Matthew McDowell is part of the team at Holywood-based cloud-computing company 3EN . After five years of experience in the cloud-computing industry, he has shared his insight into what cloud-computing is, and why companies should consider investing in it in 2024.
Matthew offered a simple explanation of cloud-computing, saying: “I remember seeing someone wearing a t-shirt that said, ‘there is no cloud, it’s just someone else’s computer’, which is a pretty accurate description of the concept. In essence, cloud computing involves paying a fee for someone to host your data on their machine (usually a server in a data centre), rather than your own local machine (a laptop, for example). You then access your data over the internet.
“3EN focus on a piece of business software known as an Enterprise Resource Planner or ERP, particularly Oracle NetSuite ERP, an all-in-one built-for-cloud business management solution. With it, we help our clients to grow, unify their data and improve their efficiency via a variety of tools that spans from financial forecasting to daily performance dashboards.”
With the technology industry seeing an increase in demand for digital transformation projects following the pandemic, Matthew encourages “any organisation that would like to save on IT costs, future-proof their business systems, and be able to scale rapidly” to consider investing in a cloud computing system.
He explained: “Investment in cloud-computing reduces the need to install and maintain your own IT infrastructure, giving businesses more time and money to focus on their area of expertise. Regular updates to software also ensure the highest levels of IT security and performance, as well as the ability to move with shifting market or regulatory conditions, future-proofing your business systems. Cloud infrastructure also allows for rapid scaling with additional processing power immediately available.
“Another advantage of cloud is the increased connectivity between business systems. Rather than doing your accounts through one provider and your HR through another – with the cloud, everything is easily unified. That makes it much easier to switch between tasks and keep your team on the same page.”
Speaking on his favourite thing about the cloud, Matthew added: “I can access the cloud anywhere, with just a browser and an internet connection. This global reach gives flexibility to your workforce. The nature of cloud infrastructure allows users of any size, from single individuals up to enormous multinational corporations, to leverage the technology. There is no restriction on the type of business that can benefit from it.”
Matthew has some advice for companies considering the move to a cloud computing system in 2024: “Digital transformation projects are a significant undertaking, so, while there are clear benefits to cloud computing, it’s important to have an understanding of your objectives before starting. Also, to ensure the highest probability of success, businesses should consider in advance the requirement on internal recourses and have a clear plan to bring your teams along with the change.
“Getting an experienced partner on board is also a great idea. A good partner will help you understand the specific costs and benefits of your use case. At 3EN, we have seen cases of 70% reductions in IT infrastructure costs with the transition from on premises solutions to cloud based. Even we’ve seen a 10% increase in revenue performance, so the numbers are compelling.”
Matthew concluded: “If you don’t have cloud computing in place for your business in 2024, you risk falling behind your competitors due to lack of agility and futureproofing. Yes, it’s an investment, but it’s undoubtedly worth it.”
