Cloud computing is becoming an integral part of more and more modern businesses. As various databases, services and functions are employed daily in a busy online environment, the need for streamlined and efficient handling of all these components increases.
But what is cloud computing? And how can a cloud integration platform tie these elements together to benefit your business?
In this article we’ll answer those questions for you.
Read on to discover more.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Simply put, cloud computing is when the various IT resources of your business are ‘scattered’ over the internet, coming from one or more providers. These resources could include servers, databases, applications, storage, and even basic computing power.
Instead of having the physical equipment to provide these services in your business premises, you make use of the power of the internet to access services externally. Devices owned and used by your employees, such as desktop computers, laptops and mobile phones, will interact with this set of services throughout a typical working day.
What is a Cloud Integration Platform?
With so much data flowing between so many different points, the necessity of simplifying the whole process of cloud computing becomes clear. That’s exactly what a cloud integration platform does.
A cloud integration platform streamlines the process of cloud computing, so that important business data can flow freely, safely and effectively between the different points of your cloud network.
An integration platform automatically integrates all the different services and resources within your cloud and provides a centralised tool to allow you to manage the whole system efficiently.
What are the Business Benefits of a Cloud Integration Platform?
How can a cloud integration platform benefit your business? There are several advantages:
1. More Accessible Data
A cloud integration platform makes all the datasets and resources within your cloud easily accessible to the various departments of your business. This is crucial for the efficient running of your business, as one department may need access to multiple data sources throughout the day.
2. More Flexible Handling of Data
With centralised management of all the data within your cloud, you can determine who has access to it and, moreover, what they can do with it. Some departments may not need unrestricted access to certain databases, and in fact such access might make their job more difficult.
3. Better Communication
Did you know that some cloud integration platforms can improve the way your employees communicate?
Microsoft Teams telephony is the new way of collaboration on Microsoft Teams. With centralised management of your cloud comes the ability to communicate quickly and efficiently by voice with other members of your team.
At the click of a button you can be chatting to exactly the right employee in exactly the right department.
4. More Efficient Spending
Centralising control of your cloud will allow you to notice trends in application usage and data storage expenditure throughout your business. This will make it easier to decide which elements of your cloud are offering good value for money, and which may be superfluous. Ultimately, cloud integration platforms offer a host of benefits in communication and data management that will sharpen up these critical points of your business.