Cloud integration is the process of linking various cloud-based applications, systems, and services to facilitate smooth data sharing and communication. It enables organizations to optimize workflows, boost efficiency, and foster collaboration across different platforms.
A managed cloud service provider plays a crucial role in facilitating smooth integration processes by offering expertise and support in managing diverse cloud environments. If you decide to outsource your cloud integration, you can choose among two types of cloud integration depending on business components.
Let's explore them here.
Understanding Cloud Integration
Cloud integration is a process that connects systems, applications, repositories, data, and IT environments under one cloud platform.
Once data is visible in a single environment, businesses can view and process data in real time, which positively affects team productivity and efficiency. For example, if your accounting team has a 360-degree view of all outgoing and incoming payments, they can understand company expenditures better and create effective budgeting strategies.
The goal of cloud integration (whether deployed fully or as a hybrid) is to create a unified IT system that consolidates data and applications to be accessed by your staff on various smart devices.
Types of Cloud Integration
Cloud integration can come in different ways, and you must find the right one for your business. It could either be cloud-to-cloud integration, cloud-to-on-premises integration, or both. It all depends on the business component you want to address.
Data Integration
Companies gather more and more data daily, and it’s even more challenging to organise and analyse data, especially if it's from various data sources or has different formats. If this is your dilemma, you will need a way to manage your data assets so you and your team can capture the information hidden within the data.
A solution for that is to bring all that data together under one cloud platform to make the reporting and decision-making processes much more painless.
Data integration is a type of cloud integration process wherein it synchronises your data from different repositories under one platform giving you a 360-degree view of your most valuable asset. You can transport and manage the data you want during the integration process.
The main objective of data integration is to create organised data sets that are accurate and can meet user demands. If data integration gets done right, you’ll end up with these benefits:
- Data and system innovation
- Reduce technological costs
- Better data quality
- Stronger data integrity
- Improved team insights
- Seamless knowledge transfer
- Improved productivity and efficiency
- Increased ROI
Those are only a few of the benefits of data integration. It’s important to remember that although it is a strenuous process, but if done right, the payoff would far outweigh its cost.
Application Integration
While data integration synchronises data from various repositories into one platform, application integration, on the other hand, links various cloud-based applications (whether it’s for a specific purpose or team) to work with one another and create a cohesive IT environment.
With this type of cloud integration solution, you can streamline your IT infrastructure and support fast-paced operations aside from reducing costs and investments. As a plus, the application linking gets done in real time, so companies can seamlessly exchange information and improve team efficiency.
Since application integration connects applications, you can bridge the gap between your on-premise systems and cloud-based applications resulting in efficiency and data coordination. So not only are you sharing data, but you’re also integrating processes and various functions from multiple applications into a single platform.
Application integration can bring efficiency and productivity into your business operations. Some of its advantages are:
- Complete management and control of systems and applications
- More output and fewer errors
- Simplify company processes
- Reduce IT costs and investments
- Efficient data exchange
- Data Accuracy
- Enhance competitive edge
- Automate repetitive tasks
These are only a few of the many advantages of application integration.
Many companies have testified up and down how application integration opened them to new and unique opportunities. They're now capable of doing more for their customers and keeping up with their competitors.
Which is the right cloud integration type for your business?
Whether you implement data or applications into your IT system, always think about which of those two will do best according to your business objectives. Each type of cloud integration has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s just a matter of deciding whether this is the right track to take and which is a better fit. One way to do that is to analyse which will help you be more efficient, provide more accurate data, reduce IT spending, and innovate your processes.
Need help with your cloud integration? We, your trusty cloud computing provider, are happy to help!
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