Developments in technology are moving at rapid speed. Compared to developments in companies and organizations, who want to move at the same pace, but because of budget primarily, culture, work ethic and people scared of change, most companies are falling years behind. In countries like the USA and the Netherlands where the competition is very high, companies have no other choice than to move at the same pace or faster than their competitors.
Since 2007 (…and earlier) we’ve been putting our private lives, reading the news, doing our shopping, sharing our thoughts, pictures, videos and jokes via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. We have even evolved from landlines, mobile calls and text messages to private chats, chat groups and Wi-Fi calling.
There is nothing different about these social media solutions compared to cloud solutions. You add personal information, get your security settings in order, add statuses (same as registrations), you log in online from any computer, tablet or mobile device anywhere in the world. And this data, information and history, just like your email and website information are kept somewhere on a server! In other words, they are kept IN THE CLOUD!
Here are 10 reasons why it is advisable for most companies in Suriname to cloud-lease, rather than buy on-premise solutions.
- Small business, small budgets; the biggest group of businesses in Suriname are the small and micromanagement businesses. Fortune-500 companies are rather rare in our country. Small businesses usually have small budgets and a small number of employees. On the other hand, operations usually demand innovative software, with reliable security and full functionality. Cloud solutions give small businesses the opportunity to get a full featured system by paying a low monthly fee.
- Security; contrary to belief …. Using certified proven software is far more secure than doing things manually or in Microsoft Excel for instance. People are also scared of having their software and information somewhere on a server that they cannot touch physically, but it is really all in the mind. Cloud doesn’t mean your information is literally hanging somewhere in the air. Your information is actually stored somewhere in a huge data-warehouse with all the security and preventions from fire, theft, viruses and hackers. With most data-warehouses your company can even sign non-disclosure and security assurance agreements. We even have our very own data-warehouse in Suriname. Important Note! No system, cloud, on-premise or paper archives are 100% secure. Every organization should calculate whom they are protecting their information from and set up their barriers from that point of view.
- Maintenance: on-premise solutions need to be installed on a server. Servers need to be maintained, cleaned, up to date, secured and backed up regularly. You would need a tech guy or a support agreement with an IT company to keep you running smoothly. Servers also need separate space and use a lot of electricity to keep them cool 24/7.
- User-friendly; Cloud solutions are web-based. Web-based solutions are like browsing the internet. Even two-year-olds know how to browse the internet these days.
- Coverage: we can reach far more people with cloud applications. Your employees do not have to be in the office to get into the system. They can log in from anywhere in the world, even on the road, at sea or from the air. Employees can still only retrieve the information that they are allowed to see/print. If the software has a good audit trail you can even track, when and where the information was retrieved, viewed or printed.
- Real-time information: the information is online on a server. Every time changes are made, or new registrations are made, everyone who has excess to that information receives that new information immediately.
- Connectivity: our internet speed has rapidly moved forward from what it was just a few years ago and is still improving. Meanwhile most Cloud sales applications still work when the internet is down and synchronize when the internet is back on.
- Up to date with new Technology, Developers always work on newer versions to make a better product and to keep their product updated with new technology developments. When you buy on-premise software, you need an annual contract to keep up with technology and every time new versions are launched, you would need to install the new versions yourself or pay the solutions provider to install the new version for you. Cloud solutions are updated regularly from the server, without the clients even noticing anything or having to pay extra.
- Stop at any time; if you are not satisfied with the software or your company will be foreclosed, you can stop at any time. You will not lose a big investment.
- Cloud is the future!
Also read; The Wall Street Journal – “16 ways the Cloud will change our lives” at http://online.wsj.com/ad/article/cloudcomputing-changelives
I quote;
“Developing countries will become new markets and new competitors.”
“Bell notes that China and other emerging countries have not developed robust IT infrastructures, which means they can embrace the cloud quicker — and exploit new opportunities faster—since they won’t be as delayed by tasks like integrating legacy technology. At the same time, the cloud will provide new opportunities in these emerging countries. In India, for example, far more people use cell phones than landlines. As the cloud eliminates barriers to what mobile devices can do, the devices will become the conduit to open up huge new markets.”
Enclosing…
My advice to local IT solutions development companies and freelance IT developers is to write more cloud-based solutions. Bring our own products on the market, based on how we do business in Suriname. Give small businesses the opportunity to start big with small investments.
Comments are closed