In the search for digital transformation, something that happens constantly and exponentially, the cloud computing (cloud computing), or journey to Cloud Computing, is gaining more and more space in the market. This advanced data management and storage model is becoming a protagonist among the technologies that tend to add most to a company.

According to data released by Gartner, specialist in technology and consultancy, the transition from the conventional IT model to cloud computing already accounts for savings of more than US$ 1 trillion for companies that migrated to the outsourced service. The on premises model, or physical hardware, was no longer advantageous when cloud computing began to offer this support.

In view of this, in this article we will show in an intrinsic way what cloud computing is and why large companies are increasingly adopting this technology. See also the main differences between a physical datacenter and cloud computing, as well as 5 reasons why you should migrate your company's IT sector to cloud computing.

What is Cloud Computing?

Used as a colloquial term for on-demand computing resources, cloud computing (in English, cloud computing) is a support service for storing, processing and managing data. The data is stored on servers managed by the company responsible for the cloud. The connection to the stored files can be accessed from anywhere via the internet.

But the true definition of cloud computing goes beyond simply storing data. The decentralized computing service offers complete management of a large company's IT service, with access to software, exclusive applications and security when sending and receiving data. The support is robust and was designed to serve companies and professionals from different areas.

As it is a remote service, accessed via the internet, it refers to the term "cloud", well known among professionals and ordinary people. To be able to access cloud computing, the user, whether an individual or institutional, needs a terminal (computer, tablet, smartphone...) connected to the internet and thus be able to use programs and access files, all in one. environment.

Conventional IT model (On Premises)

The conventional IT model with physical equipment, specific refrigeration, UPS, backup, is, and still continues to be, widely used by companies around the world. The on premises model offers all the necessary infrastructure for a company to operate in its line of business. But to do this, the company must have its own server and peripheral elements, as well as specialized labor in the subject.

The company that uses this model must have a sector dedicated solely to this, which will incur large costs depending on the infrastructure used. In addition to the initial costs, the entire system will consume financial resources for maintenance and solving problems, which are sure to always occur. Therefore, using an internal computing system with the best that technology has to offer deserves a rigorous evaluation.

Furthermore, the entire system will depend on the professionals hired to operate effectively, and this requires a competent team. At this point, we come to one of the main criteria on the subject, which is security in data storage and processing. In view of this, it is interesting to carry out a technical and financial analysis comparing costs and benefits between the conventional model and cloud computing.

 5 reasons to migrate to the Cloud

Migrating a company's entire IT environment to the cloud is something that many hear about, but few companies make this transition. Experts on the subject believe that the biggest obstacle to this is the change process, or the journey to cloud computing. But this change is no big deal and it must be planned. So, find out 5 reasons to start this journey as soon as possible:

1. Environment optimization

The change process must have good planning. Therefore, carrying out a careful assessment of the degree of maturity of the organization's IT sector, observing the level of infrastructure and the technologies used, will offer an accurate diagnosis. It is essential to have an expert's opinion on the subject: a consultant. By carrying out this analysis with the help of a specialized consultancy, the company will have the insight for a healthy transition.

This personalized monitoring will show more about the journey to the cloud, pointing out what should be moved to the cloud and what can remain on the company's premises. Intrinsic points will be considered, such as:

• Equipment
• Providers
• Software
• Operational system
• Performance
• Usage licenses
• Vulnerabilities
• RTO and RPO Policy
• RAM memory consumption
• Backup routine
• Connection speed, among others

One of the main advantages of this evaluation is having an optimized environment, that is, with truly necessary configurations and software, in addition to having a comparison that will make it clear how advantageous it can be to hire the cloud computing service.

2. Agility and Scalability

Once again with a bias for comparison, we will show that the advantages of cloud computing go beyond costs or performance, considering two fundamental principles for the success of a business: agility It is scalability.

Agility

The power of automation and artificial intelligence have provided companies with a greater need for data storage and processing power. Considering a new demand in a company that is moving towards expanding its business, it becomes necessary to use more servers, processing power, memory, among others.

