We are living in times of extraordinary change in global business practices. Just ten years ago, Cloud computing was cutting edge; now it’s all but ubiquitous. Everyone is moving to the Cloud. Gartner Research* shows that IT spending is growing by leaps and bounds and estimates that by the end of 2017 nearly half of large enterprise businesses will be using hybrid cloud deployments.
But Cloud computing is not just a fad. It makes sense for many businesses because of its benefits which include flexibility, cost savings, availability, security, governance and IT expertise. With an increasingly mobile society, business is no longer conducted only in corporate offices with company servers on hand. Because of the Cloud, everyone, everywhere can have access to the data and tools they need.
The transition from private-server based software solutions to the Cloud is taking place in various ways: there is business process outsourcing (BPaaS), software as a service or (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) for application infrastructure software, and infrastructure as a service (Iaas) for system infrastructure software. In 2017, these combined markets will reach over $725 billion. Expectations are that this spending will exceed one trillion dollars by 2020.
According to Ed Anderson, research vice-president at Gartner Research, organizations embracing Cloud-based operating models will be better positioned for cost optimization and increased competitiveness within their markets.
But Cloud computing is not just about spending or even the fact that it’s designed to save money and be more efficient. Mr. Anderson goes on to say: “As organizations pursue a new IT architecture and operating philosophy, they become prepared for new opportunities in digital business, including next-generation IT solutions such as the Internet of Things.”
We work with companies that want to move forward and that are now evaluating their legacy software vs. modern ERP solutions. The benefits afforded by modern ERP in the cloud are very powerful:
- Initial expenditure is minimal
- No on-site IT department is required.
- All maintenance is included in the price of the Cloud
- Upgrades are automatic and entirely behind the scenes
And using Acumatica as your SaaS vendor, you have the added benefits of:
- You own your data
- You can download your data at any time
- You are not locked into any one ERP vendor.
If you are hesitant about moving to the Cloud, perhaps you’ve been concerned about learning new skills, ensuring security and having control of, and visibility into, your data.
A company called ScienceLogic, a provider of IT monitoring solutions, conducted a survey among customers and found a discrepancy between cloud computing needs and employee skill sets required for workplace success and job satisfaction.
With that in mind, it’s worth noting that Acumatica and NexVue (now Net at Work) have been working on Cloud projects for many years now and have addressed these concerns through the secure and reliable platform provided for Acumatica customers. In addition, all NexVue (now Net at Work) projects provide clients an opportunity to work closely NexVue (now Net at Work) consultants for support. Unlike traditional implementation, NexVue (now Net at Work) combines configuration, implementation and training in one complete effort. Users become immersed and trained in every aspect of the Acumatica Cloud experience.
Switching to the Cloud is a big change. But it’s a big change for the better. NexVue (now Net at Work) is here to help you every step of the way.
If you are considering stepping up to the Cloud, contact our experts at NexVue (now Net at Work) and let’s talk about how it can change the face of your business and position you for great things ahead.
This post was originally posted in September 2016. It has been updated to relevance and accuracy.