In recent times, the focus on technology used in the Life Sciences Industry and just how well it has served them during this global pandemic has gained much traction. As we look to the road ahead and life post-pandemic, now is a good time for Heads of IT, the C-Suite, and key decision-makers alike to assess any gaps their infrastructure may have and act on them.
Businesses thinking about modernizing their IT stance to be better prepared for future crisis management are encouraged to begin by considering their standing when it comes to the cloud.
The use of the cloud is widespread today, but as with hesitations that arise with every change, there are still some cases for a more traditional, on-premise infrastructure. To help companies take the leap to a more efficient, resilient, and scalable way of working, today’s blog will explore the top three ways in which you can accelerate your workflow with the cloud.
Optimized Organizational Resilience
One thing we have learned this year is that we must be futureproof to adapt in uncertain times and to face unprecedented events. Switching to a completely remote working model (almost overnight) proved a challenge for many businesses worldwide when the government requirements around social distancing became stringent.
Businesses that have already taken the leap to cloud will tell you how whilst like everyone, there were initial teething problems when moving their entire workforce to a virtual office (shipping hardware out to employees etc.), having a cloud infrastructure model already in place meant they were able to switch with ease, overall. With emails, applications, files, and folders hosted securely in the cloud, businesses can continue to run their daily operations from any location, at any time. The cloud model not only supports remote working in times of crises but also the working patterns of the modern world, where often access to business assets and files are required by employees on the go.
Flexibility and Scalability to Support Business Growth
Cloud technology has had a great impact on the biotech sector. Today, both small and large sized businesses can leverage the rapidly evolving advanced cloud technology instead of paying large amounts upfront for infrastructure they might not make full use of. Through the cloud, businesses of all sizes have direct connectivity to business-critical applications and tools delivered by trusted third-party specialists such as Microsoft and Avaya. The cloud infrastructure model also seamlessly enables to support the widespread Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), providing extra flexibility to its life science professionals.
Equally supportive of business expansion, the cloud is highly recommended to businesses with workforce in global offices, or, looking to expand to new locations and accommodate further users. A traditional infrastructure model would require continuous purchase of IT equipment as your business grows, and you may be bound by a slower turnaround time.
Scalability is another benefit that might appeal to life science businesses who are on the fence about the cloud, with the ability to implement an upscale or downscale to their IT easily, and without the costs associated with changing tangible infrastructure. Increased cost efficiencies with the cloud frees up funds for businesses to spend on other important areas such as security tools.
Boost Connectivity and Collaboration
Cloud based collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive are helping businesses to boost connectivity, collaboration, and thus overall efficiency as an entity. Whether in the office or working remote, employees can hold meetings via seamless video/audio telephony capabilities, as well as work together on shared documents (which are auto synced for continuity), and exchange live messages through a reliable connection facilitated by the cloud. We’ve explored the benefits and features of Microsoft’s three collaborative tools in a separate article you might like to reference.
We hope you found this article useful. For further information on this topic, we’ve included links to the following materials:
- Guidebook: Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
- Webinar: Common Cloud Misconfigurations and How to Avoid Them
About the Author:
Steve Schoener
Chief Technology Officer, Eze Castle Integration
Steve Schoener is Chief Technology Officer at Eze Castle Integration. In this role, Steve is responsible for guiding the company’s long-term technology strategy and overseeing operations to achieve new levels of performance, product innovation and organizational synergy on a global scale. Previously Steve held the role of senior vice president, client technology for Eze Castle Integration. Prior to joining the Eze Castle Integration team, Steve was head of IT for DW Investment Management in New York, where he oversaw all technology initiatives for the firm. He was also previously employed by UBS Investment Bank as an associate director and Eze Castle as an associate director of technology in the New York region.