Cloud Computing: Future of the Web

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Running your own graphic design company can be a difficult ordeal at times. You want everything to run smoothly and effectively without having to deal with frustrating connection or server issues. Finances can also be a burden when it comes to the maintenance of your company, and this is especially true of those graphic design businesses that lack comprehensive organization on all levels. Such problems are not necessarily the result of careless management, nor are they exactly the direct consequence of miscommunication amongst staff. While these can contribute to the overall problem, it would be unwise to blame company issues exclusively on these factors.

In the past, most graphic design companies dealt with a multitude of system errors and hefty business expenses on a regular basis. This made for a strenuous and hardly enjoyable experience for many graphic design enthusiasts. However, the advent of newer and better technologies has also resulted in a brighter and more optimistic future for graphic designers. Cloud computing offers numerous benefits to its users that simply cannot be surpassed by any other program or model to date.

One of cloud computing’s primary advantages is the setting it provides users with. Storing work in a centralized data storage system (i.e. the cloud) allows a decentralized workforce to access files from any device with an Internet connection. Workers are now able to avoid the long commute to the office cubicle in the morning. There is no need to sit in long traffic lines or pay for the gas it takes to get to and from work every day. This substantially reduces any stress that would have been involved with this line of work in the first place, and it also saves time.

In addition to the lifestyle benefits, the cloud has a number of professional applications. For projects that require collaboration, multiple people can access and modify the same file. For example, if two designers are working from opposite sides of the country, there is no need to take the time and effort to email one file with changes back and forth. The cloud enables simultaneous access in a way never before possible. Working from home or on the road only requires an Internet connection.

Since the graphic designer no longer has to go through the trouble of a long drive in the mornings and afternoons, he or she can shift more of their focus to loved ones at home and work throughout the day. Design firms that require accessible online data storage often have to pay thousands of dollars for equipment and personnel to run that equipment. In some cases, a private server is set up and a regular employee is in charge, which takes that person away from the job they are supposed to be doing. The individual spends much less time interacting with a manager if he or she even has one in the first place. The hassles of corporate and political interests that are so prevalent in the work place are eliminated. Generally, there is much more flexibility in this laid back environment.

Eschewing an IT department saves a substantial amount of capital that can then be applied to more salient issues (hiring designers, investing in marketing campaigns), but the cloud can further reduce costs by taking away the need for multiple copies of expensive software.

Computers built for design are often expensive and design software suites can be as expensive as the computer they are installed on. In this regard, cloud computing can help substantially reduce the cost of doing business. Instead of loading a copy of a program locally on every design computer, the company can load the application to the cloud and each designer can access it from their own machine, provided the computers are strong enough to handle the processing requirements from graphic intensive applications like Photoshop and InDesign.

Furthermore, there is the benefit of not having to sell a physical product when working in graphic design. Cloud computing lends to this convenience by making it possible for the individual to take their work wherever they go. Having files stored on a remote server rather than each devise is also an inherent security measure. Imagine putting 40 hours into a particular design project only to have it accidentally deleted by your kid at home, or swept away in a tornado. Anything can happen to locally stored files: file corruption, accidental deletion, and yes, natural disasters. The cloud protects against that because the files are always accessible from the server, even if the computer is compromised.

Sensitive materials (including client designs, company information, etc.) are at risk on locally stored machines, especially if those machines travel frequently. Storing them remotely and letting cloud managers handle backup procedures is an intelligent security move and also offers incredible peace of mind.

Another added bonus for companies switching from on-site network storage solutions is a reduction in carbon footprint. Increasing amount of attention is being paid to energy consumption, as we move toward a more green society. Not only is it a good idea in terms of conservation, but cloud solutions result in lower energy consumption which leads to lower energy costs and carbon emissions. According to a study found on CRN.com, cloud solutions reduce energy/emissions for enterprise businesses by around 30 percent. However, most design firms are smaller operations, and smaller businesses stand to reduce their energy use and carbon emissions by up to 90%. Not only does that save small businesses money, it is an environmentally conscious business move.

There are endless possibilities in graphic design when it comes to what you can sell. Essentially, you will be selling an idea. You are able to take your business anywhere you want in the world, because a computer with an Internet connection is all you need. Higher productivity, cost reductions from cutting IT management, saving on high-performance design hardware/software programs, and the added security that comes with enlisting a cloud service manager, make cloud computing an undoubtedly cost-effective form of company management.

Cloud Computing: Future of the Web is a post from: Technshare

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