Why it's good to have your head in the clouds



Why it's good to have your head in the clouds



The time is now to look at Cloud-based systems for business security applications.

As innovation and technology move ahead in leaps and bounds it is important to embrace it to avoid getting left behind. However, it’s all a matter of using your judgement to weigh up the relevant benefits versus the risks involved to identify the optimum solution for your business needs.

You are probably using the Cloud already for applications such as Microsoft Office to enable file sharing, or to manage CRM systems and databases - now is the ideal time to investigate further the other benefits open to you from a Cloud-based security system.

Over the last 10 years the biggest change for the security industry is the migration from analogue CCTV to Digital, firstly with network video recorders then moving to a fully internet protocol - this has happened in a relatively short five-to-ten-year period of time, a major change such has this has evolved rapidly to become the new ‘normal’.

Despite such important innovations in technology, the way organisations have looked at their security data hasn’t changed much in the last 20 years. There has been an ever-increasing number of new hardware and software products and services entering the market, some of which are new to the security industry and pushing the boundaries by introducing new systems which incorporate Artificial Intelligence “AI”.

Besides these major upgrades in CCTV, there has also been a corresponding improvement with advancements in areas such as networking with new players in the satellite market such as Elon Musk’s Starlink, offering customers an alternative and competitive option to standard BT rates and desirable high-speed broadband 100 to 200Mb, even in remote and rural areas. Taking in to account all the industry innovations with new services and improvements in AI and digital analytics. This is taking the security industry even further into new and exciting arena with exciting opportunities ahead for the future.

Is the time right for you to review and investigate the major benefits of Cloud-based security that you could be taking advantage of?

The Cloud - what is it?

The Cloud is a collection of servers in data centres around the World. There are several major benefits in going to the Cloud, lower costs are just one advantage. Given that major ISP and software companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google, plus plenty of partners are pushing the Cloud indicates the infrastructure is readily available. These big players have a lot more experience than most end users but equally have more to lose if they get their security updates wrong or if their strategy is compromised.

One of the key advantages if you have all your information in the Cloud, is there are an unlimited number of applications that could be applied. These applications, including AI applications in particular, are either currently available or being developed or planned to give businesses a better insight by controlling and achieving not only current goals and objectives but also by using data to forecast what is needed in the future.

Benefits from using Cloud-based systems include better task management leading to optimised project management to reduce costs and overheads along with risk mitigation. Storage and processing power is relative cheap in the Cloud. This has been largely due to economies in scale and investments in data centres and equipment that the major players have made and continue to make.

When selecting a Cloud-based security partner it is extremely important to research potential Cloud providers & partners to ensure they meet compliance and national security standards. Many new players have entered the Cloud-based CCTV marketplace such as Verkada, Eagle Eye, Meraki and Network Optics to name just a few offering different features and benefits. Where security is concerned there could be considerable improvements that have never previously been considered.

It is worth pointing out that not everything has been good news though, with the proliferation of viruses and crypto scammers, breaches of cyber security have caused uncertainty especially surrounding specific applications. With GDPR compliance at the forefront of people’s minds when managing data, there are hybrid models allowing time to fully test a system before committing to using it for all aspects of business management to avoid costly mistakes in the initial stages of set up.

To conclude, benefits from moving to a Cloud-based system include: -

Now is the ideal time to seriously consider moving your business and take a closer independent look at the benefits a Cloud-based system from a security perspective and put a plan in place to migrate to a Cloud-based security system.

Our experts at Check Your Security are both hardware and software agnostic- “it’s what’s best for you” we would be happy to discuss the various options open to your business, review your existing equipment and put together an upgrade plan that matches your business’s strategic long-term needs and goals to offer a cost-effective solution.

Get in touch with Check Your Security now by calling (0)1493 393 333 to find out more.