The cloud is a term that you will have heard be thrown about in some manner. Even those that don’t work in digital should be familiar with it, as, it’s everywhere now. Most modern mobile phones use the cloud for picture storage and the like.

But, one issue is that not everyone will be aware of what exactly the cloud is.

The cloud is a series of servers, off location, that are used to store data. Simple as that. Many top end companies are switching to cloud servers for both their information handling and running software and programs.

One of the main reasons for doing this is the lowering of costs. If you think about it, a standard office will have to have hundreds of computers for their staff. These computers need to run off a server. And these servers cost money to maintain, run, repair and update.

When you’re using the cloud, the costs to maintain, run, repair and update are the hosting company’s responsibility. Yes, you will obviously have to pay a service charge, but when you compare that to what you were paying before, it can be negligible.

Another aspect of the cloud that makes it so desirable is the security. Now, when the cloud first came about, people were a bit stand-offish to the thought of having all of their data stored somewhere else – all of their pictures, details etc. – but, that’s never really been the case.

In fact, cyber security experts such as Andre Pienaar are often lauding the cloud for its security. While many people first saw the cloud as susceptive to cyber security, it’s now being hailed as the answer to cyber security.

Advancement have made the cloud more secure than ever, and, it’s not just from external threats! You’d be surprised at how many data breaches are internal rather than from out with an organisation. Roughly about 25% of all data breaches are solely due to insider actions. Now, this is not to say everyone is partaking in insider-sabotage – it’s more likely cases of human error. Which happens. A lot! The cloud can help protect this with access rights, location tagging etc.

Speaking of locations, something else that your employees might be keen on knowing is the potential of remote working that comes with the cloud. It is projected that, by 2020, half of the UK workforce will be working remotely. That’s around 16 or 17 million people. That’s a lot.

Giving your employees the option of working remotely is a very attractive prospect, particularly for those that have families, or those that have special needs. It’s also a very attractive prospect for potential employees, which will obviously help improve employee turnover.

The times are moving forward with the cloud, and it’s important for anyone with employees to be looking at it; training their employees on it; and even training their customers on it.