Head in the clouds? Or feet firmly on the ground?

New technologies are defining the way you run your business. Many businesses are using mobile technology, or moving their IT to the cloud. Some people worry about the security of cloud computing. It can be very unnerving letting your data go outside the office walls, let alone your firewalls, but actually, cloud computing keeps your data safer.

So, what is cloud computing, and why has it created such a buzz? When you use cloud computing, you access your company data and applications online - meaning it is available anywhere and at any time. Cloud computing means that instead of IT being equipment and software you buy and own, it becomes a service – or a set of services – you for pay each month.

Some companies use the cloud for practically everything. Others use it for specific business functions, such as helping their sales team log leads and keep track of calls, whilst out in the field. Whichever way businesses choose to use the cloud, it can bring extra flexibility, mobility and security to their company and that is why it is worth investigating. Cloud providers have much greater resources to invest in virtual and physical security. Their entire business model depends on keeping the infrastructure up and running and secure; it is their day job.

Take Google for example; there is no way for a small business to match the scale and sophistication of hardware that Google has at its disposal to keep your information safe and available to you. This means secure physical facilities, and encrypted and protected virtual data. You can also choose to use well-known and established providers. For example, over 830,000 UK businesses use Sage software and 1 in 3 people in the UK are paid using Sage payroll software, making them a brand you can trust when it comes to the cloud.

Datcom offer a suite of cloud solutions including Hosted Sage 200. By allowing us to host your sage platform, you can eliminate the need for a server on-site, and provide a faster more reliable platform for one of your most critical business applications.