Your Path to Full Cloud Adoption
As a small or midsize business, you already use the cloud for daily work. 
You likely run Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for your email and calendars, and there’s a good chance you are storing and sharing files.
In short, your team is already familiar with cloud tools. However, do you still keep a physical file server in the office? This hybrid setup often creates technical hurdles for your remote and hybrid workers.
Here are three steps you can take to smoothly finish your cloud journey.
1) Upgrade to Cloud File Services
Move your files completely to the cloud. Doing so removes physical hardware headaches.
When you shift your data into shared environments like SharePoint or Google Shared Drives, your team still sees their files in a familiar layout. On the desktop, the cloud files look like a traditional network drive.
When you move to cloud services, you can expect to:
- Eliminate the cost of maintaining old office hardware
- Empower your team to work securely from any location
- Enable productivity with advanced file locking and approval workflows
Central control gives you the power to manage access, permissions, groups, and folders.
2) Migrate Your Business Applications 
Do you rely on local software for accounting, inventory tracking, or other line-of-business functions? If a web-based version exists that has the features you need, switching is a great choice. If not, a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solves your problem.
With VDI services, your software runs inside a secure cloud environment. Your local computer simply displays the screen and receives your keystrokes.
VDI services:
- Provide your team with a consistent user experience, whether in the office or working remotely
- Improve security, as your software runs inside a hardened perimeter
- Lower costs and give you the ability to scale resources up or down as needed
- Replace large capital expenditures with predictable operating costs
While some systems, such as manufacturing automation, diagnostic lab equipment, and medical tools, need to run locally, the vast majority of business applications thrive in VDI environments.
3) Secure and Manage Your Cloud Environment
Many leaders think that cloud providers handle every aspect of data safety. In reality, cloud providers operate on a shared responsibility model. They keep the core system running and protected, but you are solely responsible for securing your data. You control access. You control permissions.
Your data protection plan should include a few regular practices:
- Creating independent backups of all cloud files to prevent data loss
- Monitoring sharing permissions to ensure that sensitive data stays private
- Setting up data loss prevention rules to block unauthorized sharing
We recommend using Managed Cloud Services to handle these ongoing security tasks. This proactive approach aligns with our Security CPR® framework to help keep you safe.
You would not leave a physical office server unmanaged. Your cloud environment requires the same consistent care and oversight.
Your Next Steps
Finishing your cloud journey does not need to happen all at once. We will help you analyze your current systems and your needs. We will design a practical path forward to ensure a productive, secure, and affordable cloud solution.
When you are ready to simplify, secure, and save, contact us or schedule a time to chat with a Cloud Advisor to discuss your options.
About the Author
Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global. Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.
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