At the beginning of this year, a total of 87% of public sector businesses surveyed by UKCloud indicated a desire to move their traditional IT systems into the cloud. The implications of the pandemic have resulted in a surge of cloud adoption in the UK, like many businesses not in the cloud were forced to migrate to this environment due to a rapid shift in working conditions.
Analysts predict that the software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry will represent the largest market segment and is forecast to reach more than $116 billion this year, largely due to the scalability of subscription-based services. The increased demand, legislation and compliance requirement, as well as the need to protect employee data as companies move towards remote working, are all factors that have generated further demand for standard SaaS offerings.

Organisations are starting to understand the value and simplicity that SaaS models can bring to their IT systems. Businesses are also actively seeking ways to enhance their business models and utilise cloud technologies to maintain a competitive edge.

Customers across the globe are in a challenging time involving understanding effective means of protecting and securing their environments. The focus has quickly changed from deciding whether to place workloads in the cloud to which workloads should be placed in the cloud-first. With the rise of cloud adoption comes new economic models that may be completely new to IT businesses.

What SaaS options offer businesses

SaaS offerings are based on simple subscriptions, clear costs and no significant capital investments, making it an appealing and effective choice for businesses today. SaaS becomes even more efficient when businesses combine to deliver a service. For example, implementing data protection with SaaS is a valuable combination, enabling high-level protection along with the benefits and efficiency of the SaaS model.
Businesses can make a relatively simple transition to cloud storage without the requirement of managing, monitoring and securing it from their data protection service. One major consideration in this process, however, is to remember that data stored in the cloud remains the responsibility of the business.

Companies should be actively looking for cost-effective and high-level protective solutions, without the need for added complex systems. The most effective solutions on the market will offer SaaS data protection, capable of reducing costs, overheads and eliminating other challenges.

More advanced SaaS models will also incorporate built-in protection against potential cyber-attacks along with other security controls. As the current business landscape continues to be transformed by the impacts of the pandemic, businesses must invest in systems that enable longevity, sustainability and profitability. With the level of uncertainty regarding the future, now is the time for businesses to adopt and utilise SaaS technology and ensure they are prepared for any data protection challenge.