Cloud services - why you should choose the cloud

The pace of digital development is incredible and there is a lot of talk about cloud computing in the media and in the industry. What does the cloud really mean and who is it for? In this blog post, we fly up the digital tool of the cloud and explain relevant cloud concepts.

What is cloud computing?

In simple terms, the cloud is usually an external party that takes care of the hardware and where business users store information and access their software. Everything is done over the internet and all devices such as PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets need to be connected to the internet to access files and software.

Who uses the cloud?

Most people use some form of cloud service. For example, if you have an email address with Gmail or Hotmail, you are connected to the cloud. This is called Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), which means that we use a service from a provider. One of the many advantages of using cloud services is that they are usually scalable, which means that the service can be adapted according to the user's needs.

How to use cloud services?

There are many different uses for the cloud. From having your servers hosted by an external party to using services provided by a partner. Some of the most common are as follows:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
  IaaS means that the business rents a virtual server (server in the cloud) where, depending on the provider, it can decide what form, power and content it wants in its server and how many servers it needs. Amazon, Microsoft and AddPro are examples of well-known providers of various IaaS solutions.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  Platform as a Service, "PaaS", is a cloud service that enables a customer's developers to build applications and services on a platform that resides in the cloud. PaaS services are hosted in the cloud and accessed by customers through their usual web browser. One provider of PaaS is Microsoft and its Azure service.

• Software as a Service (SaaS)
  At least 1.7 billion people use SaaS every month. Those who have a Facebook account, for example, automatically use a SaaS solution. In simple terms, SaaS is software as a service. To access the service, you usually need to register an account. The main advantage of SaaS is scalability (often on a monthly basis). Other examples of SaaS services are Office 365, Gmail, Hotmail, Google Apps and Fortnox (financial software).

Modernise the workplace with public cloud services

We are moving into new times. We use apps for almost everything, such as Swish or paying for your trip with your mobile, streaming music and movies, backing up your mobile photos to Dropbox/OneDrive/iCloud. Most of these services have a monthly cost for easier budgeting.

IT should be simple, user-friendly and easy to budget. Microsoft's Office 365 service, for example, makes this possible. For a low monthly fee, you get access to all Office software and the opportunity to use all Office 365 services. Everything is hosted at Microsoft's data centre and all services allow colleagues to work from any device they prefer. IT providers can usually help ensure the business is properly licensed and with some providers such as AddPro can help with training for maximum value.

Work more efficiently with Office 365

We can reach our email, we can reach our files, we can communicate by text and video using Skype, participate in spontaneous meetings on the fly, reach out to everyone in the company through the internal social network, and even create, edit and share Office documents - from any device.

Complement your business with private cloud services

Many companies have applications that are not adapted to the public clouds such as azure or amazon. Therefore, public cloud services are not always sufficient to solve the overall IT needs of the business. Private cloud services are usually based on traditionally operated services of a provider with one or more data centres and can therefore often be complementary to public cloud services. With AddPro's managed services, for example, the business gets almost the same benefits as with public cloud services, i.e. the scalability of performance tuning, monitoring and maintenance, licensing and backup at a monthly price.

Cost-effective operations

By embracing cloud services and adopting them, the business will eventually avoid expensive server purchases every three years and downtime due to different service windows. The business gets a fixed monthly cost with no unexpected surprises and which is easy to budget for. Your business gets an accessible and efficient way of working.

Learn more about how businesses can easily, conveniently and securely become more efficient and encourage collaboration with colleagues. Press the button below to download the AddPro DiscoverIT product sheet and learn more about our cloud services.