News in the Channel - issue #22

CLOUD STORAGE FOR SMBS

Increasing cloud ahead Demand for cloud storage options is growing among SMBs, and is set to for the foreseeable future, with all-cloud and hybrid options to the fore. Resellers have an important role to play to help SMBs to get the right solutions for their needs.

Data creation is going growing by huge amounts; globally it is projected to grow to more than 180 zettabytes over the next five years by 2025, according to Statista. This explosion in data creation is being driven by businesses large and small, which means that storage is of critical importance, and cloud storage is an increasingly popular solution for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) “For context, 180 zettabytes would be about 90 trillion hours of 4K video, and that would take you 10 billion years to watch it,” says John Bradshaw, director of cloud computing technology and strategy EMEA at Akamai. “As SMBs grow, so do their data storage needs, often straining limited in-house IT resources. Cloud storage is increasingly popular because it provides a flexible, scalable solution that adapts to their needs without requiring hefty upfront investments in infrastructure. It eliminates the hassle of managing hardware, maintenance and dedicated staffing, making it a cost-effective choice that allows SMBs to focus on their core business instead of getting bogged down by capacity planning and IT overhead.”

Driving factors There are other factors driving the increase in demand for cloud storage among SMBs. “The drive toward digitalisation, remote working and more sophisticated data management has accelerated this shift,” says Becky Stables of Catalyst-ERP. “SMBs are seeking ways to move away from traditional on-premise storage, which can be expensive to maintain and lacks the flexibility of cloud options. Cloud storage solutions offer a dynamic, scalable way for SMBs to manage their data more effectively while maintaining operational agility. This trend will likely continue as businesses focus on improving efficiency and keeping costs predictable.” Ian Stretton, presales solution architect,

John Bradshaw director of cloud computing technology and strategy, EMEA

Infinity Group, adds that demand was kickstarted by the pandemic. “Many

akamai.com

businesses had to adapt to the hybrid working model and find solutions that provide their staff remote access to files and data,” he says. “However, as the benefits of cloud storage have become better known, it has risen in popularity. With many SMBs focused on carefully managing costs in today’s landscape, cloud storage offers a flexible option that eliminates the need for maintenance and hardware costs. It also reduces the need for in-house staff to manage on-premises storage, which is ideal as many businesses face IT skills shortages.” Kobi Hunn, solutions engineering manager at Distology, adds that over the past five years they have seen an increase in SMBs transitioning away from on-premise storage to cloud-based solutions such as AWS S3 bucks and Microsoft’s Azure Blob storage. “NAS (Network Attached Storage), SAN (Storage Area Network) and Data Centres have been the standard for an organisations,” he says. “But with the increase in costs to host, power and maintain the hardware, IT teams are looking to move to cloud-based solutions.” Chanel Patrick, functional lead – UK Sales at IONOS, adds that cloud storage demand

Becky Stables

catalyst-bi.co.uk

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