The summary.
WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS
Using someone else's computing resources over a network, paying for usage rather than buying hardware.
Most small businesses already use it: hosted email, file storage, accounting software, a hosted website.
THE MODEL THAT EXPLAINS MOST INCIDENTS
Shared responsibility. The provider secures the infrastructure; you secure your configuration, access and data.
Most cloud incidents are customer-side — exposed storage, weak credentials, misconfiguration — not provider failures.
WHAT MOVING DOES NOT DO
Make a bad system good, guarantee availability, remove your obligations, or automatically save money.
Being in the cloud is not being backed up.
WHAT IT GENUINELY SOLVES
Hardware ownership, capacity rigidity, and physical infrastructure — power, cooling and replacement.
That matters more here than in places where those are taken for granted.
TWO LOCAL CONSIDERATIONS
Latency, since the nearest region may be far away; and foreign-currency billing, which exposes you to exchange rate movement.
Review cloud spend in your own currency, monthly.
THE DEPENDENCY YOU TAKE ON
Your connection becomes critical infrastructure. Test performance from your premises at a busy time before committing.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH BEFORE ADOPTING ANYTHING
What problem you are solving. If you cannot state one, the move is unlikely to pay.
