Hug the Cloud Not Your Server

The cloud is becoming ubiquitous. To illustrate, Gartner predicts that 92 percent of workloads will be processed by cloud data centers by 2020. Cisco forecasts in that span of time cloud workloads are expected to increase 3.2 times.

Soooo why do server huggers still exist?

We have asked ourselves that question as we have run across a lot of server huggers along the way.

Some, because they think their on-premise server is more secure from the outside world. With the cloud, you are able to access security programs and protocols that you may not have been able to afford or had access to previously. Plus the data center has compliances that you may not be able to adhere to on your own.

Australian security web expert Troy Hunt says:

“On the one hand, you may hand over physical control, but on the other hand, you’re almost certainly doing so to an organization better-equipped to manage computing environments than your own,” Hunt observes. “Then there are concerns around the increased attack surface of putting services in the cloud, but there’s great things that can be done with virtualized networks and access to features that were previously cost-prohibitive for many organizations (WAFs, HSMs, etc.). So think of the cloud as ‘different’ and make the most of those hybrid scenarios where you can gradually move assets across in a fashion that suits your own organization’s comfort level.”

Some because they think the cloud is just someone else’s computer.

The cloud means something very specific. The cloud is a complex system of interconnecting parts that come together to make our lives easier, more effective, and far more capable. Someone else’s computer could never pull off that level of service. The cloud not only offers the physical machine in which to house files, but it offers the underlying services that make it possible to save files remotely and it reliably serves up software so data can be manipulated and saved, making it possible for developers to rapidly and easily roll out new and improved applications – remotely and securely.  And Google automatically encrypts data at rest and in transit. You can use your keys or Google’s – it is up to you.

And some because they think we are out to take their jobs. It is exactly the opposite. We free them up to help you with your bottom line – not by having them do mundane tasks like hardware updates, upgrades and repairs.

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a server hugger. It means you take pride in your system and want to protect it. Just make sure you are asking the right questions:

• Can I provide the necessary compliances for my company? PCI DSS, HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, GDPR, etc.
• Can I secure my system from the outside world?
• How much money am I spending upfront every time I need to upgrade my server and to configure and set that server up? How long does it take? Is my staff’s time better spent doing something else?
• How much am I paying for OS license fees?

You get all these things and more from the cloud for a predictable monthly fee.

The takeaway – just because you move to the cloud doesn’t mean you have to give up control.

More importantly, though, how can we help you?

Don’t just take our word for it – try it FREE for 15 days with no credit card or commitment required. That is how much we believe in it and once you try it, we think you will too.

Bundle and save! Our Cloud Starter Pack is just $319 per month. It includes our standard hosting plan on Google’s world-class infrastructure and security, CirrusPrint and phiReport Cloud edition – standard version. CirrusPrint is designed to manage and streamline remote printing and document transfer between your cloud or remote computer systems and local printers and file storage systems. phiReport© is a suite of reporting tools based on the PICK/MultiValue DBMS. The application allows any Windows user with a current AccuTerm terminal emulator to define and generate attractive Excel worksheets from a graphical user interface. Reports can be saved in an Excel workbook, printed on any Windows printers, saved as a PDF, or e-mailed. Everything you need to get started in the cloud!

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