Cloud technology is changing the way that
people work together, and savvy businesses are getting on board. I speak to
clients on a daily basis about their operational “clogs” and one of the biggest
areas is collaboration and file management. Sometimes all they need is a “digital plumber” to come
along and clear a path. More than anything, my clients want to believe in a
future where you can exchange data more quickly, and securely than ever before.
The essential capability: Cloud File sharing! Not too many
years ago, workers brought physical files to meetings or left them on a
colleague's desk. Today, employees email files to each other or access them
through corporate content management systems. Not only true of documents,
nearly all work is now electronic. “We scan everything” one client of mine boasted recently. He admits
regrettably that there are now terabytes of scanned data for his research
projects that need to be made functional. The growing demand for larger
quantities of data to support business functions means that many small and mid-sized
businesses have data management and file sharing needs that can only be
supported by large capacity systems. Medical
records and images, video clips, engineering plans, financial data, business activity
reports, marketing collateral, online training and seminars, and many more
types of information often spend their functional lives in “digital purgatory”.
Walk
through the pearly archway to Cloud File Sharing! These solutions do provide a large
scale content management solution that is available to businesses of all sizes.
Big
Advantage #1 -With
a cloud based file sharing solution, there is no investment in servers and
large capacity disk systems to store data, and there is no software deployment.
Most cloud based systems are monthly subscription based services that are fully
available once an account is opened.
Big
Advantage #2- Cloud
systems are Internet accessible. Accessing files in a cloud can be done just as
easily from a tablet in an airport or from a desktop computer in the office. With
these added efficiencies, those typical clogs waiting on someone or something
to help access files gets eliminated. One client of mine complained that since
they had all their blueprints locked into an .ftp file sharing structure, he
would get no less than 20 calls a day asking for help to navigate this system.
Cloud based solutions offer the ease of a solution that does not burden the
staff with technical issues.
Big
Advantage #3 -The
last and perhaps most important advantage for business owners is the
competitive advantage they have when they utilize a managed cloud based system.
Usability features like file and folder management, staff file synchronization
across all devices including, desktop/laptop, tablets and mobile phones. With Mobile
device support, workers on the road should be able to access files from
anywhere to maximize productivity.
File sharing
is a powerful collaboration tool, and there are clear advantages in adopting a
cloud based solution. Make sure you have a great partner! The solution provider
should offer full support for corporate customers, including business account
management and live(a real person)available technical support. The solution
needs to be built for performance. A file sharing solution provider should be
able to demonstrate they have a secure infrastructure that maintains performance
under heavy loads. I encourage clients to contact me to set up Data Center
tours and talk to some wickedly smart engineers.
Digital Plumbers, always on call!! mslagle@teklinks.com
