Cloud solutions – is it worth it?

Every year, the Gartner Institute of Analytics and Research publishes predictions for business and technology for the coming year. This was also the case at the end of 2024 – we will take the issues related to cloud solutions to the wall. Based on the 2025 forecast – global end-user spending on public cloud services will reach $723.4 billion in 2025, compared to $595.7 billion in 2024. This represents an increase of 21.44%. relative to last year.

In addition, the Gartner Institute predicts that 90% of organizations will adopt a hybrid cloud approach by 2027, and GenAI’s most pressing challenge to tackle next year will be data synchronization in a hybrid cloud environment.

This clearly shows that migration to the cloud has become the norm, and what’s more, in the next few years it will already be a necessity for many companies. Cloud solutions have a huge advantage over traditional on-premises systems, as they not only offer flexibility and cost savings, but also increase disaster resilience (Disaster Recovery). In addition, companies that use cloud solutions can respond quickly to changing market conditions.

If you want to learn more about what cloud computing is, its advantages, but not only – because also the challenges and risks associated with cloud solutions, we invite you to read the following article. In it, we also discuss for which companies the use of cloud solutions.

What is cloud computing?

In the simplest terms, cloud computing is a model for delivering IT services over the Internet – data is stored on the server of a selected provider. This includes resources such as servers, data stores, applications or software. With cloud solutions, companies can flexibly manage their resources and pay only for what they use. In ideal conditions, all employees of the organization have current and constant access to the data that resides on the cloud computing space.

It is worth mentioning that cloud computing is divided into three main service models:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides basic computing resources, such as servers and data stores, which can be configured and managed according to your needs.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers an environment for developing, testing and deploying applications, eliminating the need for infrastructure management.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): Provides access to off-the-shelf applications over the Internet, without the need to install and manage them on local devices.

There is also another division of cloud solutions, namely: private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud. The former makes cloud resources available only to one company and on its internal network. This makes it ideal for organizations that need to meet a high level of data security, such as financial or government institutions. The second, public, is a service offered by third-party providers such as Microsoft, Google, Oracle or Amazon and available to all users. Importantly, it is less expensive than an in-house IT infrastructure, in addition to giving access to resources from any device with Internet access. The last, on the other hand, is a combination of public and private cloud – it allows companies to use both models.

Benefits of cloud solutions

It is worth realizing that using the cloud on a daily basis is not only about being up-to-date with technological innovations, but mainly about optimizing business operations. The main benefits of using cloud computing are:

Flexibility and scalability

These are the two advantages cited most often. First of all, cloud solutions for businesses allow access to data from virtually anywhere in the world. In fact, all you need is Internet access. In addition, cloud solutions adapt to the needs of each company and it can be said that the cloud “grows” with the organization. This scalability is also combined with another benefit of cloud solutions – cost savings, since the company incurs a cost only for the use of a specific computing power, and therefore the resources needed can be increased or decreased at any time.

Cost savings

The aforementioned cost savings from another perspective. Cloud computing does not require having a specialized in-house IT infrastructure, so the operational costs – the cost of resources, their maintenance and operation – go away here.

At this point it is worth mentioning that many companies have a problem with exceeding annual budgets for cloud services by at least 50%. Research conducted by EY clearly indicates how necessary a change in the approach to managing the financial aspect of the cloud is becoming. If this problem applies to your company as well – your cloud costs are out of control and you want to find out how to optimize them, as well as improve the efficiency of using its services and resources, then check out how summ-it can help you in this regard.

Higher level of security

It’s worth noting that cloud service providers implement the best existing safeguards to protect data, and security updates are carried out regularly. What is also important, data backup is done automatically, so the risk of data loss is very low. Of course, the greatest data protection is provided by a private cloud, and this solution is recommended for institutions such as banks and government organizations.

Easier management of IT infrastructure

Managing IT infrastructure becomes easier with the cloud for three reasons: the automation of administrative tasks, easy scalability, and the fact that resource management is concentrated in one place. Enterprises can implement new applications and services quickly and efficiently, have costs under control, and feel secure thanks to the advanced security that cloud providers guarantee.

Increased mobility and accessibility

One of the main benefits of cloud solutions (including for each individual user) is its mobility and accessibility. In practice, this means that by having your resources in the cloud, you can access your data from anywhere in the world – all you need is a laptop, smartphone or tablet and Internet access. This has been particularly important in recent years due to the prevalence of remote work.

