We're at a tipping point for cloud technologies. Governments have been heading toward a cloud-first rollout, and even private sector organizations are rethinking their deployment approach. Currently, we are getting pinged by clients who want to have a powwow over their future Laserfiche deployment options and kick around the benefits of Laserfiche Cloud.
All this information gathering is for a good reason, as cloud computing (also called Software as a Service (SaaS)) certainly offers distinct advantages over on-premise computing. Here are some benefits:
The cost savings of SaaS over on-premise is frequently the significant benefit that appeals to organizations. Infrastructure costs are lower, and the need for infrastructure is minimal. Start-up costs for SaaS are generally lower because the organization doesn't need the servers, hardware, and other deployment tools. Also, the staffing overhead cost is lower because the vendor handles updates, bug fixes, settings changes, license administration, database management, and so on. In their article, The Financial Case for Moving to the Cloud, Gartner claims that cloud technology generally costs 14% less than its on-premise counterparts.
Ease of collaboration- When agency staff can collaborate in real-time, even off hours, from the field or when WFH, efficiency increases, and communication with other agencies or residents improves.
Agility- For CIOs and senior management, the operational agility aspect of cloud computing is most compelling. Organizations that practice SaaS can rapidly respond to events like wildfires, floods, or earthquakes. These solutions are also flexible in terms of scale―adding or subtracting licenses quickly, as needed. SaaS also supports a competitive advantage for those in the private sector as the system can promptly react to market needs. Finally, cloud computing enables more points.
Security- Data breaches are constantly in the news. I know a CIO refers to them as" a channel four news moment." No one wants to experience that. Data is securely accessed online and stored in secure AWS servers. Cloud computing ensures that data doesn't need to be held on devices, which is unsafe.
Always on the current version of the product- When hosted by the vendor, updates, new feature rollouts, and bug fixes are made automatically. Hence, the user is always on the product's most current (and safest) version. Compliance (once set up) is also maintained, and threats and vulnerabilities are mitigated.
Backup and disaster recovery (DR)- Outside of budget issues, one of the biggest reasons for moving to the cloud is robust backup and DR. With data stored in the cloud, the typical threats of various disasters and data theft are minimized. Recovery is made easier since there are multiple layers of redundancy. Also, cloud-based backups are cheaper because you save on building an independent system. Plus, internal IT labor is unnecessary for managing and troubleshooting backup systems.
Stay tuned for Part Two to learn why you should consider Laserfiche Cloud!
