More large companies are seeing cloud data storage as a way to cut information technology expenses on hefty servers, their maintenance and other costs. While the convenience of using a server owned and maintained by someone else and being able to remotely access needed information is desirable, there have been some pitfalls. But like anyone who falls down, they have quickly gotten back up, dusted themselves off and become better and stronger.
The Downfalls
Big name networks using the cloud for internet-based email and shared documents experienced network outages and some hacking attempts in the last year. Amazon, AT&T, Verizon and others went down this year due to bad weather. Load balances can also wreak havoc on services. Also, computers can freeze up, one server can go down while the others stay up and users cannot access data to work with it. This is frustrating not only for the provider but for the customer and IT professionals charged with its maintenance. Local information tech employees also feel this pain since they are not responsible for it and cannot do anything to fix it.
Something new - virtual snooping. One company's computer sniffing around another company's computer is likely to keep prospective customers away. Cloud services will have more than one company on one server. This is standard and can make some executives feel a little paranoid. But this is mostly just theory now as no one has reported it.
Pricing is still a tangled mess as the providers each have a different way to measure usage. It is also hard to break any of these invoices down by business unit. Ask any billing clerk or finance rep how maddening this is. Each business unit has their own budget and learning that your IT costs doubled for the month and trying to find out why is next to impossible with cloud provider bills. Hopefully, a solution will be created and pricing will stabilize.
Back-up generators should kick in when the power goes out and Plan B should be put in place in case they do not. Loss of control is a big concern with local IT pros as well as their CEOs.
It Rises Again
As in any other industry, the big name providers now have some smaller but equally as good competitors. This offers the customer better pricing options such as pay for use and gives them the possibility of choosing a more local provider. Software for cloud services continues to diversify and here too, there are more to choose from. It is cost effective to have a large variety of anything to choose from and it certainly is better when wanting to purchase data storage and network services. Networks are becoming stronger against hack attempts and this is mostly seen with news of constant updates to web-based email and other popular programs hosted on cloud servers.
Telecom is much stronger today than it was 10 years ago. Data centers are better prepared to back up and duplicate data onto co-located server outside of natural disaster areas. Most businesses in inclement weather areas already do this on a regular basis so very little data needs to be copied right before a natural disaster strikes. It will heed those who are in these areas to secure a back up site as Mother Nature seems to strike in unusual places lately.
Cloud Providers Spawn New Rock Stars
If variety is the spice of life, then what do you call the growing emergence of more virtual use and storage space? Free enterprise is what made America strong and every day new providers are born and established providers give birth to different sizes of network use. This is a good thing as it gives consumers options to choose from and different price points to consider. As the providers compete with each other, the user will be the winner since the choice is ultimately ours.
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