The 5 Biggest Cloud Computing Misconceptions

"The Cloud" is the official buzz word being used these days to describe hosted services. Hosted services is not a new concept, this has been in the IT industry for the past 15-20 years. In recent years this trend has been picking up a lot of momentum due to larger companies like Microsoft offering these services to large scale businesses.

We offer all the latest cloud technologies, this includes hosted networks, hosted servers, hosted virtual desktops, hosted Exchange email, and hosted backups. Hosted email services and remote data backups tend to be two services that thrive while using cloud services. This does not necessarily mean that cloud services are any more reliable or more customizable than a local area network, there are still come misconceptions about the cloud that need to be addressed. The Cloud comes across to many as a new technology when in actuality it has been available for years. Cloud services being offered by companies are leading clients to believe that these services are cheaper, more convenient, and more secure. These myths are not necessarily true for all Cloud services.

• Cloud services are less costly- This is a very popular misconception, Microsoft Office365 can cost more over time than purchasing the store-bought version every couple of years. Other cloud solutions like infrastructure as a service and hosted virtual desktops and servers tend to cost 2x – 3x more over a 4 year period than purchasing a local server based network which will last 4 years or more.
• The Cloud is easier to troubleshoot and manage than on-site. This is not true in all instances, some cloud services are very detailed and complex. When managing these services you might come to realize that you will be presented with many different options and techniques that can make troubleshooting complex.
• Switching over from a local server based network to Cloud technology is a fast and painless process. This is another popular misunderstanding, depending on what your migrating over this process can be simple process or exhausting.
• The Cloud offers more services then a local network. This is not true. For some businesses it is not beneficial to migrate their entire network over to cloud services. In some cases it makes more sense to have what we call a "hybrid network". This will integrate the features of Cloud technologies that are a good fit for your business with your current in house network. With a hybrid network implemented you will be able to get the best of both worlds.
• With Cloud technologies your business will experience less downtime. This is another popular misconception when it comes to Cloud services. The truth is that Cloud services tend to have slightly more downtime then on premise networks. The cloud depends on the reliability of your internet connection, and at times that is out of yours and your managed services providers' control.