Data is going mobile. Between smartphones, tablets, and modern laptop computers, you can pack a lot of computing power and storage space into a pocket or into a satchel. Powerful desktop computers and mainframes still have their roles depending on the industry you’re looking at, but many small businesses and startups are taking advantage of mobile devices and the fact that they’re relatively inexpensive and most of their employees come with their own devices. However, mobile technology brings with it a few challenges, and startups will need to deal with them if they want business to run smoothly.
Data Sharing And Storage
While small businesses can save money by asking their employees to use their own smartphones and other devices, this means they’re also asking their employees to use the same computer for business and their personal life. This can cause issues with productivity since you can’t always tell when an employee is slacking off, but more importantly it means they’re storing business information on their phones. Whether the device is secure or not, it’s hard to access this data without the employee present or without stumbling across personal information. Also, smartphones don’t have as much storage space as bigger devices.
That’s why most small businesses today use a secure cloud server to host their information. Whether it’s backup for the on-site server or the primary files, cloud computing lets businesses go completely mobile with their information.
Wi-Fi Connections
Going wireless means you need to have a wireless internet connection, and while mobile carriers can provide that, their data plans tend to be expensive. That’s why many restaurants and public spaces offer Wi-Fi connections to their visitors, and it’s why small businesses need to set up their own Wi-Fi network. On top of that, if the business is serious about going mobile their connection needs to be as fast as possible.
Entrepreneurs realize this, which is why many high-tech startups are setting up shop in areas with gigabit internet connections. Gigabit internet is just about the fastest speed you can find these days, and it’s thanks to a growing number of optical-fiber internet providers who are laying down fiber cables so that businesses and homes can download and upload massive files in a matter of seconds. With the right wireless router, an office can make use of all this speed and give its employees instant access to the cloud wherever they are in the building.
Going mobile has its challenges, but each of these challenges has its own solution. A small business with a secure cloud for storage and sharing and a Wi-Fi network that runs on a gigabit internet connection can take full advantage of the wireless future.