Is Cloud Computing just an option for businesses? Combine the right devices to make it an imperative and truly utilise the power of the cloud. Let’s face it, cloud computing has fundamentally overhauled how businesses operate from using a ‘physical environment’ to a next gen virtual world of cloud solutions.

The poster child of the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, UK cloud adoption has increased by 83 per cent since 2010, according to research from the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF), which polled 250 IT and business decision-makers.

“We’re almost precisely at that tipping point where the physical environment of computing gives way to the virtual world of cloud and its associated enabling technologies,” said Apay Obang-Oyway, Director of Cloud & Software, UK&I, Ingram Micro.

“Not just in bold initiatives here, and ingenious transitions there, not just from pioneers within certain verticals, and visionary disruptors, but for every organisation, everywhere, in every industry,” he added.

When enabling mobile working, Cloud is at its most powerful in offering flexibility and diversity to meet modern working environments from practically any location. However, the key to these capabilities can only be executed by combining the right devices.

So how can businesses today solve the biggest challenges facing Cloud Computing and Mobile Working?

Cloud and mobile working

Drive in productivity and agility are key areas the modern business is striving to increase. The Cloud provides a platform to accommodate flexible and mobile working and significantly bolsters these aspects. 

Why is the cloud important to the success of mobile working?

Firstly, being able to access information from anywhere. The Cloud is a major facilitator in doing just that providing a key element to mobile working. Not only for individuals but teams can collaborate without a physical premises using the cloud to bring ideas together.

Secondly, the Cloud offers scalability and flexibility to mobile working. The Cloud always has the remit to harness infinite expansion providing businesses unrestricted capacity in creating data while mobile working.

Thirdly, the Cloud also provides back-up and security that businesses can trust. Leveraging mobile working without this layer of security would be a non-starter.

Floating on the right devices

While these benefits of the Cloud appeal, they can only be realised if the Cloud is complimented with the right devices.

Take the Microsoft Surface family of devices as an example, these devices are created with the Cloud at the front-and-centre of their capabilities. The Microsoft Surface family starts with an ultra-portable laptop and scales up to a desktop workstation and a creative studio. The glue which sticks this family of devices together is being cloud-enabled.

The Microsoft Surface family enables employees to work from anywhere with long battery life, such as 14.5 hours on the Surface Laptop, and then use cloud connectivity to work together with office or home-based colleagues on a Surface desktop, or the creative Surface Studio.

This is facilitated through the Microsoft Surface Hub, a multi-touch screen solution built for cloud-enabled collaboration as it connects individuals wherever they are to a digital whiteboard, and integrated conferencing and apps. According to a Forrester Total Economic Impact study, businesses using Surface Hub may achieve a 138% ROI*.

Then there is OneDrive, free cloud storage that comes with a Microsoft account. It’s like an extra hard drive that’s available from any devices being used, so the files saved are always with employees.

“We find that cloud tends to be the driver of the modern workplace,” said Ryan Asdourian, Windows and Surface BG Lead at Microsoft.

“We think about it as the intelligent cloud and the device as the intelligent edge – it is how you reach that cloud. Every cloud is more powerful with a great device,” said Asdourian.

Our thoughts

We will help you combine and compliment technologies to provide something greater than their individual parts.

We want to make sure our customers utilise the best tech they can to make sure they are ahead of the curve. Overall, rapid cloud adoption will continue unabated but to truly unbridle the potential of cloud, we will make sure our customers get the right devices in the hands of end-users. Adopting the right device and the Cloud couldn’t be easier.

*Three year risk adjusted calculations