Freelance IT contractors have several costs that they have to incur. Equipment can be very expensive and this includes the cost for servers and hosting, as well software to help you with your projects. One way to combat this cost is to opt for cloud computing. While relatively new to the freelance world, this breakthrough technology offers a number of benefits and can be a very cost effective approach to getting the resources that you require.
Before you choose this path however, it is important to better understand what cloud computing is, and its various advantages over traditional servers.
What Is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing – or popular as ‘the cloud’ – refers to the use of computing resources in the way you use household utilities like electricity; you only pay what you use.
Cloud computing uses shared resources to be able to provide internet computing on demand, ranging from website hosting to file backup. Cloud computing allows you to easily increase your workload capacity, without bearing the costs associated with a new infrastructure. They can be very advantageous to IT freelancers.
What Are The Benefits?
Cloud computing offers a number of benefits including:
Lower Cost
When compared to private servers, cloud computing is very cost-effective. It is also very easy to implement which gets you up and running faster, another cost saver.
Security
Everything that you have stored in the cloud is thoroughly protected. The highest levels of security are used to ensure that your data is kept perfectly safe.
Reliability
Because you are relying on more than one server, you have fewer worries about downtime. If a server crashes, another will instantly pick up its place- so your data is safe. You can access the server at all times.
Safety
Anything that you save on your computer is stored on a remote server. This offers a level of safety because if something were to happen to your place of business, your data would still be completely safe. You can immediately retrieve your work without worries of your computer being stolen, lost or damaged.
Flexibility
Cloud computing gives you the easiest way to scale your business up or down, and the cost is actually based on the amount of computing that you do. You can enjoy lower costs while you are building your business and then pay a higher cost only when you need to increase your usage.
Do you often work on the go? With cloud computing you can access your work whilst on the train, or at the client’s base.
There are of course, other benefits to cloud computing but these are the most popular. If you are an IT freelance contractor, this is one way that you can significantly lower your equipment costs and enjoy a more cost-effective approach to running your business.
About the Author: This article was provided by Nixon Williams, the UK’s leading contractor accountants serving freelance contractors, interim managers and consultants. Visit them at nixonwilliams.com/IT-contractors to learn more.
