The cloud may be able to provide enterprise-level IT at a fraction of the price — but cloud computing for small business isn’t without its risks. Security typically tops the list of small business owner concerns when it comes to implementing a new cloud strategy. But security is not the only thing to consider when choosing a cloud service. A cloud strategy requires proper planning. Without it, your business could fall prey to these common (and costly) mistakes:

1. CHOOSING THE WRONG SOLUTION

There is no one-size-fits-all cloud service package or model — and choosing the wrong solution could cost your business thousands. You’ll want to make sure you’re investing in a solution with sufficient space and services you’ll actually use — otherwise you’re just wasting money.

2. GIVING EVERYONE ACCESS TO EVERYTHING

If you give everyone in your company open access to your files and allow them to change passwords, it could have disastrous consequences down the line. Mistakes happen and you need to make sure your important files are protected. To do this, you’ll want to make sure you establish and document security levels for every position within your organization.

3. NOT FOLLOWING INDUSTRY REGULATIONS

Are you in an industry that has strict regulations when it comes to storing sensitive information like medical or financial records? These rules will narrow down the types of services you can consider, as well as the type of information you can store on the cloud. You’ll want to follow these rules closely in order to avoid heavy fines.

4. NOT PLANNING AHEAD FOR DOWNTIME

Your cloud service provider’s system can go down. It happens — and when it does, you’ll want to have a plan in place and list of procedures to follow so your can retrieve your files. In fact, you may even want to consider keeping some of the files that are vital to the operation of your business on backup, in case you need a plan B.

Need help with cloud computing for small business?

UDT can help. Call us at 1-800-882-9919