A virtually limitless range of opportunities opened up for organizations in diverse industries when cloud computing came to the fore. Indeed, cloud-based technologies have enabled companies to make the shift to digital with fewer risks over the past several years.
Over the past two years, since the pandemic first hit in 2020, cloud computing made it possible for companies to achieve business continuity despite COVID-related restrictions. Thanks to the cloud, hybrid working and remote working conditions became the norm as opposed to just another option.
In fact, the impact that these have had on the modern workplace cannot be overstated: global expansion has become possible for firms that could not have otherwise done it due to physical limitations; 24/7 service became a reality for many firms; and people have been able to collaborate with work teams from overseas.
Not New, But Ever Evolving
Despite what many people think, cloud computing isn’t a new idea at all: cloud storage solutions have been in use since the mid-1960s. However, it was only in the past decade that it began to attain more widespread acceptance.
Originally, cloud computing solutions were created as a way to grow businesses. Today, their reach has expanded to include fields as diverse as early childhood education, personal finance, and even health and wellness. Practically everyone uses some form of cloud computing in their daily lives, as even the most non-tech-savvy people have used these solutions to work, study, and even play.
Likewise, cloud computing has served as the basis for some of the most transformative advancements in digital technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT.)
What’s Driving Digital Transformation in the 21st Century?
Thanks to cloud computing and its spin-off technologies, companies and other entities are able to improve consumer / customer experience as well as convenience. These technologies have given users a seamless multi-platform (and even multi-device) access to information whenever and wherever they need it; at the same time, the cloud also makes it possible for deploying entities to protect each user’s privacy thanks to more secure data storage measures.
Employee productivity is another driving factor. Thanks to software based on off-site servers, businesses regardless of size are given improved agility as they improve their employees’ uptime and performance at a much lower cost than if they opted to buy or build the necessary infrastructure. Cloud computing also allows companies to add new services or augment current ones without resorting to down time.
