Today, one of the most prevalent trends is digitization, as our world is now heavily powered by technology. Mobile phones, artificial intelligence and cloud management are technologies that we constantly encounter and the pace at which technological innovations are being embraced, not just by individuals but also by businesses and institutions, highlights the importance of access and connectivity.
The new wave of digital technology has also brought about cloud computing. Cloud computing is designed to make computer system resources, especially storage and computing power, readily available without requiring direct active management by the user. The availability of these internet-based data centers to many users has become a necessary feature in the growth of any business.
As data and technology are becoming increasingly important, and although small and medium businesses continue to face challenges, MSMEs, whose personnel numbers fall below that of large corporations, can benefit greatly from the 100 percent cloud managed IT solutions offered by Cisco Meraki. Its high capacity access points are built from the highest-grade components and are carefully optimized to provide a seamless user experience resulting in faster connections, a highly secure network of tools, greater user capacity, more coverage and fewer support calls. Furthermore, the deep network insight provided by Cisco’s access points provides unmatched visibility, armed with rich analytics allowing administrators to quickly create access control and application usage policies, optimizing both the end user experience and network security.
For a country like Nigeria who owes 54 percent of its GDP to small and medium businesses, embracing simplified IT solutions and cloud computing is bound to become a necessity as new businesses continue to disrupt the market. The adoption of cloud technology translates to efficiency, flexibility and value to micro, small, and medium enterprises. The services offered by Cisco Meraki are indispensable for businesses as they ensure the continued success of MSMEs through their wide range of offerings to accommodate and help the need of each business.
The benefits of cloud computing for businesses, whether small or big, include the simple accessibility; the speed to market; data security; and above all, the ability to avoid the upfront cost of owning and maintaining an internal IT infrastructure, which allows businesses to maintain a structure where users only pay for the resources they use. Because data is central to the operations of every business, it is important that it is well managed.
However, despite the wide range of benefits, use of cloud technology does pose a few challenges. The most crucial being vulnerability due to utmost reliance on the cloud for data storage and other IT needs. This can leave a company vulnerable in the unexpected event of a network outage, which can in turn result in the loss of data. Companies may also be hesitant to use of cloud technology due to privacy concerns, which include but are not limited to, exposure to online hackers and information thieves.
Fundamentally, Cisco Meraki focuses on empowering businesses and organisations of every size with powerful yet simple network infrastructures.
For small businesses operating on minimum capital, Cisco says its Meraki cloud technology offers a great deal of cost flexibility as well as business flexibility. It also allows these businesses to enjoy high-speed internet connectivity and data transfer, agility, operational efficiency, and most importantly, data security that is required to accelerate their digital transformations.
“Sitting at the core of Cisco Meraki’s value proposition is that the company simplifies IT solutions to help small businesses,” the company assures.
