Three Major Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Is there an IT buzzword more overused in the last 24 months than “cloud”?  Probably not.  Moving your business operations, storage, backup and applications to the cloud is an enticing prospect for companies who don’t want to keep filling up a server at their headquarters.

However, new technology brings new challenges and a few big drawbacks.

1. Connectivity.  We’re more connected now than ever before with smartphones and tablets.  Cloud-based applications require an internet connection to access application functions and/or data.  If you’re in a rural area or in a building with bad 3G, you’ll find yourself unable to work.  At a big meeting or during a sales presentation, that could be a deal-killer.

2. Security.  Anything you upload to the Internet is “out there forever.”  Does that include top-secret company information?  Most cloud companies have good security measures in place, but the fact remains that your proprietary materials are in the hands of a third party, no matter how safe.

3. Cost factors.  Cloud storage fees add up and continue to expand the longer you stay with a cloud-based service.  You’ll have to pay “rent” on anything you put into your personal cloud, and unless you’re cleaning it out regularly it will become an ever-growing expense.

Cloud computing is here to stay, but it’s not a requirement.  To sync and manage all your documents to your entire staff without using the cloud, try Pigeonholes for iPad.  Download the free version and give us a call.