Ultimately, for this new demand to be met, more resources would have to be used, in addition to hours of planning and executing a project. As a more than viable alternative, cloud computing can meet all the demands that arise in the market with the agility of a few clicks, without having to worry about whether or not we have available resources.

In other words, imagine that for the company in our example to expand, it needs greater processing power, the use of a dedicated system and a greater storage capacity. For this to become a reality in no time, all you need to do is have the necessary terminals (computers and peripherals) to access the environment and hire a suitable plan, so this company's needs will be met in a matter of minutes.

Scalability

In the world of information technology, scalability is one of the most desirable characteristics, required by the largest institutional agents in activity. A system designed and built with this quality is prepared to increase its working power whenever new demands arise. As an example, we can mention financial institutions, which are increasingly making their digital products accessible.

This is already a reality for the financial market, which in a short period of time launched several fintechs and digital banks in the last decade. Most of these companies make the most of what cloud computing has to offer, as the number of customers of these institutions grows exponentially. The support that large decentralized servers offer has made these companies capable of expanding.

We can also say that one of the biggest advantages of scalability of a business is the automation of processes. Imagine that you need to run software uninterruptedly for days, months or years. Know that this is a common demand for many professionals.

However, it is very difficult to keep a server in an on-premise environment always available in an uninterrupted and scalable manner. For many, it is impossible to perform this task with any benefit. This task becomes even more difficult if it is carried out by an individual or micro-company.

However, a professional who has this need can create a virtual machine in a Cloud environment with all the necessary technical specifications, start it quickly and that's it! Even if you lose a link (internet) or your computer catches fire, it doesn't matter, your environment will be available, without any major problems. To access the management of this environment, the professional simply logs into their cloud account and accesses it, as simple as that.

Another example of professionals with this need are traders who operate several different assets through robots. As there are a multitude of assets and different trading hours, traders, whether institutional or individuals, need to keep several robots operating in their accounts. To do this, it is necessary to keep the platform active uninterruptedly and connected to the internet. Today, there are several cloud computing plans created for these professionals.

3. Support

The migration to cloud computing comes with extensive support that is constantly provided by Cloud providers. It is very important that the entire transition process is monitored to ensure the high performance of the decentralized service. Support is robust and has full technical availability to ensure that the system is able to function 24 hours a day. With this, your company's IT department will be able to focus on other demands.

 4. Cost reduction

Studies carried out on the subject indicate that companies that adopt cloud computing services are able to reduce significant costs. When comparing a traditional IT sector with a hybrid sector or 100% in the cloud, it is possible to notice an exorbitant cost reduction with:

• Server and peripheral maintenance
• Electricity
• Training
• Specialized labor (Different resources – Storage, Network, OS, among others)
• Software Licensing
• Hardware Problems
• Costs for recurring problem solutions
• In addition to a significant reduction in expenditure on routine support, something that involves financial resources and working hours.

From a complete assessment of the advantages of migrating to the cloud, the cost reduction resulting from this change will become increasingly evident.

5. Security

Theoretically, servers configured in an on-premise environment are safer compared to a remote environment, as we do not know where the data is located, and considering that the IT professional is present and can make decisions more quickly. However, this is nothing more than theory, as in practice, things are very different. Human errors tend to contribute much more to the breach of confidentiality and theft of data from a company.

A study carried out by Gartner concluded that 95% of failures occurring with servers located in a public cloud involving data leaks are of an administrative nature. The study revealed that less than 5% of the failures were caused by vulnerability issues directly linked to a system breach.

This percentage of vulnerability is not lower in an IT department in an on-premise environment. The fact of having people working directly for the company in a formal work regime does not guarantee that unforeseen events will occur. The proper functioning of an environment is due to good monitoring and constant updating, a routine already adopted by the best cloud computing providers.

Now that you know a little more about the journey to Cloud Computing, or journey to the cloud, access our site to find the ideal partner and learn about cloud computing solutions, learn about our differences and find out everything we can offer for your company.