Imagine you could save money and become more competitive by outsourcing some of your back-office operations. That’s what application hosting can help you achieve. Hosting your business applications with a third-party provider can reduce your IT costs while still enjoying the benefits of an in-house IT department.
This article explores the benefits of application hosting for construction firms. We’ll discuss how application hosting can help you streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve your bottom line.
What is application hosting?
Application hosting is running applications in a secure cloud-based environment. This approach helps protect your data from cyber threats and other potential risks. Application Hosting sets up a safe, isolated environment to access applications worldwide through the internet. This approach eliminates the need for physical servers, saving time and money.
With hosting applications for construction, you can also scale up or down depending on your specific needs at any given time. Plus, all updates are automatic, so you don’t have to worry about manual updates or maintenance.
Application is increasingly relevant in the construction industry due to its capacity to store large amounts of data quickly and securely. Also, the service provides access to crucial personnel eliminating the need to invest in physical infrastructure and hardware. By hosting in the cloud, construction firms can improve communication and collaboration between team members.
Benefits of application hosting for construction firms
1. Cost savings
Construction is a costly business with many moving parts, and it often seems like every penny you spend is just one more step toward bankruptcy. And so, it’s essential to explore every possible way of saving money.
When you host applications in the cloud, you free up your in-house servers and network infrastructure. This means you no longer have to worry about maintenance, upgrades, or security. You can also save on licensing costs, as you can use hosted applications without having to purchase them outright. All these add up to significant savings over the long term.
Related post: 5 Compelling Reasons to Switch to Hosted Applications
2. Increased reliability
Reliability is critical when it comes to construction. The last thing you want is for crucial applications to go down in the middle of a project. Construction firms that switch to application hosting can enjoy increased reliability and uptime for their business-critical applications.
Hosting improves reliability because providers hire experienced professionals who monitor and maintain the system always. They often take backups regularly and store them off-site. Additionally, application hosting provides you with access to the latest software releases, which can help you stay ahead of your competition.
3. Enhanced usability
Application hosting enables you to access your software remotely. For example, if you’re doing a project in a different city or if you’re out in the field, you won’t need to worry about accessing the right software since your applications are hosted remotely. You can simply log in and get back to work quickly and efficiently.
Another way this technology enhances usability is by allowing construction teams to use the latest software versions since they’re always updated on the server. This ensures that you always have access to the latest features and bug fixes significantly improving your workflows. Additionally, application hosting providers offer training and support so you can get the most out of your investment.
4. Infinite scalability
Scaling operations is stressful but relatively easy with application hosting. You can quickly add more storage if needed. This privilege is especially helpful if you need to store larger files or increase access to data in general.
With hosting construction applications, you’ll be able to quickly provide additional resources when needed without adding extra physical infrastructure or hiring more IT staff.
5. Flexibility
Application hosting is an innovative solution that helps construction companies to become more agile and flexible in their operations. First, it allows access to real-time data, no matter where you are.
Construction companies value real-time data immensely, allowing them to easily access and update information remotely. This can help keep projects on track and ensure clear communication and understanding between all parties involved.
Moreover, application hosting allows for scalability when needed. With hosting applications for construction, companies can add or remove users as needed, making it easy for them to adjust their workforce when tackling large projects or scaling back during slower times. This can be an excellent way for businesses to save money regarding IT resources and personnel costs without sacrificing the quality of service or output.
6. Improved security
When a third-party service hosts applications, they manage and monitor these applications to keep them safe. Typical security features to expect from your application hosting provider include 24/7 monitoring of servers and networks, protection from DDoS attacks, and backups of data stored off-site.
By taking advantage of these features, construction companies can rest easy knowing their data is safe and secure.
What to look for when considering application hosting
1. Security
Security should be one of your top priorities when looking for a hosting provider. After all, you want your data to be safe. Ensure the provider you choose has a rigorous security protocol and that their data centers are equipped with the latest security technologies.
Ask to see a copy of their security policy and read up on their data security track record. You’ll also want to make sure that the provider has a disaster recovery plan in place. In the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic events, you’ll want to know that your data is safe and recoverable.
2. Technical support
Technical support is another crucial factor to consider choosing an application hosting provider. Will they be available 24/7 in case of an emergency? What’s their response time? How knowledgeable are they about your application? These are all important questions to ask because they help you decide the level of support to expect.
An excellent way to assess the level of technical support is to read online reviews of the provider. See what others have said about their experience with the technical support team. Another option is to contact the technical support team directly and ask them questions about your specific needs. This will give you a good idea of how responsive and helpful they are.
3. Performance limitations
When considering application hosting, one of the critical factors to consider is the provider’s performance limitations. You don’t want to end up with a provider that can’t handle the load, as this will only end up causing problems for your business and customers.
For instance, you will need to ensure that a provider can accommodate your needs if your application is CPU-intensive. Otherwise, your application will suffer from poor performance. Also, you need to consider the provider’s network bandwidth and see if aligns with your needs.
4. Disaster recovery and business continuity requirements
When considering application hosting solutions, it would be best to look into their disaster recovery and business continuity plans. This area is vital if your business relies on its applications to function.
A good application hosting provider should have a security plan for protecting your data in the case of an unexpected outage, such as a server failure or cyberattack. This should also include backups of your data and applications and an automated system for restoring them quickly and efficiently.
Additionally, your provider should have measures in place to help prevent outages from occurring in the first place by monitoring system performance and addressing any potential problems before they become major issues.
Final thoughts
Are you ready to implement application hosting in your construction company? AEC Cloud offers the best-in-class managed cloud solutions for AEC companies. For several decades, we’ve helped hundreds of construction companies migrate successfully to the cloud. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business.
