Signs the Cloud Isn’t Right for Your Business

The tech world is buzzing about cloud services and with businesses flocking to implement cloud computing solutions, you’re starting to wonder if you’re the only business left that hasn’t made the move. Is there ever a scenario when the cloud isn’t right for an organization? While it might not seem like it, there are actually many scenarios where businesses might not want to consider a cloud move. Here are a few of the signs and considerations that you’ll want to make before you make the leap.

Control over your data isn’t necessary, it’s required.

While we’ve already discussed that the cloud can be secure enough for almost any industry, there are scenarios where data is so sensitive or proprietary that you must have 100% control over it. In those scenarios, the standard, public or hybrid cloud will never work for you. While most providers guarantee 99% or higher uptime, if having that extra % could make or break your business, the cloud may not be an option for you.

When the long term costs don’t make sense.

One of the great benefits of the cloud is that it’s a broken down cost that is within reach for many smaller businesses. The problem is that once that break even point expires, the cloud is an ongoing expense that some businesses may not want to be saddled with. If you would prefer to keep costs down by having a single expense rather than a recurring monthly or annual expense, the cloud may not be for you. 

When you have a significant amount of data.

The cost of cloud services typically depends partly on the amount of data that you are storing. The more data that you have, the more costly it will be to move to the cloud. When an organization has many terabytes of data it can not only become cost prohibitive, but also mean that coming out of the cloud might be more difficult or time consuming.

When your files are extremely large.

When you work on files in the cloud that are very large, it can be difficult to work on them through a browser or remote connection. Companies that do graphic design or deal with big data can sometimes have this difficulty and may want to reconsider the cloud for their organization.

Do these hurdles mean that an organization can’t move to the cloud? Not at all. It just means that there are other considerations that need to be taken into account before the business can make a move. In order to really understand the consequences of moving to the cloud, you need to consult a professional.