Challenges and risks of cloud solutions

Cloud computing is said to be a veritable phenomenon of the current times. It works well for any business, regardless of the size of the company or the industry – different companies are able to use its full potential. However, it happens that the first step of contact with the cloud, namely entering it, is the most difficult. This is due to many fears accompanying the change of the solution used so far.

Discuss the key challenges and risks of using cloud solutions:

There are many benefits to using cloud solutions, but they also come with some challenges and risks. It is worth being aware of them before deciding to migrate to the cloud.

Lack of full control over IT infrastructure

This challenge can be considered from several aspects. The first is limited visibility. What does this mean in practice? It’s that in cloud computing, enterprises have limited visibility and control over the physical servers and infrastructure on which their applications and data run. In practice, this means that organizations have to cede control and rely on cloud providers in areas such as infrastructure management, updates, and security mechanisms. This can be particularly troublesome when we have technical problems or failures – in which case we depend on the provider for a quick fix. Fortunately, many cloud providers have proven procedures and mechanisms to quickly and effectively resolve technical problems and minimize downtime.

Risk of privacy and data security breaches

When the topic of the cloud comes up, we very often hear that the main barrier to migration is its low level of security. Many entrepreneurs are concerned about the security of stored data. However, it is worth noting that the fears are not borne out by reality – for one thing, resources located in the cloud are much more secure than data stored in the office, and even than data held in some server rooms.

Here it should be emphasized that the biggest threat in terms of data security is the cloud user himself. Practice shows that data leaks are most often caused by human error.

Touching on the issue of security, it is important to mention cyber threats. Companies are concerned that their data may be stolen or infected with malware. The cloud has a so-called shared responsibility model. This means that both the cloud provider and the user have roles in ensuring security. The cloud provider is responsible for the security of the infrastructure on which the cloud services run. The user, on the other hand, is responsible for the security of their data, applications and access management.

Limited internet availability

Another thing to keep in mind is that the use of the cloud will not be effective if there is limited internet availability. Such a situation can cause, among other things, service outages and delays in transferring data to and from the cloud. It can also affect data security. To minimize the likelihood of such problems, companies can: use multiple ISPs, create local backups, or optimize applications (adapting applications to work in limited bandwidth conditions).

Tips for minimizing risks associated with using cloud solutions

Here are some tips to help minimize the risks associated with using cloud solutions:

• Strong authentication and access control

Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) mechanisms helps prevent unauthorized access to cloud resources.

• Data encryption

Encrypting data during both transmission and storage is key. Use end-to-end encryption techniques to protect data at all stages of its lifecycle.

• Regular audits and monitoring

Conduct regular security audits and monitor cloud activity to quickly detect and respond to potential threats.

• Manage configuration and compliance

Ensure cloud configurations are compliant with security best practices and regulations. Automating configuration management can help maintain compliance.

• Employee education and training

Regular security training for employees helps raise awareness of risks and promote good security practices.

• Backup and recovery

Regularly back up data and test recovery procedures to ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster or attack.

• Work with trusted providers

Choose cloud providers that have security certifications, such as ISO/IEC 27017, and follow best practices for data protection. summ-it guarantees the highest quality of service and security, as evidenced by our ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications.

Which companies should consider using a cloud solution?

Using cloud solutions can benefit many industries and companies. For example, IT companies, thanks to the cloud, can quickly scale their resources, test new applications and services, and take advantage of the latest technologies such as AI and machine learning. Financial institutions, on the other hand, can use the cloud for real-time data analysis, risk management and regulatory compliance. The cloud is also hugely important for commerce: it allows companies to analyze customer data, manage inventory and personalize offers. Using cloud solutions for businesses also enables the rapid deployment of new sales channels, such as e-commerce. Manufacturing companies, on the other hand, can monitor and optimize production processes, as well as manage the supply chain.

All in all, the use of cloud solutions benefits virtually every industry and company – cloud solutions are becoming a key part of the growth strategy for companies in various sectors, helping them achieve better results and adapt to the dynamically changing business environment.

Migrating to the cloud with summ-it

Not sure how cloud computing can help your organization? Are you looking for the best way to use this solution? Or maybe you need help implementing and operating cloud solutions?

We will help in all these aspects, improving the operation of your business.