In his 1997 book The Innovator’s Dilemma, Clayton Christensen details the notion of “disruptive innovation” as a fresh technology or idea that creates a new market and displaces an existing one. His first examination of the concept deals with the disk drive industry. It’s fitting that 21 years later we’re discussing a different form of digital storage: cloud-based hosting.

Almost nine out of every 10 Fortune 500 companies from the 1950s are gone today. There are a multitude of reasons for this but a major one is technological advances. It’s vital for the construction industry to keep pace with technology and cloud-based hosting is one of the biggest - yet easiest - technologies to deploy. Gartner expects the industry to grow21.4 percent this year alone. The future is here now, it’s just not evenly distributed.

不知情的情况下,许多of us are using cloud-based hosting systems in both our everyday and professional lives, such as Netflix and SalesForce.com. While some focus on the cost of the transition under the notion that their current system is doing fine, the long-term value and benefits of this innovation are not necessarily being considered. Cloud-hosting solves many problems beyond just ditching antiquated storage methods. It can save on hardware and power usage, help your agency Go Green (hey, I’m a Michigan State grad), improve security, provide seamless upgrades, provide an ability to surge and ensure people focus on their jobs.

How does cloud-hosting solve these problems?

Eliminate the Investment and Maintenance of Infrastructure

Agencies that choose to host their enterprise system in the cloud have no need to invest in or update a physical server infrastructure. By transitioning to a trusted third-party hosting service, agencies can reduce the time and cost spent on maintenance.

Make the Most Out of Limited IT Budgets

IT budgets are limited and oftentimes IT staff are overworked. Many states have even experienced consolidation of IT to one central department. This forces agencies to jockey for position when technical issues arise. Using a third-party hosting service, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), allows your IT team to address issues when they occur. Additionally, cloud-hosted services provide the ability to surge during peak usage times which may not be adequately supported by your everyday infrastructure.

Benefit from Experienced, Up-to-Date Security

Third-party hosting services take a comprehensive approach to security. Using a mix of VPCs, security groups, and reverse proxies, hosting services ensure data is secure, encrypted, and accessible. The latest patches are applied through the same secure, encrypted process. A full disaster recovery plan provides agencies with the assurance that their information is safe in the face of an emergency.

Save Time, Effort and the Environment with Web Access

Data analysis and transfer are made easier by a secure and robust system that users can access from anywhere, anytime. That means no heading back to the office for a forgotten file or overspending on delivery fees to get paper documents somewhere fast. By providing easy digital access, hosting can help agencies go green.

As the average lifespan of an S&P 500 company continues to dwindle, many blame the rapid onset of new technologies for putting juggernauts out of business. Organizations that welcome innovation aren’t eliminated by technology; they’re elevated by it. Embracing cloud hosting services is an essential move to keep pace with the times.

For more information on Infotech, visitwww.infotechinc.com.