Cloud computing can mean a lot of different things. For example, storage, intelligence, infrastructure, computing power, server hosting, networking, software or applications. At Northstar, we offer many options and can help you design the infrastructure that fits your business.

Why would I consider Cloud Computing?

If you are thinking about Cloud computing, then it is likely you have a goal for the business that having the Cloud can achieve. Here are the main reasons why our customers want to migrate to the Cloud to help you with your investigations:

• The IT costs of your business seem to be rising. Therefore, you think that the Cloud could help you to consolidate and reduce costs.
• Your in-house infrastructure is ageing, and you are wondering if Cloud is lower cost than in-house.
• Your infrastructure is difficult to manage, and you are wondering if Cloud service could simplify matters.
• You need to be able to scale up or down infrastructure with ease to accommodate business needs.

Each of these factors requires a different architecture to support the business. Whatever business goal you are trying to achieve, there is a Cloud solution that matches.

Does Cloud Computing lower costs?

The answer to “does it cost less in the Cloud?” is more complex than it seems. Initially, definitely yes. The upfront costs of Cloud implementation are much less than in-house because you don’t need to buy hardware. 

However, over the long term, the monthly cost of Cloud services can be more than the cost of depreciating hardware over the same period, but that is not the whole story. Cloud services can reduce the amount of maintenance required. In a busy IT service team, that extra time can considerably benefit the business in other areas. Also, you may be able to get away with lower specifications because it is easy to scale up later.

You should assess each workload individually and then compare it to the in-house costs. Don’t forget things like power and cooling, as well as management time and speed of implementation. These can all add a lot to the bill for in-house computing.

How can Northstar Help?

Cloud Storage

Northstar can offer to host your data in Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). We can also host physical servers owned by you or rented from Northstar in our own datacentre space.

Cloud Backup and Management

Additionally, we complete the package with services like maintenance, backup and security management to help you make the service tightly fit your business requirements.

Cloud Applications

We can also help with Cloud Services such as Dropbox, SharePoint and other applications. If you have databases or want disaster recovery services, we can design infrastructure that allows access to different geographical locations.

Cloud should form part of any assessment and has unique benefits that you cannot easily replicate in-house. In all, there is a lot to explore. Why not get the conversation going and call our experts today to find out what is possible.