8 Reasons why Schools should move to Cloud Technologies

Nowadays cloud technologies are everywhere. From small shops to big multinational banks, the operations are managed through systems available on cloud technologies. The cloud technologies offer various benefits to the users as well as the owners of the business. As a result almost all businesses are shifting to cloud technologies. Schools are also following this trend and moving their operational management software and data to cloud to get the benefits of cloud technologies for teachers, students and parents.

Let’s have a look on major advantages of cloud technologies compared to the traditional software infrastructure is listed below:

• Automatic Updates

The software solutions hosted on cloud technologies can update automatically to the latest version without the need of downloading, installing and configuring new versions. The traditional approach required a system administrator in the office premises who will configure and manage the software for the enterprise.

In an organization like a school, it may not be practical and budget friendly to hire a full-time system administrator to manage the software whenever new updates are provided by the developer. With a cloud based ERP system solution, the automatic updates will be instantaneous and the teachers and parents will be able to use the updated system without downtime.

• Zero Capex & Reduced Opex

The software available on cloud technologies carries almost zero CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) as the school does not have to buy costly hardware to setup the software. Only requirements are high speed internet and good quality computers and laptops which is present in almost all schools nowadays. With cloud offering, the fees are usually monthly or yearly and the software is available with all the features. You can start and cancel anytime without worrying about the costs associated.

Similar is the case with OPEX(Operational Expenditure). As explained in first benefit there is no maintenance cost in your budget outside the licensing fee. Once the users are trained in software, they can start using it without the need of any onsite maintenance staff. All maintenance costs will be considered in the monthly licensing fee to the software provider.

• Flexibility

Solutions hosted on cloud technologies make your employees more flexible. The teachers can work from school as well as from their home. They can access the software from their laptop, school computer, home computer or mobile phone.

Similarly for parents the flexibility comes in the form of location and time of access as well as the hardware used for accessing the solution. The enhanced flexibility of the cloud software helps in improving the collaboration between teachers and parents. This is explained in the benefit listed below as collaboration.

• Disaster Recovery

This is one of the main benefits and a key reason for expert users to switch to cloud technologies. If you are using a traditional software installed in the laptop or computer of school, there is a very high chance of the data getting lost in-case the computer is damaged or infected by malware. Even if the data is not lost, any damage to the computer can affect the operations of the school and will require the visit of an expert to the school campus to fix the software as well as the computer.

With a software hosted on cloud, the disaster recovery will be well planned and maintained by the expert software developers. As they provide the same solution to hundreds or thousands of other schools, they will have all support systems and expertise in managing disasters and recovering the system to a stable state in a short time.

• Security

Similar to the disaster recovery services, the cloud technologies also provide the best security for the software as well as the data. For a school it is impossible to provide the security for traditionally hosted software within the campus.

The software developers will have the best practices for security. This includes both physical security as well as security within the programming of the software. As the software developer provides the same solution to many other customers, they will be aware of all security threats collected globally and the trends in the industry. This makes the cloud technology software very secure for your school to host your data.

• Environment Friendly

The cloud technology hosted solutions are environment friendly because of the consolidation of the hardware resources that demands energy inputs and emits heat. If the software is hosted in a school or a corporate office, 80% to 90% of the hardware capacity will remain unused but still using the same energy input and incurring CAPEX. In case of a cloud technology provider, the software will be hosted in such a way that all free capacity is used to its maximum. All energy input will be used to provide optimum hosting for maximum number of customers. 

• Scalability

Scalability means the instant ability to upscale or downscale the solution according to the increasing or decreasing demand of the solution. In a school, there will be days when all the parents will access the solution at same time. Ex: Fee Payment. In those instances the software will have to upscale automatically without waiting for manual intervention of an expert. This is possible through cloud technologies.

• Collaboration

Cloud based software provides enhanced collaboration as the users can work from anywhere anytime. For a school, the different users are parents, teachers and students. In this parents and teachers will be using the system the most. Parents will be spread across the geography and will be accessing the system from their mobile phones or laptops. Teachers will access the system regularly from school and occasionally from their home. This became possible because of the cloud technologies. There is no limit to the number of users who can use the system at the same time. This allows hundreds of parents to view the examination results at the same time and pay school fees at the same time from different locations.

Fedena School ERP uses the best cloud technology solutions to provide a fast, stable and accurate operational management software for school. Contact us today to know more.