibility and agility to adapt quickly. The only trick is finding a proven provider that can help get you there.
See Choosing a Trusted Partner for the Journey to Digital Transformation.