Cloud computing technology continues to make advances and has proven to be beneficial to small businesses in various industries. From vast amounts of cheap storage space to software specifically designed for time and project management, the advantages of cloud computing are hard to ignore.

In this article, we look at the top 5 cloud computing advantages for small business, including the most misunderstood- security and privacy concerns. The effects the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) movement has created for small businesses that allow employees to use their own mobile devices to perform company work have sped up successful completion of projects.

What are the advantages of cloud computing?

1. Collaboration
   Many times files or documents need input from more than one person. Rather than sending a document back and forth via email, a document can be created or uploaded to a cloud service such as Google Drive. Multiple users can login and collaborate on the document, each of them editing it at the same time. This can exponentially reduce time, raise efficiency, and save money.
2. Speed 
   Cloud applications increase speed and efficiency of projects by providing easy access to authorized users. There is no waiting for slow email or faxes as all the work can be created, edited, stored and accessed in the cloud. The cloud applications can also make improvisation and upgrades with minimal cost and usually with no interruption to users.

3. Mobility 
   Users that are authorized to access the cloud accounts can access it form practically anywhere- by desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. So even if a user is traveling or away from the physical workplace, they can still access the cloud and perform company work wherever they are. This is an effect of the BYOD movement which many companies have begun to embrace.

4. Security and Privacy 
   Perhaps the most misunderstood advantage of the cloud is security. People have told horror stories of hacked accounts and lost data and this has spread the false notion that the cloud is insecure. Cloud services use strong encryption to prevent data from being accessed by anyone who doesn’t have proper authentication. There are also increased security measures like two-step authentication, which means even if your laptop is stolen and someone gets your password, they cannot access your account without having access to your phone as well. Cloud providers and third-party cloud services can also perform backups of all data so there is no chance of a data loss.

5. Decreased Costs 
   The costs of upgrading and maintaining hardware infrastructure are drastically decreased or eliminated as the cloud providers address all of these issues and take care of them. The mobility and speed increase means that workers can get their work finished faster and can move on to other projects, saving money because of the speed and efficiency by which jobs are being completed. For companies involved in BYOD, money is saved because the employees use their own devices and the company doesn’t have to pay for company laptops or computers. Going paperless saves a large amount of money as well.