This is an issue that has been around for several years, but is still far from being established in all companies.

Unresolved issues surrounding data protection and information security are often the reason why companies prefer to continue using on-premise solutions. When cloud computing comes up in conversation, I often hear people say, "Why do we need the cloud? I have everything I need in-house and it works." The question of functionality is not the decisive factor here, but rather:

How much does the hardware I have at home cost me? (Procurement and maintenance)

Do I have the right staff, or any staff at all, to handle the hardware correctly?

What operating costs will I incur (electricity, cooling, room rental, etc.)?

In addition, the on-premise environment must always be designed in such a way that I can plan for years to come. -> Example:

A new firewall is being purchased; the company currently has 100 employees. Growth is the goal. This means that the new firewall must be capable of handling a throughput that far exceeds 100 employees.

This is just one example of many, because you could do the same thing for storage, backup solutions, and the like. But that's not what this is about right now. Instead, the question is: "Why use the cloud?" -> Simple answer: 

To save costs and reduce administrative work to a certain extent. It also greatly supports collaboration regardless of location and time.

What does that mean specifically?

We are more flexible with our IT resources and can scale up or down because we only pay for what we actually use. If our needs change, we can adjust at any time without having to invest in expensive hardware.

Responsibility no longer lies solely with the IT department. We share it with the provider or service provider, as they are responsible for availability and provision. They must also implement security measures, which means we no longer have to worry about this, or only to a certain extent.

As a company, I can decide for myself how much and what exactly I want to outsource, so it's always worth asking yourself the question: What do I want to/can/am allowed to do with cloud computing?

Basically, you don't have to and shouldn't immediately transfer everything, because that also has to be planned. Companies often start with virtual machines or simple data storage when it comes to cloud computing. First, you have to look at exactly what data you have, which of it is critical (e.g., highly confidential, etc.) and which is less critical. Then you can decide what steps to take next.

Would I like a different type of collaboration in the future (e.g., independent of location, time, and device)? Should hardware costs be reduced? Could I perhaps delegate support/responsibility for certain topics?

Of course, we could list further topics here and talk about SaaS solutions, for example. However, this should only serve as a small incentive to think about the cloud, if you haven't already done so.

If you would like to discuss this further or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. We can then work together to see how we can take your IT infrastructure to the next level.