Within every cloud contact center is the necessity to store data, where it is internal or client information. Data centers serve as the most traditional method of storage; however, research shows that this is quickly transitioning to the use of cloud servers as the preferred approach. Within this year alone, cloud servers have been forecasted to surpass the use of more traditional data centers.
At its core, the data center and cloud storage server work similarly, essentially performing the same function. The main differences reside in how a company interacts with the server. Cloud systems are storage solutions that are adjustable depending on the business’s needs, where a third party owns the physical data center. The cloud space that is needed is rented by the company and accessed via cloud traffic; however, a data center that is owned by the company is typically onsite, offerings users a more customizable, dedicated system.
According to a new study commissioned by Cisco, over two-thirds of data center traffic will be cloud traffic by 2017 and, by the end of 2013, cloud traffic will surpass the use of onsite data centers. This is for the simple reason that cloud access is becoming more widely available and is cheaper than maintaining an onsite server system. Additionally, its uses have extended to include many essential business functions, such as overall communications, VoIP, Web and video conferencing and virtual operations.
And, cloud servers have extended beyond business use, as they are now being leveraged more than ever by general consumers for everything from communications to banking to social networking. These consumers are responsible for about 17 percent of total cloud traffic, according to the aforementioned Cisco study. North America is currently leading the way when it comes to cloud traffic, followed by Asia Pacific and then Western Europe.
