Smaller businesses are adopting services such as the cloud to help combat the potential for disasters
The uptake of cloud technology and similar services designed to boost productivity has been increasing among smaller companies, and research from security specialists Symantec has suggested that this is as much to do with disaster preparedness as it is the benefits that new technology has in terms of connectivity.
According to the study, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are now taking advantage of the systems more traditionally used by larger organisations, with 43 per cent using private cloud services and 40 per cent public versions of the networks.
Yet while the figures reveal that more SMBs are now benefitting from the latest developments in the computing world, the reasons for their doing so are also interesting, with 37 per cent of those that adopted the private cloud revealing that the potential to enhance disaster preparedness had an impact on their decision.
Steve Cullen, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for SMB and cloud at Symantec, said: "Today’s SMBs are in a unique position to embrace new technologies that not only provide a competitive edge, but also allow them to improve their ability to recover from a disaster while protecting the information that their businesses depend on."
As backing up files in cloud systems provides secure storage and enables instant access for employees, it is perhaps unsurprising that the report found 41 per cent of those using a public cloud and 43 per cent of those with a private version reported improved disaster preparedness as a result of implementing such services.
And with smaller businesses now implementing the more modern forms of technology, this could become an ever more popular trend if many are able to demonstrate improved productivity as a result.
With disaster recovery considerations appearing to play an important role in encouraging companies to adopt cloud services, data protection and business continuity seems to be high on the agenda for many.